There is no off-season for a vacation in
Shimla and the 1,000 odd hotels here bear witness to this fact. Albeit a little crowded in summers due to its popularity, Shimla is full of excitement in winters with its snowy peaks and adventure sports that set the adrenaline rushing.
Situated in the north-west Himalayas, Shimla has come a long from being a tiny village to being a fashionable summer capital and now the most popular hill station in India. Spread over many hills and ridges, it is named after a local deity - Shamala Devi, an incarnation of goddess Kali.
As the British discovered, weather goes a long way in perfecting this “
Queen of hills”. Shimla’s summers are cool, winters playful and snowy and the monsoons romantic enough to att
+ more about ShimlaThere is no off-season for a vacation in
Shimla and the 1,000 odd hotels here bear witness to this fact. Albeit a little crowded in summers due to its popularity, Shimla is full of excitement in winters with its snowy peaks and adventure sports that set the adrenaline rushing.
Situated in the north-west Himalayas, Shimla has come a long from being a tiny village to being a fashionable summer capital and now the most popular hill station in India. Spread over many hills and ridges, it is named after a local deity - Shamala Devi, an incarnation of goddess Kali.
As the British discovered, weather goes a long way in perfecting this “
Queen of hills”. Shimla’s summers are cool, winters playful and snowy and the monsoons romantic enough to attract Bollywood film shoots. Indeed its charm has made way into numerous stories including those by Rudyard Kipling and Ruskin Bond.
Blessed also with falls, hills, wooded ravines, yellow throated martins, a golf course, a helipad, regal buildings and architecture this hill station simply lacks nothing. The pine scented hills, draped in tall
deodhars, apple orchards and beautiful flowers serve as an easy weekend getaway for people living in
Delhi and
Chandigarh. The beauty and the sheer number of activities possible here attract all sorts of travelers - nature lovers, adventure seekers, newlyweds and corporate houses planning group excursions.
Shimla was first discovered when forces were sent to this region by the British to put down
gurkhas who had been fortifying a number of hills. In 1819 Lt. Ross set up the first British residence here followed by a few other officers. It was, however, Sir John Lawrence who recommended that in order to escape the scorching heat of the plains Shimla be made the summer capital of the Government of India.
Shimla’s landscape truly began to change after 1903 when the region was connected by the railways to the nearest town. Easy accessibility led to an immediate increase in the summer population. Numerous cottages cropped up where none had been before and hotels like Cecil and Grand were established in their present form.
Apart from sheer natural beauty, historical events too have contributed to making
Shimla extremely interesting. Remnants of the colonial era are still visible here in the Tudor and Elizabethan styled buildings such as the Viceregal Lodge, the town hall and the churches. Stories of the Raj, the officers, their romances, gossips and even their ghosts don’t wish to leave this place. Stories of the bygone years can be delved into at the museum, old buildings or a chat with the locals.
From plush hotels to guest houses with basic amenities the town offers numerous stay options to its varied visitors. Rooms in Shimla range from as low as Rs 250 to a whopping Rs 30,000.
- hide more about Shimla