Officially known as the Shree Siddhivinayak Ganapati Mandir, this temple was originally built back in 1801. It's one of the wealthiest temples in Mumbai, and it’s not uncommon to hear of Bollywood stars stopping to pray here. The temple also houses a shrine to Hanuman with an idol that was unearthed during a local road extension project.
Spread across 240 acres (97 hectares) full of plants and flowers, not to mention dozens of types of birds, the sprawling Lalbagh Botanical Gardens is one of Bangalore's best green spaces and a big part of how the city got its nickname: the Garden City. It's as popular with locals and tourists alike and is a great place for a morning jog.
Situated in the heart of the old city, the Charminar is the most famous building in Hyderabad and a symbol of the city around the world. This monument was built at the close of the 16th century to celebrate the end of a plague—possibly cholera—that had devastated the region. A small mosque sits on the top floor of the building.
Spread out over 200 acres near the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Qutub Minar, the Mehrauli Archaeological Park is full of ruins and tombs, some of which are 1,000 years old. You’ll find ruins from the Khajli, Tughlaq, and Lodhi Dynasties, as well as from the days when India was under Mughal and British Raj rule.
Spread across six structures with 46 galleries, the Government Museum houses Chennai’s best collection of scientific and artistic artifacts. It also houses the most impressive collection of Pallava and Chola bronze sculptures (dating back to the 10th and 13th centuries) anywhere in the world.
Ajmer city, in the state of Rajasthan, is best known for being near the sacred Hindu town of Pushkar. Ajmer itself is an important city to Muslims—it’s home to Sharif Dargah, a shrine to a Sufi saint—as well as Jains. While many visitors use it as a base for exploring Pushkar, it’s also a worthwhile destination.
Mumbai's fanciest neighborhood, Malabar Hill has some of the most expensive real estate on earth. It's a fun place to wander around and take in views of the city around you, and while the area's architecture and various attractions are the main reasons to visit, you also might spot a local celebrity or two.
More than 2 million people cross the Howrah Bridge each day, earning it the title of the busiest cantilever bridge in the world. The 2,313 foot (705 meter) expanse of steel girders hanging over the water connect Howrah and Kolkata with eight lanes of chaotic auto rickshaws, scooters, bikes, cars, animals and pedestrian traffic.
India’s expansive Bandra-Worli Sea Link (Rajiv Gandhi Sea Link, which connects the western suburbs of Mumbai to the well-heeled neighborhood of Bandra, is no exception. This 8-lane bridge opened to the public in 2009 and cost the equivalent of $250 million dollars to construct.
SItuated on the grounds of Udaipur's Garden Hotel and Restaurant, the Vintage and Classic Car Collection Museum features a small group of vehicles from Mercedes, Rolls Royce, and Cadillac, along with a few other related objects, from rickshaws to an antique Shell gas pump that's still in working condition.
Dating back to the 15th century, this white-marble mosque and shrine (dargah) is among Mumbai's most important sights for Muslim pilgrims. It was built to honor a Muslim saint, Pir Haji Ali Shah Bukhari, who was known for spreading knowledge of Islam. Today worshipers and tourists come from across India to pray and learn about the mosque.
On the banks of the Ganges River in Haridwar, Northern India, Hari ki Pauri Ghat draws in pilgrims who come to pray and bathe in the waters, which are sacred in the Hindu tradition. It's a particularly popular spot at sunrise and sunset, during aarti ceremonies that include the ritual lighting of giant lamps accompanied by songs and prayers.
Located on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, the five-story-deep Adalaj Stepwell is considered a masterpiece of West Indian temple architecture and engineering. Like other stepwells found across the subcontinent, it was constructed as a means to collect and harvest monsoon rainwater for residents to use during dry times of the year.
The Missionaries of Charity (MOC) Mother House in Kolkata is a mission center founded by Mother Teresa in 1950. It was from here that the now canonized Catholic nun began administering to the city’s poor and sick, and it now serves as a residence for the charity’s nuns and as her burial place.
One of the highlights of Amber Palace, the Hall of Mirrors (Sheesh Mahal) is a beautiful room covered with mirror mosaics. Such halls are a typical feature in Rajasthani palaces and are designed to be particularly enchanting at night, when the reflection of candlelight creates a kaleidoscopic effect across the mosaic's surface.
Part of the Walkeshwar Temple Complex in Mumbai, Banganga Tank collects water from a freshwater spring. The earliest mention of this water source is in the Ramayana, a sacred Hindu text: legend has it that the spring was created when Rama asked his brother Lakshman for water and Lakshman shot an arrow into the ground, causing water to flow.
The National Museum in Delhi is one of India’s largest museums. It’s in New Delhi, amid the spacious boulevards that are full of government institutions. The museum permanently displays items from a collection spanning 5,000 years of Indian civilization and also holds exhibits on Indian and international archaeological and historic themes.
The monumental Laxmi Vilas Palace (also known as Lukshmi Vilas Palace) in Vadodara was built in 1890 for the Maharajahs of Baroda, formerly part of India’s state of Gujarat. With its upper floors still home to the royals’ descendants, the palace is India’s largest private residence and a museum where visitors can view rooms preserved from the Maharajah era.
Flanked by the sacred Kaveri (AKA Cauvery River, this island town was the capital of the Kingdom of Mysore during the rule of Tipu Sultan and the site of many important historical buildings, including Daria Daulat Bagh, Tipu Sultan's summer palace, Sri Ranganathaswamy and the remains of Tipu’s Fort.
Believed to be the oldest burial ground in the country, the Dutch Cemetery in Kochi dates back to the beginning of the 18th century. It houses the tombs of Dutch soldiers and traders who left their homeland in order to expand their country’s colonial empire—and as a result changed the entire course of history in India.
At the southernmost tip of Mumbai, Colaba is a charming old neighborhood filled with colonial-era buildings, busy cafés, vibrant markets, and hotels for all budgets. It's one of the best parts of town to go for a stroll, and the craft stalls that line the main road ensure that most travelers won't leave empty-handed.
The largest church in Goa and the seat of the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman, this huge white Portuguese Gothic structure was constructed from 1562 to 1619 to commemorate a Portuguese military victory over Goa that was won on the feast of Saint Catherine. Inside, images of the saint adorn the cathedral walls.
Keoladeo Ghana National Park is a former royal duck-hunting spot that today hosts some 350-odd of species of migratory birds throughout the year. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is lush and expansive; depending on when you visit, you may spot everything from pelicans to osprey to elusive Siberian cranes.
The British East India Company constructed Fort St. George (their first fortress in India) in 1640. The 20-foot (6-meter) thick outer walls surround a complex of white colonial structures, known historically as ‘White City,’ including St Mary’s, the oldest Anglican church in Asia.
The Bull Temple (aka the Nandi Temple was built in the 16th century in typical South Indian Dravidian style, and is one of Bangalore’s oldest temples. It’s referred to locally as “Dodda Basavana Gudi” (Big Bull Temple, named after the gigantic 15-foot high and 20-foot long statue of Nandi, Lord Shiva’s bull, found here.
Tucked away deep in Rajasthan’s craggy Aravalli range, the 17th-century fortress town of Bhangarh has long been touted as the most haunted place in India. Many believe that the city was abandoned due to a curse, and rumors of ghoulish activity in Bhangarh has kept the place unoccupied for centuries.
Located in the heart of Kolkata, the MP Birla Planetarium is the largest planetarium in Asia and second-largest in the world. The single-story dome houses a working observatory equipped with a Celestron C-14 telescope. The outer ring of the structure is home to an astronomy gallery with a large collection of paintings and models from some of the world’s most renowned astronomers.
Constructed in the 11th century under the auspices of Bhimdev I of the Solanki Dynasty, this monumental temple honors Surya, the deity manifestation of the sun. Many sections of the temple, and quite a few of its original carvings and statuary, remain in beautiful condition, a full millennium later.
The Dhammek Stupa is a giant cylindrical Buddhist stupa situated in Sarnath, near Varanasi. This huge structure was built on the site where the Buddha was said to have given his first sermon to his disciples after attaining enlightenment, and is one of India’s most important Buddhist pilgrimage sites.
One of the best places to score bargains in all of Mumbai, Fashion Street is a stretch of shops and market stalls selling inexpensive clothing and accessories, with a focus on international women's wear. While most people come here to bargain hunt, the people watching and abundant street food options make it worth a visit for everyone.
