The first time I set foot in Chandigarh, I was beyond impressed. A city with wide roads, an abundance of greenery, and well-planned areas for markets, restaurants, and schools – compared to the other Indian cities I had been to, this was like chalk and cheese. The city’s tagline ‘The City Beautiful,’ instantly made sense, however grammatically incorrect it may be.

Here’s an unpopular opinion though – while Chandigarh is a wonderful place, there isn’t much to do here. Sure, there’s Sukhna Lake, Rock Garden, and a museum or two… but they’re all one-time visits, that too, they may not suit everyone’s interests. It is for this reason that I’ve never really stayed in the city for long – a day or two at the max. During those times, I’d visit maybe 1-2 attractions and a couple of restaurants in Chandigarh and be on my way.

Over the course of the years, here are a few places I visited:

Things to do in Chandigarh

Sukhna Lake – Possibly the first thing that comes to mind when you talk about things to do in Chandigarh is a visit to the famous Sukhna Lake. This massive lake is said to be the most beautiful man-made lake in India. From joggers to walkers and yoga enthusiasts to artists and photographers, you’ll find lots of people visiting this peaceful reservoir to spend some time doing what they love. I visited it during my first trip to Chandigarh in 2018 and once was enough – I didn’t stop by again in 2023.

The Eiffel Tower Replica – Don’t make a special trip to visit it, but you could make a pit stop if it’s on your route. The Eiffel Tower replica is exactly what the name suggests. It is set in the center of an open ground and you can park your car, head in, click a photo of it if you’d like, and be out in one minute flat. There is nothing else to do in the park except sit on the grass and watch the world go by. Some may even call it a waste of time.

Shop at Sector 17 – Luxury brands galore line the blocks of Sector 17 – so if you’re one to wear branded clothing, footwear, accessories, and more, head on over. Honestly speaking though, these brands are available in every city, so save yourself from carrying the extra baggage with you back home and just shop from these stores wherever it is you live. If you have spare time on your hands, you could consider taking a walk around and popping into one of the few Insta-worthy cafes in the area.

That’s it from me for now! This was a short blog post, but so far, I haven’t had the inclination to visit other popular places in Chandigarh – such as the Rose Garden, the Rock Garden, the Cacti Garden, the Doll Museum, the Japanese Garden, and so on. If work or pleasure ever takes me to Chandigarh again, and I suspect they will, I will be sure to visit another couple of attractions and update this blog post.

Until then, catch me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.