The
valley
of
Kashmir,
in
which
Srinagar
is
located,
is
also
referred
to
as
being
a
heaven
on
earth.
The
Mughal
emperor
Jahangir
was
so
captivated
by
the
beauty
of
this
valley
that
he
exclaimed
"Gar
firdaus,
ruhe
zamin
ast,
hamin
asto,
hamin
asto,
hamin
asto"
(If
there
is
a
heaven
on
earth,
it's
here,
it's
here,
it's
here).
There
are
a
number
of
tourist
places
in
and
around
Srinagar.
The
Dal
Lake
is
an
important
tourist
attraction
of
Srinagar.
It
is
located
on
the
eastern
end
of
the
city.
The
Dal
Lake
comprises
of
a
series
of
lakes,
including
the
Nagin
Lake
some
8
km
from
the
city
center.
One
can
enjoy
the
panoramic
view
of
the
mountains
surrounding
Srinagar
from
this
lake.
Travelers
can
enjoy
taking
a
ride
on
traditional
Kashmiri
boats
or
the
Shikaras
to
explore
the
intricate
maze
of
waterways
of
this
lake.
The
other
major
attractions
of
Srinagar
city
are
the
well
laid
out
Mughal
styled
gardens.
The
Shalimar
Bagh
and
the
Nishat
Bagh
are
beautiful
gardens
located
to
the
far
eastern
side
of
the
Dal
Lake.
One
can
take
a
stroll
amongst
these
green
and
attractive
gardens
and
enjoy
the
waterworks
within
them.
The
temple
of
Shankaracharya
is
another
important
place
to
visit
in
Srinagar.
Jaluka,
the
son
of
emperor
Ashoka,
built
it
in
the
3rd
century
BC.
PLACES
AROUND
SRINAGAR
There
are
number
of
interesting
places
to
visit
near
Srinagar.
Most
of
these
places
are
located
amongst
picturesque
settings
of
the
mighty
Himalayas.
Apart
from
natural
beauty,
they
offer
a
number
of
adventure
activities
to
the
traveler.
Gulmarg
is
52
km
southeast
of
Srinagar
and
is
located
at
an
altitude
of
2730
m
above
sea
level.
In
summers,
the
meadows
of
Gulmarg
are
laden
with
flowers.
In
winters,
the
snow-covered
slopes
of
Gulmarg
turn
into
a
skiing
resort,
which
attracts
the
traveler
seeking
adventure
and
thrill.
It
is
a
popular
trekking
destination
and
boasts
of
the
world's
highest
golf
course.
Sonamarg
is
80
km
northeast
of
Srinagar
and
is
located
at
an
altitude
of
2740
m.
It
is
set
in
a
valley
amongst
glaciers
and
placid
lakes.
The
flower?laden
meadows,
panoramic
view
of
the
lofty
snow?covered
Himalayan
peaks,
and
a
number
of
trekking
and
hiking
trails
have
made
Sonamarg
a
popular
tourist
destination.
Pahalgam
is
95
km
east
of
Srinagar
and
is
located
in
the
quiet
Liddar
valley,
at
a
height
of
2130
m.
It
provides
an
ideal
setting
for
activities
like
hiking,
trekking
and
fishing.
It
is
also
the
starting
point
of
the
annual
pilgrimage
to
the
holy
cave
of
Amarnath.
The
handicrafts
repertoire
of
Kashmir
is
incomplete
without
woolen
shawls
and
woodcarving.
Travelers
can
purchase
richly
embroidered
woolen
shawls
in
all
colors
and
intricate
designs
in
Srinagar.
Apart
from
regular
woolen
shawls,
one
can
also
buy
Pashmina
shawls
(made
from
the
hair
of
ibex)
and
shahtoosh
shawls
(made
from
the
hair
of
the
Tibetan
antelope),
which
are
highly
valued
shawls
made
in
Kashmir.
As
Kashmir
is
the
only
state
in
India
where
walnut
trees
grow,
craftsmen
here
create
intricate
carvings
on
walnut
wood
to
make
items
like
tables,
chairs,
stools,
fruit
bowls,
partitions,
etc.,
that
have
rich
floral
and
trellis
patterns
carved
on
them.
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