Chandigarh: what to see, where to stay and how to get around

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After Partition in 1947, Punjab lost its capital Lahore to Pakistan, and Nehru wanted a new capital that looked to the future. The Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier drew the plan, with his cousin Pierre Jeanneret and a team of Indian architects, and the city was built on empty farmland under the Shivalik hills. This route goes from the government buildings at the top of the plan down to the shopping heart of Sector 17. The Capitol Complex tour needs an ID and must be booked; allow a full morning.

A short history of Chandigarh

Until 1947 there was no city here. When the Partition of India left Lahore in Pakistan, Indian Punjab needed a new capital, and the prime minister, Nehru, wanted a city with no ties to the past. In 1951 the Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier took over the planning; he divided the city into numbered sectors and built the government buildings in exposed concrete. In 1966, when the state of Haryana was created, Chandigarh became the joint capital of both states and a union territory. At the same time a road official named Nek Chand secretly built a sculpture garden here from waste. In 2016 the Capitol Complex was declared a World Heritage Site.

The ten best sights in Chandigarh

1
Palace of Assembly
Part of the Capitol Complex; visits only on a guided tour with ID
2
Punjab and Haryana High Court
Le Corbusier's court under a huge concrete parasol roof
3
Open Hand Monument
The city's symbol, on the Capitol Complex tour
4
Government Museum and Art Gallery
Gandhara Buddhas and Pahari miniatures in a Le Corbusier building
5
Chandigarh Architecture Museum
Next door to the museum: the plans and sketches that made the city
6
Le Corbusier Centre
In the old architects' office where the city was drawn
7
Maison Jeanneret
Pierre Jeanneret's own house, with his furniture
8
Gurdwara Nada Sahib
Sikh shrine on the river in Panchkula; cover your head, free langar meal
9
Mansa Devi Temple
Busy Hindu temple at the foot of the hills; very crowded at Navratri
10
Rock Garden
Go early: the paths get crowded and hot by noon

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What is an audio walk?

Tours in Chandigarh →

A guide in your headphones: open the walk on our site, walk from stop to stop, and at each one your phone tells its story. No guide, no group, and free. This is the first walk in Chandigarh:

Free walking tours in Chandigarh

Le Corbusier's city

Palace of Assembly · In 2016 the Capitol Complex was listed by UNESCO as part of a single World Heritage site of 17 Le Corbusier works on three continents.
Open Hand Monument · The metal hand, Le Corbusier's symbol of 'open to give, open to receive', turns on bearings like a weathervane when the wind blows.
Maison Jeanneret · Pierre Jeanneret stayed on in Chandigarh for about 15 years as its chief architect, and at his wish his ashes were scattered on Sukhna Lake.
Government Museum and Art Gallery · Many of its treasures came from the Lahore museum: at Partition the collection was divided between India and Pakistan.
Le Corbusier Centre · The centre is housed in the old architects' office, where Le Corbusier and his team drew the plans for the city from the early 1950s.
Sector 17 · The city is divided into numbered sectors, and there is no Sector 13: the number was left out because it was thought unlucky.

Gardens of the planned city

Le Corbusier gave Chandigarh wide green belts, a lake and parks between the sectors, and the city added its own gardens over the years. The most famous was not planned at all: a secret garden of broken china and scrap built by a road inspector. This route goes from that garden past the lake and the roses to the old Mughal terraces on the road to the hills. Best in the cool months from October to March; in summer start at dawn.

Rock Garden · Nek Chand, a government road inspector, began building it in secret around 1957 on forbidden land, from waste and rubble; when officials found it in 1975, the city chose to open it to the public.
Sukhna Lake · The lake is man-made: it was created in 1958 by damming the Sukhna stream that comes down from the Shivalik hills.
Leisure Valley · Le Corbusier kept the bed of a seasonal stream free of building, and it became a green belt of gardens that runs for kilometres through the city.
Rose Garden · Set up in 1967 and named after President Zakir Hussain, the garden holds about 1,600 varieties of roses.
Cactus Garden · It is India's national cactus and succulent garden, with thousands of species from deserts around the world.
Pinjore Gardens · The terraced garden was laid out in the 17th century by Fidai Khan, foster brother of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.

Up to the foothills

Chandigarh sits right where the plains meet the first ridges of the Himalaya, and within an hour the road climbs into pine forest. Here starts the narrow-gauge line to Shimla, and the old British hill towns are close enough for a day out. This route goes from a Sikh shrine on the plain to the station at Kalka and up into the hills. A full day by car; the hill roads are narrow, so leave the big towns before the evening traffic.

Gurdwara Nada Sahib · Tradition holds that Guru Gobind Singh rested here on the bank of the Ghaggar on his way back from the Battle of Bhangani in 1688.
Mansa Devi Temple · The city of Panchkula's Mansa Devi Complex sector is named after this temple to the goddess Mansa Devi.
Pinjore Gardens · The gardens were later renamed Yadavindra Gardens after Maharaja Yadavindra Singh of Patiala, who restored them.
Kalka Station · The Kalka–Shimla Railway opened in 1903 and was added to UNESCO's Mountain Railways of India in 2008.
Kasauli · The Central Research Institute in Kasauli was founded in 1905 and has made vaccines and sera for India ever since.
Morni Hills · Morni is usually called the only hill station in the state of Haryana.

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Getting to Chandigarh and getting around

Chandigarh Railway Station · Shatabdi trains from Delhi in about three and a half hours; the station is 8 km from the centre
Kalka Station · Start of the toy train to Shimla, 40 minutes from Chandigarh; book seats weeks ahead
ISBT Sector 43 · Main bus terminal for Delhi, Punjab and the Himachal hills

Cheap eats in Chandigarh

Chandigarh eats like Punjab: stuffed parathas with white butter for breakfast, chole bhature at lunch, lassi in a steel glass. Dhabas, the roadside eateries, serve rich curries and tandoori breads all day. For a careful stomach, stick to busy places where food is cooked fresh, and drink bottled water.

Indian Coffee House · Dosas, cutlets and filter coffee, about ₹60-200
Sindhi Sweets · Sweets, chaat and thalis in Sector 17, about ₹80-300
Sagar Ratna · South Indian dosas and idli, about ₹150-350
Brother's Amritsari Kulcha Hub · Stuffed Amritsari kulcha with chole, about ₹100-200
Nik Baker's · Local bakery-café for coffee and pastries, about ₹100-350
Dilli ki Gali · Stuffed parathas Delhi style, about ₹100-250

Museums in Chandigarh

Government Museum and Art Gallery · Gandhara Buddhas and Pahari paintings
Le Corbusier Centre · Drawings, photos and letters of the planners
Chandigarh Architecture Museum · The story of how the city was planned
Maison Jeanneret · Jeanneret's own house in Sector 5
Palace of Assembly · Guided tours of the Capitol Complex

Nature and day trips near Chandigarh

Sukhna Lake · Sunrise and sunset walks, boating
Morni Hills · Pine forest and small lakes
Leisure Valley · Long green park for a shaded walk
Rose Garden · Roses in bloom from February to March
Cactus Garden · Cacti and succulents from around the world

Things to do in Chandigarh with kids

Rock Garden · Mazes, waterfalls and figures made of broken bangles
Kalka Station · Watch the little toy train set off for the hills
Sukhna Lake · Pedal boats and snacks on the promenade
Pinjore Gardens · Fountains and lawns to run on
Cactus Garden · Strange shapes children love to spot

Where to eat in Chandigarh

Pal Dhaba · A city favourite for butter chicken and dal makhani
Ghazal · North Indian dinners on the Sector 17 plaza
Backpackers · Relaxed café-restaurant for a lighter dinner
Shree Rathnam · Vegetarian South Indian thalis
Noor Restaurant · Mughlai kebabs and biryani

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Frequently asked questions about Chandigarh

What is there to see in Chandigarh?

The top sights in Chandigarh are Palace of Assembly, Punjab and Haryana High Court and Open Hand Monument. The full list on this page has 10 sights, each with a photo and a short note.

How many days do you need in Chandigarh?

Three to four days are enough to see the best of Chandigarh without rushing, including at least one walking tour.

Is there a free walking tour in Chandigarh?

Yes. sleepntrip has 3 free audio walks in Chandigarh, with no guide and no group: your phone tells the story at every stop. The first one: Le Corbusier's city.

How do you get to Chandigarh and get around?

The main ways are Chandigarh Railway Station, Kalka Station and ISBT Sector 43. Full details are in the transport section on this page.

Where to stay in Chandigarh, and for how much?

sleepntrip shows only rooms in Chandigarh that meet nine conditions: a good location, high guest scores, cleanliness, and a price of up to $80 a night for two. Pick your dates and see what is free.

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