Patiala is beautiful historic city of Punjab. Home to the grand Qila Mubarak Fort the city is most popular for Qila Androon, Moti Bagh Palace, Sheesh Mahal, Lachman Jhoola, Patiala peg, Jotti, and Patiala Salwar. Visit the fun city during the next vacation and pick from the best hotels in Patiala.
Home to the beautiful Moti Bagh Palace inspired from the famous Shalimar Gardens of Lahore, Pakistan Patiala is a significant city of Punjab, India. Set in the southern-east region of the state it is one of the largest cities in Punjab. The city is the administrative seat of the Patiala district and is built around Quila Mubarak, a historic mud fort later fortified with massive bricks and rocks. It is an old city most notable for traditional turban, jutti, Patiala Salwar, and Patiala peg, which is a measuring metric of liquor. The place is also the birthplace of Rakesh Sharma, the first astronaut from India.
Chandigarh the state’s capital is about 65 k.m. away. It houses the nearest airport to Patiala. Being a significant city of the state Patiala is well-connected to rest of the state and cities like Delhi, Gurgaon, Agra, Dehradun etc. via a large network of roadways and railways. Delhi is about 260 k.m. away, and in every one hour a direct bus to Patiala leaves from ISBT bus junction of Delhi. It generally takes about 6 hours to cover the distance. Besides, there are several seater as well as sleeping buses running between Patiala and neighboring cities. There is also a small railhead on the city’s outskirts but it has very few trains stopping at the station. The nearest well-connected railway station is in Ambala, about 60 k.m. away. Taxis usually charge between 800 and 1000 INR. Plus, there are some hotels in Patiala that offer transportation services.
For years Patiala remained the emblem of the perfect harmony between different religions and still continues to do so. The city was established by two friends, Ala Singh Sidhu, a Sikh Jat and Lakhna Dogar, who was a Muslim. From the very beginning the king was a Sikh and next to him the Army Commander, who was always a Muslim. The place flourished under the combined reign of Muslim and Sikh rulers until it fell under the dominance of the British. At present, it is a fast developing city and is the centre of commerce in the region.
Patiala is one of the most vibrant cities of the state. It houses a plethora of attractions and allures that appeal to the backpackers. Home to a sacred Gurdwara which is believed to be a pain reliever, multiple temples, a grandiose fort, lavish palaces and kothis, gardens etc. there is a lot to explore and discover.
The ancient Qila Mubarak Fort is one of the prime itineraries in Patiala tour. It is the heart of the city, and huge walls make the fort impregnable. It is home to the main palace, courtyard, and guest houses. On the outside there is a revered temple of Lord Shiva and surrounding the fort are the bazaar shops selling ornaments, jootis, bright turbans, hand woven fabrics, and junk jewelry.
Another popular attraction here is the replica of Lakshman Jhoola of Rishikesh. It is located in front of the Sheesh Mahal (a historic building and a popular tourist spot), built over a small lake and is called Lachman Jhoola. It connects Sheesh Mahal to Banasar, which is the cultural centre of the city.
Most of the prime tourist attractions are either surrounded by hotels or are well connected to the hotels. The good thing is that Patiala hotels list is quite long providing a large window of options to pick from.