Shimla, also known as Queen of Hills, is one of the prettiest hill stations in India and the capital of Himachal Pradesh. It is on everyone’s mind who are looking for a weekend gateway or a nearby place to let loose. It has been a famous destination for honeymoons and is also one of the most visited places in summers by Indians.
It is 342 km away from Delhi and one can easily drive to Shimla and reach in approx. 7 hours. Apart from natural beauty, this hill station has more to offer. Depending on you and your love for nature you can plan a stay from 1 day to 4 days here and even more if you would like.
This is a lift which takes you to different levels of roads like to Mall Road. This service is really cheap and quick too. It makes the journey easier, especially for those who are not very comfortable with climbing steep roads. There is also a huge parking area near the lift so you can easily park your car here and take the lift to your destination.
Here is a list of following things which you can enjoy on a Shimla trip:
The Mall Road
This is the best place to be at in Shimla, find a good cafe/bar and spend your evening watching the crowd and beautiful mountains. This area is surrounded by a market and a lot of cafes. You can easily spend hours here.
Apart from cafes and bars, you will find some good brands here to shop from, in case you need some essentials. No vehicles are allowed on this road so walk your way till the Ridge road and enjoy watching all the buildings and clicking pictures.
Restaurants and Bars on Mall Road
1. Himani’s Restaurant & Bar
Himani’s is one of the oldest bars in Shimla, I selected this bar because this is among the few bars on Mall Road which has a rooftop terrace; it allows the view of Mall Road. The prices and the food is decent and you can enjoy a beer or two here.
USB: Rooftop terrace offering a great view of Mall Road
Address: Stairs, Middle Bazar, The Mall, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh 171001
Time: 8:00 am – 10:45 pm (All days)
2. Scandal Delights Bar & Restaurant
This is another Bar(and a restaurant) on the Mall Road which is worth a visit. This gives a beautiful view of the valley, it has a small balcony with some seating. The prices and food are good. You would not want to let go off the balcony seats easily.
USB: Balcony seating with Valley and Mall Road view
Address: Middle Bazar, The Mall, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh 171001
Time: 09:00 am to 10:30 pm
This cafe is near the famous Scandal point of Shimla. This point connects Shimla to the Ridge road which is famous for cultural activities. The name of the point was kept so because people believed that a British lady eloped with an Indian Maharaja.
3. Shimla Times Cafe
This is my favourite out of all the cafes as I loved the interiors and the balcony seating. The prices are on the higher side but you enjoy an amazing view with good food. Apart from the good balcony seating, there is also a good seating available inside.
This is amongst the best places in Shimla. You must grab a meal here.
USB: Balcony seating with Valley and the interiors
Address: Hotel Willow Banks, Mall Rd, Near Tourism Lift, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh 171001
Time: 12:30 pm to 10:30 pm
Johnnie’s Wax Museum
This wax museum was opened in 2016 and it is a good attraction for tourists. If you haven’t been to any Madame Tussaud’s yet then this is a very good option for you to explore. It has a lot of life-size wax statues of world-famous icons like Narendra Modi, Michael Jackson, Steve Jobs, Harry Potter and many more…
The museum has around 16 statues. Entry ticket for an adult is Rs. 250 and free for children below 5 years.
Address: Near willow Bank, 2, Mall Rd, The Mall, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh 171001
Time: 10:00 am to 10:00 pm
Time: 10:00 am to 10:00 pm
Lakkar Bazar
You must have seen this famous Christ Church in one of the Bollywood movies. Just near this Church is the famous Lakkar Bazaar where you can find some souvenirs like magnets and some wooden items.
Shimla is famous for wooden articles and you can find all those articles here in this street market. You will also find a lot of softy ice-cream stalls everywhere in Shimla.
Kufri
This is another hill station in Shimla. The road to this hilltop is steep so you will need a horse to reach the top.
This is what Kufri looks like in summers but this hilltop is actually famous for snow. The right time to visit this area is in the winter season when you can enjoy some activities and play with snow.
This is what Shimla looks like in winters, i.e., from October to February. You will also find some shopping and food stalls here.
The best thing to eat here is Maggie. Is it only me or the idea of having Maggie in the mountains is amazing?
Jakhoo Temple
This is an ancient temple located at the highest point in Shimla. This temple is dedicated to Hindu Deity Hanuman.
There are three ways to reach this temple: Jakhoo Ropeway, walking up to the temple or through a car. Jakhoo Ropeway is a cable car facility starting from Ridge road, it takes 5-6 minutes to reach the temple and Rs. 550 for a two-way journey.
Hotel in Shimla
The Cedar Grand Hotel & Spa
The rooms in this hotel and the view from the rooms are good. You will have a pleasant stay here.
This hotel is a little far from Mall Road but the hotel provides free shuttle service every hour till the Tourism Lift. You just have to inform them 30 minutes in advance.
Spa services are also available in the hotel and the view is amazing from the tub. I will advise you to reserve any room till the 3rd floor as the water pressure in the bathroom above the 3rd floor is not that good.
Website: http://www.cedargrand.com/
Address: Near Winter Field, Cart Rd, Shilli, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh 171003
Places to Eat in Shimla
1. Milap Dhaba
Which is a good place to have food in Shimla? Ask any local and they will only name one place – Milap Dhaba!
The food is actually tasty and fresh here. The rates are also good. You must grab a meal here.
Address: Cart Road Old Bus Stand, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh 171001
Time: 7 am to 11 pm
2. Guptajees
This restaurant is equally good and this is the only place where I had such yummy Chole Bhaturey that it reminded me of Amritsar. The Chole Bhaturey are known as Chana Masala here. It is only served in breakfast till 12:00 pm. The Alu Parantha (Potato Stuffed Bread) also was amazing.
Address: Below Vijay sweet, 62, Middle Bazar, Shimla, HP 171001
Time: 09:30 am to 10:00 pm
3. Sharma Chat Shop
I heard a lot of good reviews about this place and its street food. I missed out the food here but if you get a chance to try the chats then don’t forget to drop your comments here… Infact, send in some pictures and I will feature your experience here!
Address: 48, 3, Middle Bazar, Gunj Bazar, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh 171001
Time: 08:30 am to 10:00 pm (Sundays closed)
More Information on Shimla
1. Town Hall
Town Hall has recently got a facelift and it has turned out to be this beautiful. This has many offices and a library inside it, anyone can visit this library. This building belongs to the British India era and is a significant landmark in Shimla.
2. Gaiety Theatre
This is like one of the most Instagrammable places in Shimla, it is the major cultural center. This is a Gothic style architecture and is designed by a very famous Architect – Henry Irwin.
Read more about the theatre here.
2. Helicopter Services
There is this helicopter service from Chandigarh to Shimla and back every day except Sunday. The trip takes 30 minutes and costs Rs.2880 per person. A flight can accommodate a maximum of 11 passengers, get more information here.
Pin it to save it for later…
