The Chandigarh Travel Guide: Explore, Experience, Enjoy

The Chandigarh Travel Guide – Discover Chandigarh’s beauty, culture, and charm

Since Chandigarh is the first planned city of India. It symbolizes the idea of an emergent, progressive and free India. This city is famous across the world for its architecture and its beauty. The city was designed by French creator Charles Edouard Jeanne ret, popularly known as Le Corbusier.

The beautiful city is also a bustling tourist destination. Chandigarh is an important business hub as well as a popular tourist destination. Chandigarh is frequented by tourists from across Indian as well as overseas.

According to the Chandigarh Tourism Department, 1,538,796 domestic tourists and 39,681 international tourists visited the place in 2018.

You’re Going to Love Chandigarh

When a place is called “The City Beautiful” or “The Happiest City in India“, then you know it’s got that certain something. Chandigarh, independent India’s first planned city, is the capital of the Punjab and Haryana states. To get city building off to a good start, Le Corbusier was asked to oversee Chandigarh’s design.

You can still see the iconic work of Le Corbusier in the modernist buildings that make up the Capitol Complex, a collection of buildings that was awarded UNESCO World Heritage status in 2016.

Top 5 Reasons to Visit Chandigarh

1. The World of Le Corbusier: Whether you’re an enthusiast of modern architecture or just want to get a flavor of modern India, visiting the city’s iconic Le Corbusier buildings is a must. Start with a tour of the Capitol Complex.

2. Chandigarh Festivals: Visiting local festivals is a great way to really capture local color and culture. See the life of Rama re-enacted at Navratri, while the Mango Festival is also a lively and popular occasion.

3. Delicious Punjabi Food: From upmarket eateries such as the Swagath Restaurant to a huge variety of Dhaba’s or street food stalls, you’ll never go short of flavor-filled food in Chandigarh.

4. Tranquil Gardens: From the quirky Rock and Cactus gardens to the tranquility of the Garden of Fragrance, Chandigarh is full of areas that provide a green contrast to its architecture.

5. Chandigarh Hospitality: One thing you can be sure of in Chandigarh is the warm and friendly welcome you’ll receive. A welcome that truly brings the city alive.

Places to Visit in Chandigarh 

Noteworthy Locations in Chandigarh with the help of our Chandigarh travel  guide

• Monuments: Capitol Complex, The Open Hand, The Tower of Shadows, Le Corbusier Centre, Palace of Assembly, Fateh Burj
• Museum: International Doll Museum, Government Museum, and Art Gallery are some of must-visit museums in Chandigarh
• Lakes: Sukhna Lake, New Lake, Sector 42, and Dhana’s Lake are the lakes in Chandigarh
• Gardens: Rose Garden, Rock Garden, Terraced Garden, National Cactus, and Succulent Botanical Garden and Research Centre, Garden of Fragrance, Japanese Garden, Butterfly Garden, Topiary Park, Shanti Kunj Park, Chandigarh Botanical Garden
• Zoo: Chhat Bir Zoo or Mahendra Chaudhary Zoological Park
• Churches: Life Bridge Worship Centre,  First Baptist Church, and City Light Church are some of the must-visit churches in Chandigarh
• Temples: Temple of Goddess Chandi, Gurudwara Nada Sahib, Garden of Silence, and Mansa Devi Temple are some of the revered temples in Chandigarh.
• Amusement Parks: Fun City, Thunder Zone Amusement Park and Aqua Village are the much-frequented amusement and water parks in Chandigarh

Cuisine of Chandigarh:

All types of cuisine from local Punjabi dishes to international food can be enjoyed in the city. The food in Chandigarh follows Punjabi traditions and is centered around wheat-based paranthas, naans, kulchas, and other flatbreads. Like typical Punjabi dishes, butter, ghee, and cream are used in cooking extensively. Some of the popular dishes here include Kadhi, Punjabi Chhole, Butter Chicken, Lachha Paranthas, Amritsari Fish and Stuffed Kulchas.

In the winter, seasonal dishes like Makki di Roti and Sarson ka Saag are very popular. Roh di Kheer, made by cooking rice in sugarcane juice, is a local delicacy. Chandigarh also boasts of the best street food delicacies; the Dhaba’s here are as popular as any fine dining restaurant. Being a popular local beverage, lassi deserves a special mention.

How to Get to Chandigarh

Transportation Options to get to reach the city through our Chandigarh travel guide

• Plane: Chandigarh Airport receives national and international flights from major Indian cities as well as flights from Bangkok and Dubai.
• Train: There are frequent services into Chandigarh Junction from New Delhi and Mumbai. There are also one to two services a week linking Chandigarh with Chennai, Lucknow, Jaipur, and Bandra.
• Car: Chandigarh lies approximately 4.5 hours drive from New Delhi on the fairly modern NH1 road. Visitors have a choice of reserving a hire car for their journey or booking a taxi. The advantage of a taxi is that the scenic route can be fully enjoyed.
• Bus: Chandigarh has two bus terminals. The Interstate Terminus in Sector 43 links the city to neighboring states such as Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal, while the Interstate Terminus in Sector 17 provides a frequent link with New Delhi. Several companies operate bus routes. Chandigarh Transport Undertaking also provides a regular link between the two bus terminals.

How to Get Around Chandigarh

Finding Your Way to reach different locations with the help of our Chandigarh travel guide

• Public Transportation: Local buses cover the entire city between the hours of 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. This economical service costs just Rs. 10 regardless of the distance covered. The back of all bus tickets is conveniently printed with a useful route map. A hop-on-hop-off tourist bus provides a perfect overview of the city for new arrivals.
• Taxis: Taxis are widely available throughout the city operated by a mix of city-run and private companies, including Uber and Ola. Rates are usually within the region of Rs. 15 per 0.6 miles. Auto-rickshaws and cycle-rickshaws provide an alternative to taxis for sightseeing.
• Car: Although the reasonable price of taxis and public transport means a hire car isn’t essential in Chandigarh, having your own vehicle gives you the freedom to get out of the city and into the Shivalik Hills or further afield. There is a good choice of hire car options with prices ranging from around Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 6,000 a day.

The Cost of Roaming in and around Chandigarh

Expenditure Planning with our Chandigarh travel guide

• Shopping: There are no shortage of shopping opportunities in Chandigarh. The Elante Mall caters to all tastes and budgets, while everything from high-end boutiques to souvenir shops can be found in Sector 17. Bargain hunters should head to the Azad Hind and Rehri markets in Sector 22.
• Supermarkets and Food Stores: Supermarkets are gradually taking over from smaller independent stores in Chandigarh. These give a good choice of food at reasonable prices for either the self-catering traveler or those looking to pack a picnic. Best known are the MG Super Market and the Empire Store. As a guide, a quart of milk will cost around Rs. 50.