Known as the queen of hills, Shimla is the perfect weekend getaway for me. Though the increasing number of tourists is stripping away its hold on being an ecotourism spot, and the rains bring landslides, Shimla continues to be one of the favorite haunts of Indians and foreigners alike during summer. Shimla boasts of retaining the old-world charm of its buildings in their original form, with some having been converted like the Wildflower Hall, which today is a luxury hotel. The State Museum, established in 1974, features paintings and jewelry from the bygone era. For those hungry for souvenirs and shopping, Lakkar Bazaar offers you everything you want from and about Shimla, including clothes, jewelry and local crafts. The main shopping street of Shimla is the Mall, populated by various tourist offices, clubs, bars, eateries, shopping centers and such like. A variety of cuisine is served in hotels in Shimla, continental as well as various Indian cuisines like Punjabi and Vaishnav, to cater to various tourists. Shimla apples remain a favorite among tourists. Local specialties are Sidku, a sweet dish made of wheat flour, jaggery and khus khus, and Patandey, made from a thin paste of wheat flour and served with ghee. I went there for celebrating New Year (2022). And it was amazing. I even got an opportunity to see snow fall, For me, it was once in a lifetime opportunity. Can't way to get back to Shimla. Shimla has its pride of place in the world of winter sports as it is Asia’s only destination that has a natural ice skating rink. The Shimla Ice Skating Club holds a carnival in January each year, with various figure skating contests. You can see youngsters playing cricket or polo in Annandale, favorited by picnickers and children. Lovely walkways winding along the hills will prompt you to see the city by foot, but tourist offices will rent out taxis and bikes for those who prefer wheels. Shimla is one of those pristine, ice-covered hill stations that inspire romanticism in a traveler. Winding up this blog for now. Will be back with another one soon with a different destination Thank you!