City of Shimla

Draped along a forested ridge in the lower Himalaya, Shimla is the grande dame of Indian hill stations, a place where colonial-era charm and crisp mountain air have drawn travellers for generations. Once the summer capital of British India, it still wears its heritage with pride, from gabled bungalows and timbered churches to the gentle ritual of an evening promenade.

The heart of town is the Mall and the Ridge, a broad open walkway with sweeping views over the surrounding hills. Here stand the neo-Gothic Christ Church, the mock-Tudor library and the lively Scandal Point, while below them the labyrinthine Lower Bazaar tumbles down the slope. A short distance away, the Viceregal Lodge, an imposing Jacobethan mansion set in manicured gardens, recalls the days when the affairs of an empire were decided amid the pines.

Shimla's setting is as much a pleasure as its architecture. Cedar and deodar forests cloak the ridges, and short excursions lead to the hilltop Jakhoo Temple with its resident monkeys, the apple orchards of the Kullu road and the quieter heights of Kufri and Chail. The famous Kalka to Shimla narrow-gauge railway, a UNESCO World Heritage line, winds up through more than a hundred tunnels and offers a wonderfully scenic approach.

The flavour of a visit is unhurried and nostalgic, all morning mist, the scent of pine, café terraces and the soft clang of church bells. Evenings invite a stroll along the Mall as the lamps come on and the valley below fills with cloud.

For a Himalayan itinerary, Shimla makes an elegant and accessible introduction to the mountains, combining genuine historical character, cool refreshing air and easy comfort, an ideal place to pause before venturing deeper into the ranges.