Places to see in Shimla-

Although the best thing to do in Shimla is to walk around and watch the panorma and the wooded mountain ranges.Shimla is surrounded by pine, deodar, oak and rhododendron forests. Still Its well developed facilities, easy accessibility and numerous attractions makes it one of the most famous places in India and biggest tourist destination for both local and forgein visitors.Some of the must see places in Shimla are-

The Ridge-

Located in the centre of the city of Shimla, Ridge is the heart and the hub centre for the tourists coming to this famous place of India.Ridge is a large open space with a very wide road.Vehicles are not allowed to come down the Ridge , so, you have to walk to reach this site.
Ridge is famous for the view of mountain it offers.The view of wooded himalyan ranges from here is awesome.Watching a setting sun from here is an immemorable experience.Apart from view it offers, Ridge is also famous as the centre of Shimla's cultural and social centre.

The Ridge is famous for the various government functions and fairs that are held here. It is usually the venue for all such celebrations and events. The most famous festival that is held at the Ridge is the Summer Festival. This famous festival is held during the months of April or May and the whole of Shimla comes alive with colors and a riot of activities.
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There is a water reservoir located in the Ridge which serves as the main water supply of Shimla.
The two famous landmarks of the Ridge are the- Christ church built in Neo-Gothic style and new Tudor library building.

Christ Church-

Located near the Ridge this church was built in 1846 and is one of the oldest churches in India. This church has been built in Neo-Gothic style.The stain-glass windows and 19th century organ are particularly impressive, and the fresco that surrounds the chapel window was designed by Lockwood Kipling, Rudyard Kipling's father.
The church is open everyday.

Mall road-

Also called as the Lower Bazzar ( lower market), this is the main shopping centre of Shimla and the place where you can get cheap and budget hotels.Viceregal lodge is one of the famous landmark present in the Mall road.Another important structure present in the all road is the aiety Theatre, which is a reproduction of an old British theatre and is a center of cultural and festive activities in Shimla.Although less opulent than its upper neighbor, the Lower Bazaar retains an old worldly charm and is an excellent place to try some Shimla specialty dishes, like Uradh Dal with rice or Shepard's Pie.

Viceregal Lodge-

Built in 1888 this is an imposing strucure built during British rule.The building was built under the supervision of Lord Dufferin. The three side of the building is surrounded by British style garden.The fourth side is a very nice place to see the setting sun.
The building is open everyday and the entry fees is Rs. 10. Only the garden the main entrance hall is open for tourists to watch.Cameras are not allowed inside the mansion.

Jakhoo hill and Jakhoo temple-

Jakhoo hill is one of the highest peaks around Shimla and is located about 2.5 kms from the Ridge. Auto rickshaws and taxis and also some buses can drop you to the foothills of the peak.From there you have to walk up to the top which is very tiring.Walking sticks are available on hire in the shops located on the foothills.
Once you reach the top, yoy will find a very nice view of Shimla city and a very mesmerizing view of Deodar and Oak clad mountains. A very ancient temple is located on the top of the hill.The temple is dedicated to Lord Hanuman and it is believed that Lord Hanuman has rested here for a while while His journey towards the Himalyas.
Like many temples in India, the temple and Jakhoo hill has a lot of monkeys ,many of them are aggressive and notorious for snatching things.So, take care of your belongings particularly any eatables.

Summer Hill

Located about 7 kms. away from the main city lies this picturesque site with a bewitching environment.It lies on Kalka Shimla railway line and is at an altitude of 1300 mts.The place offers a great view of adjoining areas and is quite apt for long walks in the shade of trees.Mahatma Gandhi ,the father of nation ,stayed at this place while his visit to the Shimla.The Himachal Pradesh university is situated on this hill.

Prospect hill and the temple of Kamna Devi-

Located on the Shimla -Bilaspur road, the prospect hill is crowned by a temple dedicated to Goddess Kamna Devi.You can reach here by a bus or a taxi which can drop you at Boileauganj from where this place is just 15 minutes walk away.Situated at an altitude of about 2500 mts. this hill gives an astounding view of the adjoining areas.

Chadwick Falls-

Located about 7kms from Shimla this highly dense forested area can be regarded as the paradise for nature lovers.The best way to reach here is by walking from Summer hills.It takes about 45 minutes to reach here from Summer hill.
The best season to visit this place is during August- September when there is a lot of water in the fall and the dazzling water gives a look as if millions of pearls are falling on the ground to hug the earth.

Shimla State Museum-

The museum was opened in 1974 and houses many artifacts and objects related o culture and archaelogical importance of Himachal Pradesh and adjoining states.

At present Museum, has about 9000 objects in its collection. At the outset, museum started with four galleries. Since then more galleries have been added. These galleries pertain to Pre- historic, Indian Archaeology, Woodcarvings, Himachal Archaeology, Pahari Miniature Paintings Monuments, Photographs, Rajasthan paintings, Bronzes, Numismatic, Arms Gallery, Gandhi Gallery, Philatelic, Anthropological, Contemporary Art & Wall Paintings gallery. In addition to these galleries museum has one exhibition hall for arranging the exhibition and other museum activities.
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Image Art Gallery-

This is an excellent place to discover the culture, flora and fauna of this state, Himachal Pradesh.The gallery exhibits some 20,000 photographs of Himachal Pradesh taken by the celebrated photographer, Inder Pal.Potter's Hill is scenic area, so as well as visiting the gallery, visitors can also enjoy hiking, climbing, observing wild life and enjoy the fresh Himalayan air. Entry fee is Rs. %.Cameras are allowed but you can't photograph with flash on (flash not allowed).



Images by: vinodbahal, jz.sinr, gr8.achint

Shimla, India: General Information-

Shimla used to be the summer capital during British rule in India and English people used to caqll it the queen of hill stations. Presently it is the capital city of the northern state of Himachal pradesh and one of the most visited hill-stations in India. Millions of tourists flock here during summer months to get some respite from the scorching heat.

Located in the lap of North-west Himalyas at an altitude of about 22oo mts. vacation in Shimla can be enjoyed by watching the scenic beauty of the place, panormic view and Deodar and Oak clad mountains.

It is a very popular holiday-retreat during the summer months and is well-known for its Victorian architecture, which is reflected in certain areas of the Mall and The Ridge. It is also a famous holiday spot for honeymoon.
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Shimla derived its name from the word 'Shyamla' which means Goddess Kali whose temple existed in the dense forests that covered the Jakhu Hills in the early 19th century. British people named it as Shimla and since then the name has prevailed.

How to reach Shimla-

Shimla is well connected byAir, Railway as well as by road but by far the most convenient, cheaper and gratifying option would be to reach there by train through Kalka Shimla toy train.

Reaching Shimla by Air-
The nearest airport from Shimla is Jubbarhatti airport but it receives only a few flights and all from Delhi. So, reaching here by plane is not a convenient option as you have to first reach Delhi and from there to Jubbarhatti .Apart from this there are not many flights operating between Delhi and Jubbarhatti ,so, may have to wait for some time.

Chandigarh offers far better options. Many flights from all major cities of India arrive and depart from Chandigarh and so it is far better option than Jubbarhatti.From Chandigarh you can reach Shimla by a bus, or by hiring a taxi or through Kalka Shimla toy train.

Reaching Shimla by Train-( Kalka -Shimla toy train)
The nearest broad gauge head is Kalka.From Kalka to Shimla you can travel by toy train.Kaka is about 90 kms away from Shimla and it takes about 5- 6 hrs for a 90 km journey by toy train.In the way the train passes through more than 100 tunnels and passing through the deodar clad mountains and springs feels like you are in heaven .I would recommed travelling by toy train if you are planning to travel to Shimla.Kalka Shimla toy train route has been recently declared as the world heritage site.

Schedule of trains from Kalka to Shimla

Train No.	Train Name	Kalka	Shimla
1KS Passenger	Kalka Shimla Passenger	04:00	09:20
241 NG Superfast	Shivalik Deluxe Express	05:30	10:15
251 Mail	Kalka Shimla Mail	06:00	11:00
255 Express	Himalayan Queen Express	12:10	17:20

Reaching Shimla by road-
Shimla is well connected to nearby places in the state as well as outside state by road.Regular buses from Delhi, Chandigarh, Dharmshala, Dalhousie, Dehradun, Ambala etc. arrive and depart Shimla.The distance of some important places from Shimla are as follows-

Chandigarh- 117 km,
Kullu- 220 km,
Manali- 260 km, Delhi- 343 km,
Pathankot- 380 km,
Ambala- 151 km,
Chail- 43 km,
Dehradun- 240 km

Where to stay in Shimla-

With more than thousand hotels it is easy to get an accommodation in Shimla which suits your need and pocket.But it will always be advisable to get your hotel booked before hand through any travel agent or by internet. If possible try to find a hotel near Ridge or Mall road as these places lie in the heart of the city and are almost equidistant from most of the places of tourist interest in Shimla.Lakkar Market, which lies down the Mall road can be a very good alternative to these places if in case you are not able to find a hotel near Ridge or Mall road.

Eating out in Shimla-

Most of the restaurants and other eating places in Shimla and offer a variety of cuisines like north indian ,south indian and western also .But if you are looking for some local recipes then options are very limited.A few restaurants near Ridge and in the outskirts of the city offer some local cuisines.
The food is generally hygienic and tasty and it is nice to enjoy some nice food in the lap of nature with a very good atmosphere.