ChandigarhCutting edge, legendary,postmodern architecture maydefine Chandigarh but it's the city'smatchless style that will captivateyou. Known worldwide for itselaborate buildings and arterialroadways, this calm, quiet city onthe foothills of Shivalik boasts of aplethora of incredibly landscapedgardens and parks. Of particularinterest is Rock Garden, afantasyland created out ofindustrial waste and rocks.Gateway to Himachal Pradesh,Chandigarh is known for its

proximity to major tourist hillstations like Shimla, Manali,Dharamsala. One must surely visitSukhna Lake, Zakir Hussain RoseGarden, Chhatbir Zoo, Open HandMonument and GovernmentMuseum and Art Gallery.

This Pdf and its contents are copyright ©2013,ixigo.com, all rights reserved. ixigo logo, thecharacter and all other marks displayed herein areregistered and/or common law trademarks ofixigo.com and/or third parties.

Famous For : City

Deriving its name from Goddess Chandi,with a temple in her dedication, the city isrecognised for its progressive architecture,designed by the French architect LeCorbusier and his team. Unlike other majorIndian cities, Chandigarh's legacy is notdefined by the eras that have passed by it,but by its domestic architecture. This greenglazed beauty while being a paragon oforder doesn't follow any rules. Soak in thesheer amount of culture, urban design,space, restaurants, shopping and, best of all,the spirit of its inhabitants and in no timeyou will be punch drunk on theirunmistakable, infectious zest for life.Naturalbeauty coupled with pleasant weather,picturesque skylines and incredible sunsetsChandigarh is the perfect place for outdoorfun filled activities. Some of the things youcould engage yourself in Chandigarh includeBoating, Theme Parks and Golfing. Also, thecity is a shopper’s paradise with loads ofoptions to choose from. Chandigarh offersunique shopping spots filled with quality

Chandigarh Travel Guide - http://www.ixigo.com/travel-guide/chandigarh page 1

women’s clothing and custom designedfashion. Venture into the shopping marketsof Sector 22 and Sector 9 and you will findthem lined with wall to wall clothing shopsof North Indian ethnic wear, particularlyPunjabi, with designs that are simple andelegant as well as heavily embroidered andbedazzling party wear. In addition to these,the other popular shopping destination isthe upscale Sector 17 market. Higher-endstores mixed with local boutiques, and someof the city's coolest hotels and trendiestrestaurants crowd Sector 17, city’s wellheeled neighborhood. A stroll through theouter reaches of the streets will reveal manyadditional shops and designer showrooms.

When To

VISIThttp://www.ixigo.com/weather-in-chandigarh-lp-1138125

JanVery cold weather. Carry Heavy woollen.Max:13.300000190734863°C

Min:6.699999809265137°C

Rain:33.099998474121094mm

FebCold weather. Carry Heavy woollen.Max:15.699999809265137°C

Min:9.199999809265137°C

Rain:38.900001525878906mm

MarCold weather. Carry Heavy woollen.

Max:20.899999618530273°C

Min:13.399999618530273°C

Rain:30.399999618530273mm

AprPleasant weather. Carry Light woollen.Max:26.700000762939453°C

Min:18.299999237060547°C

Rain: 8.5mm

MayPleasant weather. Carry Light woollen.Max:30.700000762939453°C

Min:23.600000381469727°C

Rain:28.399999618530273mm

JunPleasant weather. Carry Light woollen,umbrella.Max: 32.0°C Min: 26.0°C Rain:

145.1999969482422mm

JulPleasant weather. Carry Light woollen,umbrella.Max: 29.0°C Min:

26.700000762939453°C

Rain:280.3999938964844mm

AugPleasant weather. Carry Light woollen,umbrella.Max: 28.0°C Min:

25.799999237060547°C

Rain: 307.5mm

SepPleasant weather. Carry Light woollen,umbrella.Max: 27.5°C Min: 23.5°C Rain: 133.0mm

OctCold weather. Carry Heavy woollen.Max:24.399999618530273°C

Min:17.200000762939453°C

Rain:21.899999618530273mm

Nov

Chandigarh Travel Guide - http://www.ixigo.com/travel-guide/chandigarh page 2

Cold weather. Carry Heavy woollen.Max:18.899999618530273°C

Min:11.300000190734863°C

Rain:9.399999618530273mm

DecCold weather. Carry Heavy woollen.Max:14.399999618530273°C

Min:7.699999809265137°C

Rain:21.899999618530273mm

What To

SEE5 Sights

http://www.ixigo.com/places-to-visit-see-in-chandigarh-lp-1138125

1 Sukhna Lake

Sector 1, Chandigarh 160001, India

Sukhna Lake in Chandigarh is man-made, created by damming theseasonal stream that comes down from theShivalik Hills, Sukhna Choe. Le Corbusier’sgreatest creation, his vision for Sukhna lakestill lives on. Carrying on his legacy, till dateno motor boats are allowed in the lake and

neither are any motor vehicles on thepromenade. Le Corbusier had predictedthat people would be drawn toSukhna Lake for the care of their body andspirit. True to his words, even before thesun dawns over the lake and well after itsets, people of all ages can be seen walking,jogging, sprinting on the promenade,outlining the lake’s perimeter. Distances of500 meter, 1 km and so on are marked onthe promenade, so you can easily map thedistance covered by you.   While thelake has fish, but fishing out here isrestricted. With migratory birds like Crane,Stork and Siberian Duck having discoveredthe delights of Sukhna Lake, it has beendeclared a protected national wetland.

2 Rock Garden

Uttar Marg, Sector 1, Chandigarh160010, India

A fantasyland created out of industrialwaste, rocks and concrete,Rock Garden in Chandigarh is an artisticsplendour. A living monument to Picasso’sadage “Everything you can imagine is real”,

the breathtaking garden is a place ofsuperlatives. Designed and established on aconserved land, it was the creator and artistNek Chand’s own secret garden that heworked on in his spare time. The thousandsof sculptures that stand today in the shapeof human beings, birds, monkeys, soldiers,are entirely made of waste material that NekChand collected over the years.

As you enterRock Garden, the path will lead you througha series of maze-like arches, tunnels andbridges, with passages leading into open-airgalleries full of sculptures made out ofbroken glass bangles, ceramic pottery,wires, etc; each even more striking than theone before. At some point, midway throughthe place, the walls close in and then openout to a stretch of waterfall, with the streamof water leading from it occasionally filledwith quacking ducks. Be sure to peer closelyat the walls you pass; you will find them tobe made of broken plates, sockets, gunnybags, glass bangles- all bound together withcement.

3 Cactus Garden

Panchkula Urban Estate, Sector 5,Budanpur, Panchkula, Haryana134108, India

An ecosytem of cacti and succulents, CactusGarden is a sprawling landscape that hasbeen lovingly created and planted intoexistence, cactus by cactus. Spread over 7acres, the vision leading it was to develop aspace for the preservation and conservationof endangered species of cacti andsucculents.The garden has differentvarieties of cacti, some flowering indelightful colours.

You will come across a dazzling collection ofover 2,500 species of cactus, landscaped byDr. J.S. Sarkaria. A visit to this garden isreally more of a revelation, and you come tosee and appreciate cactus in a new way. Youwill find cacti small enough to fit your palmand some towering at 11-15 ft.

4 Zakir Hussain Rose Garden

Sector 16, Chandigarh 160015, India

Chandigarh Travel Guide - http://www.ixigo.com/travel-guide/chandigarh page 3

For those hailing from concrete jungles,Zakir Hussain Rose Garden is the perfectplace to head to. Replete with some 1,600different varieties of roses, the garden is asight to behold in spring and winter whenit's taken over by blossoming flowers andbusily buzzing bees and birds. Named afterthe 3rd President of India, Dr. Zakir Hussain,a pioneering educationist and statesman,the garden was established in 1967.

While roses are the stars here, the garden isreplete with other flowers and medicinalplants as well, afigure totalling around 17,000+plants. Take a walk through its sculptedlandscape and here and there you can spotBel/Bael trees, Yellow Gulmohar, Camphor,Bahera and Harar/Harad, all medicinalplants of immense significance.

Zakir Hussain Rose Garden is one of Asia'slargest rose gardens. Typically, the garden isserene and tranquil where birds belt outmelodious songs, but come February, itbuzzes with excitement and activity inpreparation for the Rose Festival and AnnualFestival of Gardens held in March, a majorcultural event of Chandigarh.

5 National Gallery of Portraits

Sector 17-B, Chandigarh 160017,India

The National Gallery of Portraits inChandigarh is a portrait of India’s relentlessstruggle for independence that spannedover two centuries. Here you will comeacross photographs of not only people wholed the freedom struggle, but also varioushistoric events and incidents. There areduplicates of original writings anddocuments of the freedom fighters and anincredible collection of books on thefreedom movement in its library.

You can also listen to the recorded voices ofsome of these great leaders, includingMahatma Gandhi and Pandit Jawarhar LalNehru. As you listen to the speeches, youcan feel the energy of the movementpulsate and run through you across thespeakers, warming your heart. Also housedat the gallery are rare documents,photographs, books, ceramic murals andsculptures dating from that time. EverySunday at 2 PM the gallery features a filmon the freedom movement of India.

Where To

Eat5 Places

http://www.ixigo.com/foods-in-of-chandigarh-lp-1138125

1 Virgin Courtyard

SCO-1A (Backside), Sector 7C,Madhya Marg, Chandigarh 160007,India

+91-172-5070000|+91-86990-00999

Arguably the best restaurant in Chandigarh,Virgin Courtyard is THE place for all thosewho love Italian cuisine and sparkling winesalong with an excellent hospitality. Done in aSpanish setting with elegant decor with asun-washed courtyard, it is one of thoserestaurants here that promise the ultimatedining experience for its guests. Theexclusive menu of Virgin offers some of thebest Italian dishes, which are prepared withthe finest ingredients to add zing to theflavours. It also has a well-stocked collectionof best wines from Italy and you will surelyenjoy your drink over good food and nicemusic.

2 Dera Restaurant at Hotel Taj

Taj Chandigarh, Block No. 9, Sector17-A, Chandigarh 160017, India

+91-172-6670945

Upscale and elegant, Dera Restaurant at Hotel  Taj  is just the place for an evening of finedining, indulging in truly North Indian fare.Not just traditional Punjabi cuisine but alsodishes from Lahore and Peshawar maketheir way through the kitchens of Derarestaurant where chefs simply createculinary magic.

Kebabs and Naan cooked to gustatoryperfection over charcoal ovens, Tadka Dals,Tawa Paneer Khata Pyaz, Mushroom BanooKebab, Amchoori Bhindi are some of theofferings at Dera Restaurant. Their non-vegetarian platter, Ghost Khada Masala,Baluchi Rann and Murg Dum Biryani aresome of the must try dishes out here.

3 Tao

Chandigarh Travel Guide - http://www.ixigo.com/travel-guide/chandigarh page 4

SCO 43, Madhya Marg, Sector 26,Chandigarh 160019, India

+91-172-5001919|+91-172-5001717

An archetypal example of modernunwinding avenue, thriving on the people'spenchant for hardcore partying, Tao is agroovy lounge, an ideal haunt fornocturnals. If Watermelon Martini and Sexon the Beach ups the initial party tempo,extensive varieties of Champagnes andWines are there to sustain the fun whilemaking it a 'high' affair. Keeping in mind thetastes of people, Tao has created a VIPenclosure (on the mezzanine floor), besidesan open dance enclosure and BuddhaLounge area (It has unique upholstery and adedicated bar). While Uramaki andCalifornian Sushi add flavour to the party,besides Chicken Wings, Arabic mix Plattereventually turns it into a fiery affair.Features:

Buffet TV / Big Screen Fine Dining Air Conditioned Corporate Parking Available Online Booking Home Delivery Serves Alcohol Private Parties Non Vegetarian

Crowd:

Couples Families Students Working Professionals Young Professionals

4 Cafeamor

HUDA Restaurant Complex, GroundFloor, Sector 5, Opposite CityFountain, Panchkula

+91-172-4266666

A cheerful space with splashes of brightcolour, a pleasant view of the gardensoutside and a highly sought after 'lovers'nook - a semi-secret alcove within thecafé, for those who value theirprivacy. The menu is quintessentially

café, with offerings from all over thewestern world - burgers, pastas and pizzas.They also have Indian snacks\: the MuttonShami Kebabs are small and dainty, andmake a good tea-time treat. This entirerestaurant complex is extremely popular, sobe prepared for a longish wait on weekendsand holidays.Features:

Business Lunch Group Friendly Fine Dining Reservations Must Air Conditioned Corporate Wifi Parking Available Online Booking Serves Alcohol Private Parties Non Vegetarian

Crowd:

Families Mature Working Professionals

5 Lava Bar

Taj Chandigarh, Block No. 9, Sector17, Chandigarh 160017, India

+91-172-6613000|+91-172-6670943

Lava Bar is a multi-level bar and lounge atTaj Hotel in Chandigarh's famous Sector 17.The decor is tasteful and done up in a retrostyle. Lava lights and chic furnishings lendan old world charm to the place. The wellstocked bar serves delicious cocktails, winesand other spirits, accompanied by lipsmacking Asian snacks. 

Chandigarh Travel Guide - http://www.ixigo.com/travel-guide/chandigarh page 5

Quick

LOCATEhttp://www.ixigo.com/hotels-in-chandigarh-lp-1138125

SeeA: Sukhna LakeB: Rock GardenC: Cactus GardenD: Zakir Hussain Rose GardenE: National Gallery of Portraits

AccommodationF: OYO 3004 Hotel Royal OrbitG: Fabhotel Prime Royal Plaza ZirakpurH: Hotel MouryaI: OYO 3004 Hotel Royal OrbitJ: Fabhotel Prime Royal Plaza ZirakpurK: Hotel MouryaL: OYO 3004 Hotel Royal OrbitM: Fabhotel Prime Royal Plaza ZirakpurN: Hotel Mourya

FoodO: Virgin CourtyardP: Dera Restaurant at Hotel TajQ: TaoR: CafeamorS: Lava Bar