The most atmospheric quarter of Baramulla is the strip of old town along the south bank of the Jhelum, where wooden houses with intricately carved balconies and oriel windows lean over the water. Many are decrepit — decades of conflict, neglect and earthquake damage have taken a toll — but several have been restored, and the lane behind the bazaar has the texture of an older Kashmir.
The old wooden footbridge across the river is a good vantage point. Spring (apple blossom) and autumn (chinar leaves) are the most photogenic times. The town has been continuously inhabited for over two millennia and was reportedly founded by the Mauryan emperor Ashoka.