Shimla is around 115 km from Chandigarh, the nearest major city, and 365 km from New Delhi, the national capital. The city is named after the goddess Shyamala Devi, an incarnation of the Hindu Goddess Kali. Shimla , formerly known as Simla, is the capital city of Himachal Pradesh. Shimla was coined as the “Queen of Hills” by Britishers. With its pine and oak forests, buildings from the colonial era and neo gothic architecture, Shimla renders a nostalgic feeling to all those who visit it.
Nestled at an average height of 2397.59 meters (7866.10 ft) above sea level, the city is spread on a ridge and its seven spurs. It is located in the north-western ranges of the Himalayas and extends to about 9.2 km from east to west. The Jakhoo hill is the highest point in Shimla at 2454 meters (8051 ft).
A Place Of Religious Importance
Shimla holiday packages will take you to the town’s important churches and Temples. The Christ church, St. Michael’s Cathedral and Roman Catholic Cathedral are some of the churches, which is just off the Mall. Christ church is the second oldest church of Northern India. Jakhu temple and Sankat Mochan temple are temples dedicated to Lord Hanuman. Jakhu temple is situated at an altitude of 8048 feet above sea level which gives a panoramic view of surrounding valley, snow clad mountains and the town. Tara Devi and Kali Bari temples are dedicated to the goddesses in India.
Adventure Sports – To Keep You On Your Toes
Well, Shimla has a lot to offer when it’s come to adventure sports. Shimla has dense pine and oak forests with small rivulets of rivers, springs, placid lakes, deep gorges which makes it a perfect getaway for outdoor lovers. Ice skating, skiing, heli skiing are some popular activities in Shimla when the peaks are covered with snow during winters. Paragliding and Mountain cycling gives adrenaline rush to those who love to take risks. Other than this you can go trekking, camping, safari on jeep or play golf. Your holidays in Shimla will keep you busy all the time with the activities you would love to pursue.
Prime Attraction – Places in And Around Shimla
Shimla is famous for it’s the Mall road which is also a shopping place offering variety of handicrafts, woolens, clothes, accessories, handbags. The mall road has some famous eateries and restaurants with the ambience of British colonial era. The Gaiety theatre a reproduction of old British is a hub of cultural activities. On the Observatory Hills is located Viceregal Lodge, which is also known as “Rashtrapati Niwas” (The Presidential Home). This is a six-story building, surrounded by well-maintained gardens and lawns. The lodge has now been converted into Institute of Advanced Study and is further 2-km from State Museum. There are other hills in Shimla which give a picturesque view of the beauty around Shimla like Summer hill, Prospect hill, Potter hill. Your Shimla holidays will be incomplete without places nearby to Shimla like Kufri, Tattapani, Rampur, Fagu, Mashobra, Wild flower hall and many more.
