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It is a saying that hardest roads can lead you to beautiful destinations . It is really relatable with the queen of hills Shimla. When you are talking about Shimla then I can understand that you may start dreaming about a mountainous hill station. It consists of amazing natural destinations which can steal anyone’s heart.
But Shimla is much more than a hilly area. You will love this place if you are in search of peace, natural beauty and amazing atmosphere. There are many ways to explore this incredible place but here I am going to share my experience with this place.
How to Reach Shimla
This is the most important thing that everyone wants to know. Because there are many people who thinks that reaching at a good hill station would be a challenging task. But not in the case of Shimla because it is a capital city of Himachal Pradesh and well connected with all the major cities in India. How, let’s explore.
By Flight
The nearest airport is Chandigarh which is around 160 kilometres far from Shimla. You can complete your rest of the journey either by train, bus or cab as per your preference. Chandigarh is a well-known city and directly connected with all the major cities of India by flight.
By Road
Shimla is well-connected with all the major cities by road and you can reach by car or private vehicle directly. As well as, you can take direct buses from many major cities like Delhi, Jaipur, Chandigarh and others. You can choose from private buses or government buses as per your convenience.
By Train
Well, this is the centre of attraction for all kind of tourists. If you are heading towards this beautiful city then you should consider train journey to Shimla at least once. Because it will provide you an incredible and unforgettable experience of nature. The nearest major railway station is Kalka which is around 140 kilometres from Shimla. And from Kalka you can take a toy train to Shimla which will take around 5 hours to reach the destination but will provide you a memorable journey.
During this journey, you will be able to explore beautiful Himalayan ranges, 107 tunnels, deep bridges and long deodar trees. Also, if you are lucky then you can experience the rain of mountains which makes the environment more beautiful and picture perfect.
This train stops at many small stations where you can take some snips with your loved ones and can enjoy some delicious street foods.
Where to Stay
Shimla is a very popular hill station and tourist spot so there is no shortage of hotels in this city. But it is essential that you should choose your hotel wisely. Because accessibility is a major issue in this hill station and there are no vehicles allowed in the Mall Road. So, if you are hiring a hotel which is way far from the main city then it will be difficult for you to roam multiple times.
Also, Shimla is a hilly place so if you are not near the main city then you will need to walk a lot to reach there. This is also possible that you may need to climb more than 50 stairs multiple times to reach the main city which is normal in Shimla. So, it is preferable that you should choose a hotel which is near to Mall Road and you can access that within minutes of time.
What to Eat
Well, you don’t need to take tension of food in Shimla. As there are many restaurants in this city which are specialized to serve delicious food at budget price. You can start your day with parathas and chai at a restaurant near Mall Road. For the lunch, you can choose from multiple options which are available at Mall Road and similarly for the dinner.
Shimla is one of those cities where you can enjoy amazing fruits specially berries which are available at every corner of the city.
What to Visit
You can say that Shimla is one of those places where you should not tight your schedule in roaming multiple destinations rather just experience this beautiful city by sitting at a bench at the corner of the road with your loved ones and make some great conversations. But also, there are some places which you can enjoy roaming. Here are they.
Mall Road & Christ Church
This is the best place within the city which will you love to explore many times. As you will find great places to eat, shop and walk at this place. This place is the heart of Shimla and you may have seen this place in multiple movies.
There are no vehicles are allowed in this place but who need that if you are walking with your loved ones. At the corners of the road there are benches available to sit and rest for a while. At the end of the road there is a big ground in front of a Church where many events are organized by the local government to attract the visitors. Here you can shop some amazing things and eat your favourite dishes.
Kufri
This is the second-best place of this beautiful destination which is 20 kilometres far from the main city. So you need to hire a cab to reach this place. Or if you have your own vehicle then you can search for the destination through the map.
Kufri is a hilltop where you can enjoy the view of Himalayan mountains. But reaching at this place is not that easy because you have to park your vehicle at the lower place. And from there you have to complete your ahead journey by hiring a horse.
Jakhoo Hill
This place is a tourist attraction which consists of a temple and you can reach here through the ropeway. The temple consists of a big statue of Hindu lord Hanuman and beautifully crafted which is amazing to explore.
This temple is considered as one of the ancient temples in India so the significance of this temple is really high.
Botanical Gardens & Viceregal Lodge
This place reminds you the era of Britishers. Because this was the home of the British Viceroy of India at that time but now it is open to visit. You can explore the beauty of this building and the garden in front of this.
This place is situated at the hilltop Observatory Hills where you can reach by your own vehicle. This place consists of some rarest articles and photographs of the British era.
Kali Bari Temple
This beautifully crafted temple is located at the Bantony Hill and you can reach at this place by your own vehicle. It is said that Shimla is named on Shyamala which is one of the reincarnations of Hindu Goddess Kali.
This temple is dedicated to Shyamala and this temple is just nearby the Jakhoo temple so you can visit both the temples at once.
Himachal State Museum
You will love the architecture of this building as well as if you are a historian lover then this place is just heaven for you as this place consists of some amazing collection of ancient coins, tools, traditional garments and dolls.
Apart from these places, there are many places where you can visit and plan your trip according to the days you have.