Do you picture yourself on the snowy mountains? Soothing sun and dense forgotten woods of pine and cedar attract couples to witness the timeless beauty. Shimla is a natural beauty and heaven on the earth, which makes it one of the best tourist attractions in India.
It is filled with lush green hills, mystic forests, and white cascading high peaks in the background. It is bliss to wake in the lap of nature feels so therapeutic and erase all your bad memories. Because of its pleasant weather and surrounded by natural beauty, Shimla is now the most visited destination by couples during summer and winter. During the British Colonial Period, Shimla was known as the Summer Capital for Britishers.
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They turned Shimla into an English Village with Victorian-style houses and churches. Since then, it has become a rendezvous for tourists to spend their summer & winter holidays.
Places to Visit in Shimla
- Kufri
- The Scandal Point
- Naldehra Peak
- Chail
- Mall Road
- Jakhoo Temple
- Gaiety Theater
- The Ridge
- Chadwick Falls
- Shimla Christ Church
Kufri
Kufri is the highest hill station in Shimla that fascinates nature lovers and adventurers. It is situated in the southern part of Himachal Pradesh. This beautiful hill spot stands tall at an altitude of 2,510m above sea level in the Himalayan Foothills. Along with some other places, Kufri once belonged to the Kingdom of Nepal. It was discovered by the British in 1819. During the British Colonial Rule in India, between 1864 to 1939, Shimla remained as the summer capital for enjoying a refreshing atmosphere and panoramic view of the snow-capped peaks.
You can’t miss a memorable walk in the lush meadows of the Kufri. Travelers can hike through the thick forest of the Mahasu Peak in Kufri. Snowy hills attract tourists to enjoy skiing and snowfall. You can visit other places in Kufri, such as Himalayan Natural Park, interesting picnic spot Fagu, and picturesque Shivalik.
Famous For: snow-covered slopes and beautiful orchards around the Kufri.
Opening Timings: 6:00 A.M – 8:00 P.M ( All Days of the Week)
Ideal Time to Explore:Â April and June to enjoy a chill summer. December and January to visit hills covered with snow.
How To Reach: Hire a taxi to reach Kufri from Shimla and explore it on horseback.
Things to do: Skiing, tobogganing, go-karting, and horse riding.
The Scandal Point
The Scandal Point is a pleasant small square, situated where the two important roads merge, The Ridge and the Mall. It is one of the most attractive places in Shimla, surrounded by snow-pecked peaks. It is a meeting place for locals and tourists. The Scandal Point is a bizarre name given by the legend following the scandalous story of the Maharaja of Patiala and daughter of the Lord Viceroy, who fell in love and eloped later. The Scandal Point was the meeting place for them in 1892.
It is also popularly known for the statue of the Indian Freedom Fighters, Lala Lajpat Rai. Here, you can relax a bit on the benches and enjoy the beautiful view. There is a stunning General Post Office constructed during the British Colonial Rule. You can enjoy a cup of coffee while enjoying the view and click the photographs to capture the captivating attractions to visit in Shimla.
Famous For:Â Interesting tale of the Elopement of Maharaja Bhupinder Singh and Daughter of the British Viceroy.Â
Opening Timings: 6:00 A.M – 8:00 P.M ( All Days of the Week)
Ideal Time to Explore:Â 2 hours
Things to do: enjoy the nightlife and click photos
Naldehra Peak
Naldehra is a small enchanting hill station discovered by the British Viceroy of India in the 21st century. It is located just around 22 km from Shimla. It is one of the best tourist places in Shimla with natural scenic beauty and an offbeat location. Tourists can enjoy a wonderful afternoon in the lush green valley and take a horse ride to the golf course. Surrounded by the plain view of the mountains, this attraction in Shimla will mesmerize you with natural scenic beauty filled with pine, cedar, and deodar trees.
Naldehra Peak is a breathtaking place covered with mist. Adventurers and Nature lovers are allowed to trek to see the pleasant scenery from the top of the hill. You will experience the calmness of the dense forest. It is a must-visit place with your loved ones and family.
Famous For: Naldehra Golf Course, Sipi Fair in Summer,Â
Opening Timings: Sunrise – Sunset
Ideal Time to Explore:Â Between May and September,Â
How To Reach: Take shared or private taxis, Government and private buses are also available.Â
Things to do: trekking, horse riding, best for sunset and sunrise view, photography
Chail
Chail is a hill station located 44 Km away from Shimla. It has two attractions: first, the world’s highest cricket ground, and Second, a fabulous heritage hotel, Chail Palace. You can cover the Chail while taking a trip to Shimla and Kufri. It was built by the former Maharaja of Patiala after he was banished from Shimla in the year 1893. This top attraction in Shimla is worth visiting as it is surrounded by three hillocks – Pandewa, Rajgarh, and Sadh Tibba. It takes just about 2 hours to reach here from the Mall road.
Adventure Enthusiasts can have a more fulfilling experience by trekking and camping options on the banks of river Sandhupul. Travelers can also visit the Chail Wildlife Sanctuary and Kali Temple located at an altitude of 2,250 m above sea level. It takes one day to explore all the sightseeing around Chail.
Famous For: Chail Palace Hotel, Wildlife Sanctuary, Restaurant on the river, and Riverbank Camping.
Opening Timings: Sunrise – Sunset
Ideal Time to Explore: Throughout the yearÂ
How To Reach: Take a taxi from Shimla.
Things to do:Â photography, Sightseeing, horse riding
Mall Road
The Mall Road is known as the heart of the town. The main street is lined up with a myriad of restaurants, clubs, banks, shops, post offices, and tourist offices. It is a hub of attractive places in Shimla, such as the Scandal Point and Kali Bari Temple. The Mall Road is the busiest road of Shimla which truly celebrates the spirit of the hill town. Its charm and beauty attract tourists to take a stroll around in the evenings.
People become spoiled for choice when they enjoy themselves at restaurant or cafes. The Mall Road has so much to offer that no one will ever get bored. Many leisure activities like shopping, enjoying the finest dining at the restaurant, and clicking photos with your partner, family, or friends.
Famous For: Woolen clothes and handcrafted works, wooden furniture shops, antiques, cafes, and delicious delicacies.Â
Ideal Time to Explore: 2 hours
Things to do:Â shopping, dining, drinking, and Photography
Jakhoo Temple
Jakhoo Hills is the highest peak of Shimla, famously known for Jakhoo Temple. It has the World’s Largest Hanuman Statue at a height of over 8000 feet. This ancient site is set amidst the thick forest of deodar trees and surrounded by the lush green beauty of the Shivalik ranges. This statue has surpassed Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, becoming one of the tallest statues in the world.
There’s a legend about Jakhoo Temple that Lord Hanuman stopped here to take some rest and then continued his search of the Sanjeevani Booti to save the life of Lord Lakshman. You can take a short cable car ride to get to the top of the mountain. There are monkeys to snatch your things, so be careful while trekking in the Jakhoo hill area.
Famous For: Hanuman Statue.
Tickets for Ropeway: Adults – INR 250, Children ( 3-12 yrs) – INR 200, and Children below 3 yrs are free.
Opening Timings: 5:00 AM – 12:00 PM, 4:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Ideal Time to Explore: 2-3 hours
How To Reach: Hire a taxi, get a pony or walk the trail of 2 KM to reach the top. You can go for the ropeway to reach early.
Things to do:Â photography, Sightseeing, horse riding
Gaiety Theater
The Gaiety Theater is a symbol of love and art. It is a Cultural Complex that shows you the immense historical and cultural significance of Shimla. This five-story complex comprises an exhibition hall, a multipurpose hall, an art gallery, and an amphitheater. Artists and art enthusiasts come to visit and perform arts for artists from all over the world. British architect Henry Irwin designed The Gaiety Heritage Cultural Complex in 1887.
Famous for some memorable performances from Prithviraj Kapoor, Rudyard Kipling, K.L. Sehgal, etc. It is a Victorian-style theater built-in, giving a glimpse of the importance of art and how it affects the culture of the region. Tourists can watch a show in the Victorian style and find captivating paintings put on display for art lovers.
Famous For: cultural events, art gallery works, international performances, sculptures.
Tickets:
- Indian Citizen INR 10 per person & INR 25 for CameraÂ
- Foreign Citizen: INR 25 per person & INR 50 for Camera
Opening Timings: 11:00 AM – 1:15 PM, 1:45 PM – 7:00 PM
Ideal Time to Explore: 2-3 hoursÂ
How To Reach: 5 minutes walk from the mall road.
The Ridge
The Ridge Shimla is the heart of the ‘British Summer Capital’. It is a spectacular sight with a stunning background of snow-capped peaks in the background. The road is lined with cafes, bars, boutiques, shops, and restaurants attracting tourists and honeymooners. The Ridge is used for all the government functions and fairs, also selected for celebrating the Summer and winter Festivals. It is one of the famous tourist attractions in Shimla.
In the Summer Festival, the locals decorate the entire place with a riot of colors and activities. It is also used for organizing the Winter Sports Festival at the Ridge to have a natural ice skating rink. It also showcases a lot of live dance and music. It is also famous for the Tudorbethan-style library established in 1910 and its Old Christ church built in the 1850s.
Famous For: The most photographed wide-open street of Shimla.Â
Opening Timings: 8: 00 A.M – 6:00 P.M
Ideal Time to Explore: 3 hours
How To Reach: it’s walking distance from the mall road
Things to do: shopping, dining, go clubbing, dining, and photography
Chadwick Falls
Chadwick Falls is a paradise set amidst the Glen Forest, where a fresh stream of water trickles from a height of about 100 meters. Nature lovers will love to go for a walk through the forest filled with the thick canopy trees.The name Chadwick originated from ‘Chidku Jhaar’ where ‘Chidku’ means sparrow and ‘Jhaar’ means waterfall in the local language. The locals used to believe that only sparrows could reach the top of the waterfall and not humans.
The Britishers changed its name to the waterfall Chadwick, as it was difficult for them to pronounce Original name. Some say , it is named after the scientist Chadwick who committed suicide here. This beautiful place in Shimla is a stone’s throw away from the main city and a must-visit place for tourists.
Opening Timings: Sunrise- Sunset
Ideal Time to Explore: 2-3 hours
How To Reach: Rent taxis or self-driven vehicles to reach the falls.
Things to do: Play in the water and click pictures
Shimla Christ Church
The oldest Christ Church in Shimla is a site of pure devotion and architectural beauty. It was built in 1850 as a reminder of the British colonization in India. Its unique architecture excites all age groups to visit this favorite destination of people. The neo-gothic style of architecture inspires architecture lovers and devotees. Shimla Christ Church has a front porch, church bells, and five stained glass windows that represent different virtues of Christianity.
People find it peaceful to spend a couple of hours and experience divine energy away from the city noise. This majestic church has appeared in several famous Bollywood movies, such as Black and 3 Idiots. During the night, this old city church glows so beautifully and attracts travelers to click photos outside.
Opening Timings: 8:00 A.M – 6 P.M
Ideal Time to Explore: 2 hours
How To Reach: Buses and taxis to reach.
Things to do:Â Read in the Church library, Pray, and take service
There are many unique and famous tourist attractions to visit in Shimla while on a romantic excursion with your partner. Shimla is a heaven for adventurers and nature lovers. This list of the Best Places to visit in Shimla helps you to spend your holidays in a better way.
FAQ
Are 2 days enough for Shimla?
Shimla is a small destination where you need one day to finish sightseeing. But If you are planning to visit Kufri and other peaks, it can take up to one more day to complete. You can also take the Kalka toy train to enjoy the beauty.
Which is the best time to visit Shimla?
Shimla is famously known as the Summer Capital, where you can see the most crowd during May – September. During winters, you can fly to Shimla to enjoy the snowy mountains. It is one of the most romantic destinations for Couples to visit during their honeymoon.
What are the famous foods of Shimla?
Shimla is famous for mouth-watering food which will not let you miss out on this beautiful trip. Some of their delicious cuisines are Madra, popular bread Sidu, Thukpa – a noodle soup of Tibetan Origin, Himachal Kachoris – Babru, chicken anardana, and mash daal.