Solan planned by a friend, not a call centre

Solan rarely makes it onto a traveller's must-see list, and that's largely because its real role is as a well-placed stopover rather than a final destination. Sitting on the Kalka-Shimla highway, it's often where Himachal-bound travellers stretch their legs, and its nickname — the "Mushroom City" — comes from India's largest mushroom research institute located here.

The Mohan Shakti Heritage Park, a large landscaped complex with sculpture gardens and waterfalls, is the town's main built attraction and makes for a pleasant couple of hours if you're passing through. Solan's brewery heritage adds a bit of unexpected industrial history for anyone curious enough to ask locally.

Most travellers experience Solan from the highway — a meal break, a fuel stop, or an overnight if the drive from Chandigarh or Delhi has run long. An overnight stop, or even just a two-hour break at Mohan Shakti Heritage Park, is all Solan really asks for.