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Shimla

Shimla

hill station · Himachal Pradesh

Shimla, the former summer capital of British India, is one of the country's most popular hill stations.

State
Himachal Pradesh
Type
Hill Station
Best season
Winter
Things to do
4+

Shimla, the former summer capital of British India, is one of the country's most popular hill stations. Its colonial Mall Road, the Ridge, Christ Church and the UNESCO-listed Kalka-Shimla toy train make it a perennial favourite in the Himalayan foothills.

A short history

Founded by the British in 1819 and developed through the 1830s-1860s as a hill sanatorium for Punjab, Shimla became the official summer capital of the Raj in 1864, when the entire colonial government relocated there each year via the Kalka-Shimla railway, completed in 1903 to ease the journey up.

Why Shimla matters

The former summer capital of British India, still lined with colonial architecture along its pedestrian Mall Road.

How many people come

35 lakh

hill town in 2024 · HP Tourism (estimate)

When to go

Best visited in spring (Mar-May) and autumn (Oct-Nov); summers can be hot and the monsoon wet.

Why visit

India's classic colonial hill station — the Mall Road, the Ridge, and a UNESCO heritage toy train, a top-searched mountain getaway.

Cultural notes

As the British Raj's summer capital, Shimla retains grand colonial architecture and a genteel hill-town character, set amid cedar forests of the lower Himalayas.

How to reach

Reached by the famous Kalka-Shimla narrow-gauge toy train (a UNESCO site) or by road from Chandigarh (~110 km). Jubbarhatti airport is close by but its flights come and go — do not build a trip around it.

2 days in Shimla

Take the whole plan, or add any single stop.

The RidgeDay 1

Day 1

The Ridge

The open stretch above the Mall, with Christ Church at one end. Underneath it sits a Victorian water reservoir that still supplies part of Shimla, which is why nothing has ever been built on top of it.

Mall Road

Day 1

Mall Road

No vehicles allowed, which is why Shimla still works as a walking town. The Gaiety Theatre from 1887 is still in use, and Scandal Point at the far end is where the Mall meets the Ridge.

Day 1

Jakhoo Temple & views

Jakhoo Temple & views

Day 1

Indian Coffee House

Indian Coffee House

Day 2

Day 2

Viceregal Lodge & gardens

Viceregal Lodge & gardens

Day 2

Kufri day trip for views and snow

Kufri day trip for views and snow

Day 2

Toy-train ride on the Kalka-Shimla line

Toy-train ride on the Kalka-Shimla line

Food & cuisine

Signature dishes and local flavours to look for in Shimla.

3 dishes

Himachali Dham

A ceremonial multi-course vegetarian feast — madra, khatta, rice — traditionally cooked by botis (community chefs) for festivals, served at Shimla's local eateries too.

Chana Bhatura

Chana Bhatura

Spiced chickpea curry served with fluffy deep-fried bread — a Punjabi staple sold along Shimla's Mall Road by the hill town's settled communities.

Momos

Momos

Steamed or fried Tibetan dumplings filled with vegetables or meat, sold hot from Mall Road stalls, served with a spicy chilli dip.

Shimla guide & itineraries

Shimla is perfect for

familycouplesnature

What & where to eat

Mall Road

Mall Road snacks

Tikki, momos and hot chai along the Mall

Chana Madra

Chana Madra

Himachali chickpeas in a mild yogurt gravy

Siddu

Local dhabas

Siddu

Steamed stuffed wheat bun, served with ghee or chutney

Dham

Traditional festive Himachali thali

Nearby getaways

Kufri

~30 min

Chail

~1.5 hrs

Narkanda

~2.5 hrs

Frequently asked questions

How many days in Shimla?
2 days for Shimla; extend with Kufri, Chail or Narkanda.
Does Shimla get snow?
Yes, typically December to February, when Kufri and higher spots see snowfall.

Things to do

How to spend your time in Shimla.

The Ridge & Mall Road

Colonial promenade with shops, Scandal Point and Christ Church

Christ Church

Neo-Gothic church on the Ridge, a Shimla landmark

Jakhoo Temple

Hilltop Hanuman temple with a giant statue and resident monkeys

Viceregal Lodge

Grand British-era mansion and gardens (Indian Institute of Advanced Study)

Kalka-Shimla toy train ride

UNESCO heritage narrow-gauge railway journey

Popular attractions

The places in Shimla most people come for.

The Mall & The Ridge

The Mall & The Ridge

Market

The Ridge

The Ridge

Viewpoint

Kalka-Shimla Toy Train

Kalka-Shimla Toy Train

Experience

Mall Road

Mall Road

Market

See all attractions

Reviews & ratings

What travellers say about Shimla

CityDekho traveller reviews

★★★★★★★★★★

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