Nainital sits at just over 2,000 metres in Uttarakhand's Kumaon Himalayas, built up by the British in the 1840s around Naini Lake, the eye-shaped water body that gave the town both its name and its long-standing title, the 'City of Lakes.' For anyone researching places to visit in Nainital or planning things to do in Nainital, the lake is the natural starting point, since Hindu tradition holds it to be one of the 51 Shakti Peethas in the country. Ringed by Naina Peak and a run of forested ridges, and still dotted with colonial-era bungalows and a working Mall Road, the town carries three identities at once: pilgrimage stop, Raj-era hill retreat, and Himalayan viewpoint.

A good chunk of any Nainital itinerary happens on or around that same lake. Evening boat rides drift across Naini Lake, the lakeside Naina Devi Temple draws a steady stream of devotees, and the Nainital Ropeway carries visitors up to Snow View Point for a clear-day look at Nanda Devi and Trishul. Those up for a longer walk can push on to Naina Peak, the town's highest point above 2,600 metres, or to Tiffin Top for equally sweeping views over the Kumaon hills. Shopping and people-watching happen along Mall Road, while the Eco Cave Gardens make for an easy stop with children in tow. A short drive out of town opens up Kainchi Dham, the hillside ashram once visited by Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg, the twin lakes of Bhimtal and Sattal, and even a day of wildlife spotting at Jim Corbett National Park.

Ask a returning visitor what stayed with them, though, and it's rarely a single landmark. More often it's the smell of pine on a morning walk, the sound of oars cutting still water, or a bite of Bal Mithai bought on a whim from a Mall Road shop. A stay at Sterling Nainital, set in this same Kumaon valley, keeps the lake, the viewpoints, and the old colonial town all within easy striking distance, so the trip can move at whatever pace you choose to set for it.