Shopping In Srinagar

Srinagar, aptly called as the ‘City of Lakes’, is an unadulterated beauty that draws travelers from across the globe. Tucked away in the beautiful valley of Kashmir, Srinagar is known globally for its snow-capped peaks, sprawling orchards and of course, its lucid lakes. Srinagar’s exotic dry fruits, stone jewelry, Kashmiri shawls, showpieces and papier-m�ch� are drool-worthy and a visitor must not return empty-handed without buying these unique stuffs. Although there are not too many plush malls to indulge in shopping, Srinagar has some interesting places from where you can pick treasurable souvenirs. Enjoying the serene landscapes on your houseboat and shopping for splendid stuffs at the same time is possible only in Srinagar. The shikara shops, which are a huge rage in the city, are a common sight in Srinagar. However, shopping can be an exhausting experience if you don’t know where to shop. To make your shopping experience enjoyable, trail through the popular shopping places in Srinagar given below.

Shopping Places In Srinagar

Badshah Chowk
Well, going back home without buying the famous Srinagar carpets would be an utter foolishness. Head to Badaash Chowk and grab a carpet with intricate patterns and designs that are sold here at reasonable prices. Make use of your bargaining skills to the fullest to get the best deals. The Chowk is filled with shops selling pashminas, shawls and a wide variety of embroidered clothes including Indian salwar suits. The best part is that you can even place an order for carpets here.

Residency Road
Residency Road, located just near Lal Chowk, is a good place to shop for Kashmiri handicrafts, dry fruits and ethnic dongra jewelry. What makes the dry fruits of Residency Road different from other places is that they are absolutely fresh. Apricots, fig, dates and raisins are some of the dry fruits that can be purchased from here. Some shops sell wide varieties of walnuts like burzil walnuts, kagzi walnuts and wont walnuts. Women can also buy aromatic spices like shahi jeera, cardamom, pepper, honey, that are of high quality from this spice paradise.

Polo View Market
If you want to stroll along the pavements leisurely and buy some exciting souvenirs, then Polo View market is the best place to hit. Besides pashminas, great gift items like Jamawars, wooden jewelry boxes and walnut carved articles can be bought from here. Some of the shops sell wide range of papier-m�ch� products of various sizes, colors and forms like show pieces, statues, vases and Christmas decorations. No one can stop you from laying your hands on the best products, if you patiently look for what you want.

Lal Chowk
Lal Chowk is one of the most popular shopping spots in Srinagar. The streets are filled with shops and the vendors can be seen trying their best to convince customers to buy their products. Carvings made out of walnut wood, pashminas, jewelry boxes, tiny trinkets sell like hot cakes here. The walnut wood found here is considered as the best in terms of quality and items made out of it include trays, nut bowls, photo frames, salad bowls and furniture. For art lovers, there is a wide range of traditional Kashmiri paintings to choose from.