Shimla is the best market for the handicrafts of Himachal Pradesh. Woollen and pashmina shawls, decorative items, handmade shoes, dolls, woollen caps, carved wooden sticks, toys and other items made form wood are made in Shimla itself and are on sale in the Lakkar Bazar. Tibetan jewellery and trinkets are found in the small Tibetan shops near the Ridge.
Shimla has the only natural ice-skating rink in India. An Ice-skating Carnival is arranged every year by the Ice-skating Club during January. During this festival, members display their skill on ice and participate in a fancy dress competition. The summer festival in Shimla offers the best entertainment of the year. Artistes are invited from all parts of Himachal Pradesh and from other parts of the country to entertain visitors with song, dance and music both Indian and Western.Besides the summer festival , regular cultural programmes are organised in shimla during the tourist season.
Climate
Shimla is situated at an altitude of about 2100 m. All the seasons of nature visit Shimla during the year. The isotherms of Shimla happen to match with that of London throughout the year and is the reason for Britisher's choice of Shimla as its summer capital
Language:
Shimla has a multilingual, cosmopolitan character. People speak and understand both Hindi and English. Punjabi and Pahari languages are also spoken and understood in and around Shimla.
Access
Airways: Nearest airport is Jubbarhatti, 23 km from Shimla.
Train: Connected by narrow gauge to Kalka 96 km from Shimla. Although Kalka is connected to other destinations like Delhi, Kolkata and Amritsar by broad gauge further, train takes about 6 hours from Kalka to Shimla.
Roadways: Accessible throughout the year from all major cities and town by road, all kinds of services available on the road.
