Shimla: Elegantly Beautiful

In my life... negatives also has some positive shades and even positives have their own set of flaws! "Shimla, It’s a city that fills the needs of all your senses and expectations; with some twists."

Himachal Pradesh is a beautiful hill state in northern India nestled in western Himalayas.  Shimla, formerly known as Simla, is the capital city of Himachal Pradesh. In 1864, Shimla was declared the summer capital of the British Raj in India. A popular tourist destination. There is a scenic resplendence about Shimla. Himachal evergreen scenery blow you away, the sunrise peaking through the mountain range and create lively shadows of the pines and rock fissures; Shimla is often referred to as the "Queen of Hills," a term coined by the British.

Shimla is connected to the city of Kalka by one of the longest narrow gauge railway routes still operating in India, the Kalka-Shimla Railway. Shimla is approximately 115 km (71.4 miles) from Chandigarh, the nearest major city, and 365 km (226.8 miles) from New Delhi. The city is named after the goddess Shyamala Devi, an incarnation of the Hindu Goddess Kali.

The Mall:
The Mall is the main shopping street of Shimla. It also has many restaurants, clubs, banks, bars, Post Offices and tourist offices. The Gaiety Theatre is also situated there. People walk up and down the Mall slowly, stopping to gossip, as it is the main meeting place for everyone. The Ridge and Scandal point are the two main meeting points at the Mall. The mall is dotted with many eating places .The most famous among them is Trishul bakery which is known for its pastries. 

Christ Church:
Situated on the Ridge, Christ Church is the second oldest church in Northern India. Built with a new gothic architecture, it was consecrated in 1857. 

Jakhu Hill:
2 km from Shimla, at a height of 8000 ft, Jakhu Hill is the highest peak and offers a beautiful view of the town and of the snow-covered Himalayas. At the top of the Hill, is an old temple of Lord Hanuman, which is also the home of countless playful monkeys waiting to be fed by all visitors. 

Shimla State Museum:

The Museum, which was opened in 1974, has tried to protect hill-out and the cultural wealth of the state. There is a collection of miniature Pahari paintings, sculptures, bronzes wood-carvings and also costumes, textiles and jewellery of the region.

Summer Hill:

Situated at a distance of 5 km from the Ridge is the lovely township of Summer Hill at a height of 6,500 ft on the Shimla-Kalka railway line. Mahatma Gandhi lived in these quiet surroundings during his visits to Shimla. Himachal Pradesh University is situated here.

Annandale:

Developed as the playground of Shimla, Annandale is 2–4 km from the Ridge at a height of 6,117 ft. It is a favourite spot for cricket, picnics and polo.

Tara Devi:

11 km from the Shimla bus-stand. Tara Devi hill has a temple dedicated to the goddess of stars on top of the hill. There is a military Dairy Town here as well as the headquarters of Bharat Scouts and Guides.

Sankat Mochan:

A Lord Hanuman temple is located here.

Kufri:

16 km from Shimla at a height of 8,600 ft, Kufri is the winter sports capital and also has a small zoo.

Chail:

Chail was the summer capital of the Maharaja of Patiala before Independence, known for its cricket pitch, the highest in the world.

Tatapani:

Location of sulphur springs which are found near the Tatapani mandir(holy temple).

Seven Hills:

Shimla is surrounded by seven hills known by names of Prospect Hill, Summer Hill, Inverarm, Bantony, Jakhoo, Elysium and Observatory Hill. Shimla looks spectacular in night, all the lights and chills. 

PS: This list includes nearby hotels of Shimla categorized according to your budget.

Luxury – The Oberoi Cecil and Radisson Hotel Shimla
Mid Range – Hotel Landmark, Hotel Peterhoff, Hotel Combermere, Woodville Palace, Clarke’s Hotel, Hotel Ashiana Regency,
Economical - Hotel Woodland, Hotel City View, Hotel Dreamland, Hotel White, Hotel Mayur, Dalziel, Hotel Gulmarg.

Best visit time – April To August & December To January