The artists’ village
Andretta, near Palampur
Andretta became an artists’ colony around Norah Richards, the Irish theatre figure who settled here between the wars and built a mud-and-slate house that still stands. The painter Sobha Singh followed, and his gallery is open to visitors; Andretta Pottery, started by Mansimran Singh, still runs courses. It is a small, green, deliberately slow place a short drive from Palampur.
Very quiet. A handful of homestays and guest houses rather than hotels. People come here to read and to draw.
Good for
- Slow travel
- Art and craft
- Writers
- Couples
Watch out for
- Almost no nightlife or shopping — Palampur is the nearest real town.
- Public transport is thin. A car or a scooter makes a real difference here.
Getting to Andretta
- From Palampur centre
- 6.6 km
- Kangra (Gaggal) airport
- 31 km
- Nearest railway station
- Palampur Himachal · 5.5 km
- Bir landing ground
- 15.1 km
- Elevation
- 1050 m
Straight-line distances from map coordinates. Roads in this terrain can run up to twice as far.
Warmer and lower than the tea belt; May and June are hot by valley standards, and the monsoon is heavy. Autumn and spring are the comfortable seasons.
Nearby
Open for listings
Be the first property listed in Andretta
We are still building out listings in Andretta. If you run a homestay, hotel or guest house here, the first listing is yours — free, and permanent.
Not sure Andretta is right?
Tell us what your trip needs — the road, the steps, the heating, the noise — and we will tell you whether Andretta suits it, and which neighbouring area might suit it better.
Andretta: common questions
Where is Andretta?
Andretta is in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, India, about 6.6 km from the centre of Palampur, at roughly 1050 metres. The artists’ village.
What is Andretta like?
Very quiet. A handful of homestays and guest houses rather than hotels. People come here to read and to draw. It suits slow travel, art and craft, writers.
Where can I stay in Andretta?
No property in Andretta has listed with us yet. If you run a homestay, guest house or hotel here, a listing is free and yours would be the first visitors see.
What should I plan around in Andretta?
Almost no nightlife or shopping — Palampur is the nearest real town. Public transport is thin. A car or a scooter makes a real difference here.
How far is Andretta from Kangra airport?
Andretta is about 31 km in a straight line from Kangra (Gaggal) airport, the nearest airport to Palampur. Road distance in this terrain is typically longer — allow 81–99 minutes by taxi.
Which railway station is nearest to Andretta?
The nearest station to Andretta is Palampur Himachal, about 5.5 km away, on the Kangra Valley narrow-gauge line from Pathankot to Joginder Nagar. Taxis wait at both Palampur Himachal and Baijnath Paprola; agree the fare before you set off.