Places to visit in Shimla

Gaiety theatre was established in 1887. This old theatre was once used by the Viceroy for the entertainment of officers during the British Empire. The theatre which has a strong resemblance to Garrick in London is a fine example of Victorian architecture. The theatre was sadly neglected after independence and was later renovated and restored to its former grandeur. It is used as a social club these days and is open to visitors.

Shimla is nestled in the lap of nature and camping trips, picnics and simple hikes sound as the best things to do in Shimla if you would like to get away from the busy city life and get close to nature.

Besides the Mall Road, The Ridge is one of the most important roads in Shimla. There is a huge water reservoir on this road which supplies water to the entire city. 

Manorville has a lot of historical importance. In 1945 Mahatma Gandhi stayed here, whilst going through the talks of independence with Viceroy Lord Wavell. IT is now a guest house for All India Institute of Medical Sciences.

This building is a noteworthy landmark in Shimla because of its unusual structure and design. It has been made with steel and cast iron and was an important building during the British rule in India. This artistic building was built in 1869 and has a resonant history.

Scandal Point is the highest point in Shimla and is located on the Mall Road. There’s a popular story behind the name of this place. This was the place from where a British Viceroy’s daughter eloped with the Maharaja of Patiala. There’s a statue of Lala Lajpat Rai erected at this spot now. 

Shimla is a very modern and cosmopolitan place. Most of the population is Hindu interspersed with a lot of Buddhist, Christian and other population. Shimla is famed for its multi-ethnicity and almost all important festivals are celebrated here. The most famous of them is The Summer Festival which is held annually. Shimla is also famous for its arts and handicrafts. It is also home to some of the finest educational institutions in the country. 

Shimla is stunningly beautiful and is surrounded by grandiose, snow-covered Himalayan peaks and lush green pastures. Shimla has beautiful weather through the year and has a lot of places which have resplendent natural magnificence. Places to visit in Shimla for sightseeing include Glen Forest, Jakhoo Hill, Annandale, Shaily Peak, Naldehra Gold Course, Summer Hill and the Shimla Water Catchment Sanctuary in your itinerary, if you would like to spend some time close to nature.

Shimla is surrounded by a lot of beautiful and scenic places. You may want to visit Shimla tourist places, like Solan, Chail, Tattapani, Thanedar, Fagu and Shilon Bagh from Shimla. Most of these places are small, unexplored towns with dazzling natural beauty and tranquillity.

Also called Himalayan Aviary, this park one of the best tourist places to visit in Shimla, which is located in front of the Viceregal Lodge. This wonderful little park has a collection of rare and beautiful birds including the Iridescent Monal Pheasant, which is the state bird of Himachal Pradesh. The park is set in a very picturesque locale.

The zoo is located about 16 kilometres from the Shimla. The zoo has a large number of endangered and exotic animals. 

The Gallery is located on the top of the Potter’s Hill in Shimla. The gallery has photographs of landscapes, flora, fauna and culture of Shimla. There are more than 2000 photographs in the gallery and the place attracts the interest of nature buffs.

This museum served as a club in the olden times and now houses some ancient historic photos of Old Shimla. The museum gives an insight into the history and cultural heritage of Shimla.

This Museum is housed in an old Victorian style building which was earlier the residence of Lord William Beresford. IN 1974 the building was converted into an anthropological museum which has an extremely rich collection of artefacts. The Museum is located about 2.5 kilometres away from the Scandal Point in the heart of the city.

This Buddhist monastery is a replacement of the original Dorje Drak, which was one of the Six Mother Nyingma Monasteries in Tibet. The monastery was built in 1984 by Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche and is a very famous Shimla attraction amongst Buddhist pilgrims of Nyingma sect.

This temple is located about 15 kilometres away from Shimla near Shoghi. The temple is dedicated to Goddess of the stars, Maa Tara, whose deity was brought here from the east of Bengal some 250 years ago.

This famous temple was built in the year 1857 and is dedicated to the Goddess Kali or Shyamla. Shimla was earlier called Shyamla because of the temple. The temple attracts a large number of disciples every year.

This church is famous for being the second oldest church in northern India. This neo-gothic Elizabethan style building was built in 1857to serve a large Anglican British community. It is situated on the Ridge Road. The church also boats the biggest Pipe Organ in the country. 

This is a very old temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman. IT is located on the Jakhoo `Hill which is the highest peak in Shimla at an elevation of 2455 meters above the sea level. The temple has panoramic views of the Mount Shivalik and is very famous amongst the devotees. There is a big fair held here, every year on Dushehra and hence, is the Shimla's point of interest & attraction for most tourists.

This gothic style building was built in 1904 under the guidance of Sir Swinton Jacob. Sir Jacob was a very renowned architect and engineer. This massive building has close to 125 rooms and the architecture of the building is worth taking a look at. The most redeeming feature of the building is its beautiful balconies which have been inspired by Rajputana architecture.   

The toy train runs between Shimla and Kalka and covers a distance of 96 kilometres. The railroad has been declared as a World Heritage by UNESCO. Kids would certainly love to take a ride on the train. 

The lodge dates back to 1888 and is one of the most famous monuments in Shimla. It was built for the British Viceroys, who used to spend summers in Shimla. The breath-taking architecture of the Viceregal Lodge is very Victorian and it looks inspired by the Tower of London. This beautiful building is built like an ancient castle on a small scale. 

This heritage building was once home to Allan Octavian Hume, one of the founders of Indian National Congress. The castle is on Jakhoo Hill, set in a very picturesque setting. This monument is one of the major tourist places in Shimla.

This old building was once home to Viceroys and Governor Generals of India during the British Raj. After the independence, it served as the building of Punjab High Court till 1981 and was closed after a fire. This beautiful Tudor style building was later renovated and has now been converted into a luxury hotel.