Street · Shimla
Mall Road
Shimla's pedestrianised main street, lined with colonial-era buildings, shops and cafes just below The Ridge.
Free entry 2–3 hours
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Places to visit inShimla
Himachal Pradesh, India
Himachal Pradesh's capital and the former summer capital of British India. It is known for its colonial Ridge and Mall, its hilltop temples and the UNESCO-listed Kalka–Shimla railway.
Plan your trip to Shimla
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Shimla
- Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport (IXC) · about 60 km from Shimla
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Places to visit
Top attractions in Shimla
10 places, with entry fees and opening hours checked against their sources.
Showing 10 of 10 places
Viewpoint · Shimla
The Ridge
A broad open square at the heart of Shimla with Christ Church, the State Library and views of the Himalayan snow ranges.
Free entry 1–2 hours
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Temple · Shimla
Jakhu Temple
Hilltop Hanuman temple on Jakhu Hill, Shimla's highest point, marked by a 108-ft statue of Hanuman.
Free entry 1.5–3 hours including the climb
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Church · Shimla
Christ Church
Neo-Gothic Anglican church on The Ridge, built for Shimla's British community and completed in 1857.
Free entry 30–45 minutes
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Heritage Building · Shimla
Viceregal Lodge (Indian Institute of Advanced Study)
The former summer residence of British viceroys on Observatory Hill, now home to the Indian Institute of Advanced Study, with guided tours.
Entry from ₹60 1.5–2 hours
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Museum · Shimla
Himachal State Museum
State museum in the colonial Inverarm house, known for Pahari miniature paintings, sculpture, coins and crafts.
Entry fee needs verification 1.5–2 hours
View place 
Hill Station · Shimla
Kufri
Small hill resort about 12–16 km from Shimla on NH 5, known for winter snow, the Himalayan Nature Park and Kufri Fun World.
Fee varies Half day
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Temple · Shimla
Tara Devi Temple
Hilltop temple to Goddess Tara south-west of Shimla, reached by road from Shoghi or on foot from Tara Devi station.
Free entry 2 hours
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Park · Shimla
Annandale
The largest level ground in Shimla, a deodar-ringed glade once used for polo and races, now with a helipad, golf course and Army Heritage Museum.
Fee information needs verification 1.5–2 hours
View place 
Viewpoint · Shimla
Summer Hill
Quiet wooded suburb on the Kalka–Shimla railway with shady walks, Gandhi associations and the HP University campus.
Free entry 1–2 hours
View place About Shimla
Planning the places to visit in Shimla? This guide covers Shimla's main attractions, from the colonial Ridge and Mall Road to Jakhu Temple and the Viceregal Lodge, with timings and entry fees checked against official sources where possible.
Shimla, known as Simla until 1972, is the capital and largest city of Himachal Pradesh. It is built along a ridge in forests of deodar, oak and rhododendron. The British declared it the summer capital of British India in 1864, and it hosted the Simla Accord of 1914 and the Simla Conference of 1945. After independence it hosted the Simla Agreement of 1972. That history shows in the town's buildings.
The Ridge and the car-free Mall Road form the centre, lined with Christ Church, the Gaiety Theatre and the Town Hall. To the west, the Viceregal Lodge of 1888 now houses the Indian Institute of Advanced Study and is open for guided tours. Jakhu Temple and its 108-ft Hanuman statue crown the highest hill, reached on foot or by ropeway. The Kalka–Shimla railway, built between 1898 and 1903 with 102 tunnels, is recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage mountain railway.
Beyond the town, Kufri gets winter snow, and Tara Devi and the Mashobra area are easy half-day trips. Himachal Tourism describes Shimla as a year-round destination. Winter from December to February brings snowfall. Summer from April to June is cool, and March and September to November are pleasant. The July–August monsoon brings mist and some landslide risk on the roads. Shimla has daily flights to Jubbarhatti airport, 23 km away, and road links to Chandigarh and Delhi.
Plan your Shimla visit
- Best time to visit
- March to June for cool summer weather; December to February for snow; September to November for clear skies. July–August is monsoon season.
- Suggested stay
- 2–3 days
- Location
- Himachal Pradesh, India View on Google Maps
- Entry fees
- 6 of 10 places listed here are free to enter. Fees for the rest are on each place’s page, with their source.
- Types of place
- Viewpoints · 2Temples · 2Streets · 1Churches · 1Heritage Buildings · 1Museums · 1Hill Stations · 1Parks · 1
Destinations near Shimla
All destinations in India
Himachal Pradesh
Manali
A resort town at the head of the Kullu Valley on the Beas River, surrounded by deodar forest and snow peaks. It is the base for Solang Valley, Rohtang Pass and the Atal Tunnel to Lahaul.
10 attractions Explore Manali
Delhi
Delhi
India's capital, where Shah Jahan's walled city of Old Delhi sits a few kilometres from Lutyens' New Delhi. It has three UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Red Fort, Qutb Minar and Humayun's Tomb.
10 attractions Explore Delhi
Uttar Pradesh
Agra
A Mughal capital on the Yamuna in western Uttar Pradesh, home to the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and nearby Fatehpur Sikri, three UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
10 attractions Explore Agra
Rajasthan
Jaipur
Rajasthan's capital, founded in 1727 by Sawai Jai Singh II and laid out by Vidyadhar Bhattacharya. Its pink old city, royal palaces and hill forts make it the third corner of India's Golden Triangle with Delhi and Agra.
10 attractions Explore Jaipur