Chandigarh, India: travel guide
Le Corbusier's planned city of sectors, lakes and sculpture gardens
Le Corbusier's modernist planned city — Rock Garden, Rose Garden, Sukhna Lake, and the avant-garde Capitol Complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
About Chandigarh
Chandigarh is a planned city at the foot of the Shivalik hills, designed in the 1950s under the direction of the architect Le Corbusier. It serves as the capital of both Punjab and Haryana, and its wide avenues, green belts and numbered sectors give it a calm that is unusual for northern India.
The Capitol Complex shows Le Corbusier's concrete modernism, while the Rock Garden, built from recycled materials, is a fantastical landscape of sculpted figures. The Zakir Hussain Rose Garden, Sukhna Lake and the Sector 17 plaza round out a day, and the Government Museum and Art Gallery is worth a stop for architecture fans.
Chandigarh suits design lovers and those on the way to Himachal or Punjab. The best time to visit Chandigarh is from October to March, with roses at their best in spring.
- Country
- India
- Currency
- INR
- Time zone
- Asia/Kolkata
- Nearest airport
- IXC
Last updated
Top places to visit in Chandigarh
Rock Garden
Cultural · 4.5 rating · about 2 h · entry ₹30, Adult Rs 30, child Rs 10.
Nek Chand's extraordinary sculpture garden built entirely from industrial and household waste — a whimsical maze of mosaic figures, courtyards and waterfalls.
Sukhna Lake
Nature · 4.5 rating · about 1.5 h · free entry
A serene man-made lake at the foot of the Shivaliks, with a long promenade, boating and rowing, popular for sunrise walks and evening strolls.
Sector 17 Plaza
Market · 4.3 rating · about 1.5 h · check the fee at the gate
The pedestrian heart of the city, a modernist shopping plaza of showrooms, eateries and a musical fountain, buzzing into the evening.
Zakir Hussain Rose Garden
Nature · 4.3 rating · about 1 h · free entry
Asia's largest rose garden, spread over 30 acres with thousands of rose varieties and flowering trees — gorgeous during the spring Rose Festival.
Capitol Complex
Heritage · 4.5 rating · about 1.5 h · free entry
Le Corbusier's UNESCO World Heritage seat of government — the Secretariat, High Court, Assembly and the Open Hand Monument, a modernist architectural landmark.
Pinjore (Yadavindra) Gardens
Nature · 4.3 rating · about 1.5 h · check the fee at the gate
A spectacular 17th-century Mughal terraced garden ~22 km away with fountains, pavilions and lawns, beautifully lit in the evenings.
Open Hand Monument
Heritage · 4.4 rating · about 0.5 h · free entry
Le Corbusier's 26-m rotating metal "Open Hand" — the emblem of Chandigarh, symbolising "open to give, open to receive", within the Capitol Complex.
Terraced Garden & Leisure Valley
Nature · 4.2 rating · about 1 h · check the fee at the gate
A landscaped terraced garden in Sector 33 with musical fountains and seasonal flower shows, part of the city's green Leisure Valley spine.
Government Museum & Art Gallery
Museum · 4.3 rating · about 1.3 h · entry ₹30, Rs 30; under-18 free; photography Rs 30.
A fine museum of Gandhara sculpture, Pahari miniatures and modern art, plus a city-planning gallery on Le Corbusier's Chandigarh.
International Dolls Museum
Museum · 4.1 rating · about 0.8 h · entry ₹10
A charming museum displaying dolls and puppets in traditional costume from across the world, a delightful family stop near Bal Bhavan.
Things to do
- Rock Garden Guided Visit Cultural · 1.5 h · from INR 300 per person
- Sukhna Lake Boating & Walk Activity · 1.3 h · from INR 150 per person
- Capitol Complex Heritage Tour Cultural · 1.5 h
- Chandigarh City & Gardens Tour Cultural · 4 h · from INR 1,000 per person
Day trips and tours
- Chandigarh City Beautiful Tour 7 h · from INR 1,200
- Chandigarh & Pinjore Gardens Trip 5 h · from INR 1,200
- Chandigarh to Kasauli Day Trip 9 h · from INR 2,000
Where to stay in Chandigarh
- Sector 17 about INR 3,500 per night
Modern central shopping area with hotels
Hotels
- JW Marriott Chandigarh 5-star · INR 8,000 to INR 15,000 per night
- Hyatt Regency Chandigarh 5-star · INR 7,000 to INR 13,000 per night
- Taj Chandigarh 5-star · INR 7,500 to INR 14,000 per night
- Hotel Mountview (CITCO) 4-star · INR 5,000 to INR 9,000 per night
- Hometel Chandigarh 4-star · INR 4,000 to INR 7,000 per night
- Hotel Sunbeam 3-star · INR 2,800 to INR 5,000 per night
Where to eat
- Pal Dhaba Punjabi, North Indian · about INR 400 per person
- Gopal's Sweets & Restaurant North Indian, Chaat, Sweets · about INR 300 per person
- Sindhi Sweets North Indian, Chaat, Sweets · about INR 250 per person
- Backpackers Cafe Continental, Italian, Cafe · about INR 500 per person
- Nik Baker's Bakery, Cafe, Continental · about INR 350 per person
- Whistling Duck Continental, Asian, Bar · about INR 1,200 per person
- Virgin Courtyard Italian, Mediterranean, Continental · about INR 1,100 per person
- Sukhna Lake Cafe (CITCO) Cafe, North Indian, Snacks · about INR 200 per person
Getting to Chandigarh
Airport: Chandigarh (IXC)
Getting around
- Auto Rickshaw
- Ride Hail
- Walking
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Frequently asked questions about Chandigarh
- What are the top-rated places to visit in Chandigarh?
- The highest-rated places in our Chandigarh guide are Rock Garden, Sukhna Lake, Capitol Complex, Open Hand Monument, Sector 17 Plaza.
- Where should I stay in Chandigarh?
- Our guide covers these areas to stay in Chandigarh: Sector 17.
- How do I get around Chandigarh?
- Ways to get around Chandigarh covered in our guide: Auto-rickshaw, Ride-hailing app, Walking.
- Which airport is nearest to Chandigarh?
- The nearest airport to Chandigarh has the code IXC.