"Shimla - A little piece of England in India" Top 5 Page for this destination Simla by Willettsworld

Simla Travel Guide: 110 reviews and 226 photos

Shimla is a popular hill station that is located in the foothills of the Himalayas approx 350km (220 miles) north of Delhi in the state of Himachal Pradesh, of which it is the state capital. It was discovered by the British in 1819 and they quickly moved in and built their summer capital here in order to escape the heat in Calcutta and Delhi. In fact, one fifth of humanity was ruled here by the British Raj from the Viceregal Lodge that is located a few miles west of the town itself.

Shimla features some beautiful 19th and early 20th century buildings that are designed to be little pieces of England in India. The best examples are the Christ Church, the second oldest in Northern India, the mock-Tudor Town Hall, the large red cast iron and steel Railway Board building and the Gaiety Theatre where the likes of Rudyard Kipling and Lord Kitchner once trod the boards. There are many other gems dotted around and the views from the area known as The Ridge are wonderful. The best way to get here is by taking the Kalka-Shimla mountain train from Kalka which is on the main line out of Delhi. The 96km narrow gauge railway passes through some 103 tunnels and snakes its way up the hills past delightful little stations along the way.

Viceregal Lodge

Town Hall

Last visit to Simla: Nov 2006
Intro Written Apr 20, 2007
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Reviews (31)

Near the lift Restaurants (2)

I have to say that there aren't a great deal of good restaurants in Shimla. This small place near the lift on The Mall... more travel advice

Viceregal Lodge Things to Do (24)

The site for the Viceregal Lodge was selected by Lord Lytton, the British Viceroy of India during 1876-80. It was built... more travel advice

State Museum Things to Do (24)

The State Museum opened in 1974 and is located up a very steep hill about 2.5km west of Scandal Point on the way to the... more travel advice

Kalka-Shimla mountain railway - stations on the wa - Simla

Kalka-Shimla mountain railway - stations... Things to Do (24)

Here's some of the lovely quaint and picturesque stations you stop at along the way. You do get the chance to stretch... more travel advice

Transportation (3)
See All Train Station
Warnings and Dangers (1)
Monkeys!

Hotels (1)
Hotel Classic
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Comments (3)

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victorwkf Sep 9, 2007 at 8:05 AM

Great tips and photos on Shimla, including the train ride! Do you think it is worth spending more than one day in Shimla?
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mallyak Aug 15, 2007 at 1:27 AM

fantastic write up on the Simla-Railways for rail buffs like me.Check out my Nilagiri Mountain railway pages Regds kashi
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calcaf38 May 5, 2007 at 11:08 AM

Glyn, this is a WON-DER-FUL page. One of the best I've ever read on VT. Congratulations. I've always had thoughts (fantasies) of Shimla, and what you saw and recorded is not quite what I expected. Great job!!!