200 years ago, Shimla was a tiny hamlet surrounded by spectacular views across forests of pine, Himalayan cedar, oak and rhododendron. This all changed when the British selected it as their summer capital, felling swathes of forest to build the grand Tudorbethan mansions and civic buildings that still lend the city its colonial flavour today.

These days, Shimla remains a retreat from the sweltering heat of the lowlands, but now it’s gaggles of Indian tourists picnicking at Prospect Hill and snapping selfies on the Ridge, rather than British viceroys playing croquet and taking afternoon tea on summerhouse terraces. The exposed timbers, brick and whitewash of the old British buildings are still the backdrop to life in the town, but most have now been repurposed: the Viceregal Lodge is now an educational institute, while other old mansions and residences have been turned into grand hotels and museums.

Shimla is big: sprawling along a crescent-shaped ridge linking seven hilltops, it’s one of India’s most popular hillstations. Despite its popularity, the pedestrianised streets and plentiful wide open spaces make it a lovely (if steep) place to wander, even in peak season. The Ridge is a popular point to congregate, with its large piazza and its circus of pony rides, souvenir vendors, brass bands and giant screens showing sporting events. From here, roads switchback down the mountainsides, with views over red-and-green pointed roofs at every turn.

One of Shimla’s best experiences is arriving by ‘toy train’ from Kalka, a service that labours uphill at 15 mph, through 103 tunnels and over 806 bridges, to bring you to the hillstation in just over five hours. The views along the way are stupendous.