Chandigarh is known for its beauty, cleanliness and obviously for the unforgettable impact it leaves on people’s mind. From the beauty of the city beautiful, to the food and also the famous in-and-out centers, it has indeed no competition. We have the scenic beauty of the Sukhna Lake, which is one of the biggest natural lakes in north India.
Top Places To Visit In Chandigarh
For people staying in the capital, Chandigarh offers itself as a great entertaining tourist attraction. The city is not far from Delhi and a lot of people from near and far come to get a glimpse of what the city has to offer along with other Chandigarh attractions. It’s a second tier city but in the last few years it has come up magnificently as a tourist spot and there are many things to do and many places to visit in Chandigarh.
Chandigarh still has plenty left to offer, with amazing Chandigarh tourist places. So, to help you plan your perfect trip to Chandigarh, here are the top places to visit in Chandigarh.
Leisure Valley:
Leisure valley is the most beautiful and popular tourist attraction destination in Chandigarh. Chandigarh Leisure valley is like a garland of gardens that beautifies the entire city. It begins from Rajendra Park in Sector 1 that is basically used for long walks, yoga and other fitness workout activities and stretches till the Bougainvillea garden in Sector 3. It also covers the splendid garden of roses in Sector 16. Leisure valley takes a curvaceous turn, when it enters Sector 23. It is in the Leisure valley in Chandigarh, India that different kinds of theme gardens are set up.
Sukhna Lake:
Sukhna lake is one of the premier tourist places in Chandigarh. Sukhna Lake is a beautiful lake that lies in the foothills of Shivalik range. The unique thing about Sukhna is that it is a manmade lake. It is a 3 km long lake that was created in the year 1958. It was done by damming the Sukhna Choe, which is a seasonal stream flowing down from the Shivalik hills. Sukhana Lake of Chandigarh, India has become an integral part of the city
People visit this place in the morning to enjoy the cool breeze and the beauty of nature. Chandigarh Sukhna Lake serves as a great picnic spot and an apt place for pursuing water sport activities like boating, yachting and water skiing etc. The atmosphere over here is very serene and thus apt for meditating. Also, you can savor the melodious humming of birds. People come here in the evening time to forget their worries and relax for a while. So, if you want to rejuvenate yourself, then Sukhna Lake is the perfect destination for you.
Rose Garden
The rose garden situated in Chandigarh is breathtakingly beautiful. It is also known as the Zakir Rose Garden. It is said to be the largest rose garden in all of Asia. In sector 16, next to the popular cricket stadium of the city, the beautiful rose garden is situated. The rose garden is spread across a vast area of 30 acres of land. It contains 50,000 rose plants of about 16,000 different rose species. The name of the garden is after Zakir Hussain, a former president of India. The Garden Rose Festival is an annual rose festival held here every year. If you want to spend some time away from the commotion and hubbub of the city, the rose garden is the best place to visit in Chandigarh.
Rock Garden:
The Rock garden of Chandigarh is one of the best place to visit in Chandigarh. Chandigarh rock garden is an epitome of creativity and innovation. It is a unique garden that consists of various art objects. But the best part about the rock garden is that each of its artwork has been made by using industrial & urban waste. It is located in Sector 1 between the Capitol Complex and Sukhna Lake. The credit for laying its foundation goes to Nek Chand, who was the then Road Inspector in the Engineering Department of Chandigarh Capital Project.
Rock garden has been established in the form of an open-air exhibition hall. The garden houses sculptures made by using a variety of different discarded waste materials like frames, mudguards, forks, handle bars, metal wires, play marbles, porcelain, auto parts, broken bangles etc. Rock garden in Chandigarh, India is a unique creation and connoisseurs come from different parts of the world to see this amazing garden.
Capitol Complex:
Chandigarh capitol complex houses the seat of Government. Initially, it served as the seat only for the Govt of Punjab, but now it has the headquarters of both, the Govt of Punjab and Haryana. The credit for the awesome designing of the Capitol complex goes to Le Corbusier. Located in Sector 1, capitol complex in Chandigarh, India consists of three main edifices, namely, the Secretariat, the Legislative Assembly and the High Court. There was a plan to build a fourth building also, which is going to be the Raj Bhavan, as in the Governor’s Palace or a Museum of Knowledge. However, till yet, it has not come into existence. The three buildings of the Capitol complex stand majestically representing themselves as the temples of democracy of free India.
Pinjore Garden
The Pinjore garden built in the 17th century by the Mughals, is one of the best near Chandigarh tourist places. Pinjore Gardens are more popularly known as the Yadavindra Gardens. It is located 20 kilometers from Chandigarh city and 15 kilometers from Panchkula. It is situated on the Chandigarh Shimla Road and has great historical importance. Fidai Khan, who was Aurangzeb’s cousin, was the one who designed this beautiful Mughal garden. Pinjore Gardens is a very popular picnic spot for the city. According to Hindu mythology, it is believed that the five Pandava brothers rested here for a while during their exile. The garden is spread over 100 acres of land and is adorned with beautiful sloping pavilions and fountains. It also consists of a Japanese garden, a mini zoo, plant nursery, picnic lawns and historical palaces. There is also a guest house available for travelers to spend some leisure time here. Weekend is the best time to visit when the lights in fountains are turned on to put on a beautiful display of water work. The historical palaces look great in the dim light of the dusk.
Open Hand Monument:
Open hand in Chandigarh, India is one of the most significant monuments of the city. The credit for laying down its plan goes to Le Corbusier. It is located in sector 1 in the Capitol Complex. Chandigarh open hand monument has been designed in the form of a giant hand made from metal sheets that rotates like a weathercock, indicating the direction of wind. This giant hand is 14 metres high and weighs around 50 tonnes. The significance of open hand is that it conveys the social message of peace and unity that is “open to give & open to receive.” Open hand is the city’s official emblem.
How to reach Chandigarh for a Wonderful Trip
By Air: Chandigarh is a well-connected city, and you will certainly have no problems reaching Chandigarh by any mode of transportation. If you are arriving by flight, the city airport is just 11 km from the main Chandigarh city; you can get a cab or other public transport from the airport to the main city. As an international airport, it is well-connected to the major Indian as well as international cities.
By Road: You can reach Chandigarh in your private vehicle quite easily. Follow National Highway 21 or 22 as they connect various parts of the country with Chandigarh. If you want to take a bus, you can do that too. There are various buses to Chandigarh from the major cities of neighbouring states. The best way is for you to take a bus from Delhi as it is the easiest way for you to reach Chandigarh.
By Train: All the major metropolitan cities in India are connected to Chandigarh by train. You can easily reach Chandigarh from Delhi through local trains or from other metropolitan cities by long-distance trains from anywhere in the country.
So, when you plan your next visit to Chandigarh, be sure to remember the top places you must visit to have the most amazing trip to the city.