Dal Lake is the centrepiece of Srinagar, a broad sheet of water ringed by mountains and edged with Mughal gardens. Carved wooden houseboats line its banks, and shikaras, the lake's painted gondolas, carry visitors past floating vegetable gardens and lotus beds. The Boulevard Road follows the southern shore. Sunrise and the hour before dusk are the best times for a ride.

Nishat Bagh, the 'garden of joy', was laid out in 1633 by Asif Khan, brother of Empress Nur Jahan. Its twelve terraces climb from the shore of Dal Lake towards the Zabarwan hills, with a cascade of water running down the centre between flower beds and old chinars. The view back across the lake to the Pir Panjal range is among the best in Srinagar.

Shalimar Bagh is the largest of the Mughal gardens of Kashmir, laid out in 1619 by Emperor Jahangir for his wife Nur Jahan. It rises from Dal Lake in terraces along a central water channel lined with chinar trees, fountains and pavilions, the finest being the Black Pavilion. Spring blossom and the red chinar leaves of autumn are the best seasons.

Chashme Shahi, the 'royal spring', is the smallest of Srinagar's Mughal gardens, built in 1632 for Emperor Shah Jahan around a natural spring famed for its cool, sweet water. Three terraces step down the hillside with a pavilion, fountains and a water chute. It lies above Dal Lake near Pari Mahal and the botanical garden.

Pari Mahal, the 'palace of fairies', is a terraced garden on a spur of the Zabarwan range above Srinagar. It was built in the mid-17th century by Prince Dara Shikoh, eldest son of Shah Jahan, as a retreat, library and observatory. Its arched ruins on several levels are floodlit at night and look out over Dal Lake and the city.

Hazratbal is the most revered Muslim shrine in Kashmir, holding a relic believed to be a hair of the Prophet Muhammad, which is displayed to the faithful on special occasions. The white marble mosque with its single dome and minaret stands on the western shore of Dal Lake. Visitors should dress modestly; women enter by a separate section.

The Jamia Masjid in Srinagar's old city was founded around 1400 by Sultan Sikandar and rebuilt several times after fires. Built in Indo-Saracenic style around a large garden courtyard, it is famous for the hundreds of tall deodar pillars that hold up its roof, each cut from a single trunk. The surrounding Nowhatta bazaars are among the liveliest in the old town.

Khanqah-e-Moula, on the bank of the Jhelum in old Srinagar, is one of the oldest Muslim shrines in Kashmir, first built in 1395 in memory of the Persian saint Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani. The present wooden building dates from the 18th century and is a masterpiece of Kashmiri timber architecture, with carved eaves and richly painted papier-mache interiors.

The Shankaracharya Temple crowns a hill about 300 metres above Srinagar and is dedicated to Shiva. The stone shrine on an octagonal plinth is among the oldest in Kashmir, and the philosopher Adi Shankara is said to have visited it. A road leads most of the way up, followed by some 240 steps. The summit gives a sweeping view over Dal Lake and the city. Cameras and phones are not allowed inside.

Hari Parbat Fort stands on a hill overlooking Srinagar. The outer wall around the hill was built by Akbar in the 1590s, and the fort on the summit was added in 1808 by the Afghan governor Atta Mohammed Khan. The hill is sacred to several faiths, with a Sharika Devi temple, the shrine of Makhdoom Sahib and a gurdwara on its slopes. The ramparts give wide views of the city and lakes.

Nigeen Lake is a quieter offshoot of Dal Lake, joined to it by a narrow channel and ringed by willow and poplar trees. Its name means 'jewel in the ring'. Many of Srinagar's most peaceful houseboats are moored here, and the water is cleaner and deeper than Dal's. It lies below Hari Parbat on the Hazratbal road.

Gulmarg, the 'meadow of flowers', is a hill resort at about 2,650 metres in the Pir Panjal range. In summer its rolling meadows are covered in wildflowers and host one of the highest golf courses in the world; in winter deep powder snow makes it India's leading ski destination. The old St Mary's Church and a small Shiva temple stand on the meadow.

The Gulmarg Gondola is one of the highest cable cars in the world. Its first stage runs from Gulmarg to Kongdoori, and the second climbs to nearly 4,000 metres on the shoulder of Mount Apharwat. The upper station gives views over the Kashmir valley and, on clear days, towards Nanga Parbat. Tickets should be booked online in advance; queues are long in season.

Doodhpathri, the 'valley of milk', is a bowl-shaped meadow at about 2,700 metres in Budgam district, 42 km from Srinagar. The Shaliganga stream runs through it over white boulders, giving the water a milky look. Pine and fir forest surrounds the grassland, which is carpeted with flowers in spring. There are few permanent buildings, so most people visit as a day trip.

The Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden, on the foothills of the Zabarwan range beside Dal Lake, is the largest tulip garden in Asia. Opened in 2007, it is planted in terraces with well over a million bulbs of many varieties, along with daffodils and hyacinths. It is open only during the bloom, usually from late March to mid-April, when the Tulip Festival is held.

Lal Chowk is the commercial and symbolic heart of Srinagar, named 'Red Square' by left-wing activists in the 20th century. Its clock tower, the Ghanta Ghar, has been the backdrop to many political moments. The square and nearby Residency Road are lined with shops selling shawls, dry fruit, saffron and handicrafts, and the area has been repaved as a pedestrian-friendly plaza.