Once a very popular holiday destination, political conflict in recent years has lost the city much of its tourism.
But the beauty of the place still remains, and travellers are sure to catch some beautiful scenery and delicious Kashmiri culinary delights on a trip there.
The Mughal Gardens, Shalimar Bagh and Pari Mahal are well-worth a visit.
Take a shikara ride on the Dal Lake for some peace and tranquility and shop for exquisite Pashmina shawls and Kashmiri rugs and carpets in the city.
Getting there: The city has its own airport that gets air traffic from most major Indian cities and a few international cities as well.
The closest rail head is at Jammu (290 km away) and further travel is by road. There are state transport buses that ply the route from Jammu and tourist buses from Delhi as well.