Shimla

Once known as the ‘Queen of Hills’, Shimla is one of the most popular hill stations in India.

Set in the midst of majestic pine forests, Shimla offers breathtaking mountain views and clean & clear salubrious air.

Shimla is one of the best connected hill stations by air, rail and road. Its easy reach, well-developed facilities, panoramic views and numerous attractions lure honeymooners, families as well as adventure enthusiasts alike.

Shimla owes its character primarily to the British who turned this stop-on-the-way to the temple of the hill-goddess ‘Shyamala’ into the summer capital of a subcontinent.

Its also of significance in the history of India as several historic conferences were held here during British Raj.

Shimla is built on a central ridge surrounded by seven hills. The original village came up on a flat ridge and the settlements kept moving upwards with every succeeding British Governor-general.

Places to Visit

The Mall

Situated right in the heart of the town, The Mall is the hub of social life in Shimla. With most of the landmarks and numerous departmental stores, souvenir shops, hotels, clubs, bars, restaurants and ATMs located here, this is the most happening place.

Once on the Mall, what you just cannot miss is the elegant and famous Christ Church with its majestic appearance. The Church is the second oldest in Northern India and has beautiful stained glass windows.

Centre of cultural activities, Gaiety Theatre, an old British theatre is also right on the Mall. Various legendary artists like Rudyard Kipling, Prithvi Raj kapoor, K.L.Sehgal, Balraj Sahani, Pran, Naseeruddin Shah and Anupam Kher have performed on this historical stage.

Scandal Point

Close to the G.P.O where the Mall meets the Ridge is the Scandal Point which commemorates the scandalised affair of the Maharaja of Patiala with a British lady as a result of which he was banished from Shimla, to counter which he decided to develop a hill-station of his own.

Himachal State Museum

Housing a gallery of miniature pahari paintings, wood carvings, jewellery and costumes, the state museum which is also known as Shimla museum has a vast collection of ancient sculptures and paintings and gives tourists a glimpse of the cultural wealth of Himachal Pradesh.

Timings : 10 AM to 5 PM

(Closed on Mondays and gazetted holidays)

Kali bari temple

Dedicated to the local deity, Goddess Shyamala, the fearsome incarnation of Goddess Kali, after whom Shimla was named, the temple is located at a prime location between G.P.O and scandal point and is easy to walk to.

The temple receives a heavy influx of devotees on the auspicious occasions of Navratri and Durga Puja.

Jakhoo Hill

Jakhoo hill is the highest of all the seven hills and offers beautiful view of the town and the snow-covered Himalayas. At the top of the hill is an ancient temple popularly known as Jakhoo Temple which is believed to exist since pre-historic times of Ramayana and has a famous Hindu legend associated with it.

Like most other Hanuman temples, Jakhoo temple is also surrounded by hundreds of monkeys.

(Tip: Watch out for monkeys. Though generally indifferent, if provoked they can get violent and snatch your belongings.)

Annandale (3 km)

Ideal for picnics, cricket and polo, Annandale is a tranquil, secluded and sacred place maintained by Army and surrounded by thick deodar forests.

With not much to do except visit a small ancient temple located here or making a round of Army Museum, this is a perfect place for relaxing and unwinding in calm and serene surroundings.

Kids will love this place too for there are quite a few attractions for them here. They can have fun on the rides and get a feel of a real helicopter which is stationed there.

Also check out

Himalayan aviary

Observatory Hill

Kamna devi Temple

Summer Hill

Things to Do

Trekking

Indoor roller skating

Ice skating

Must Try

Locally brewed fruit wines like apricot wine, plum, apple and ginger cider.

What to Buy and Where