Occupying part of Hyderabad's 18th-century Purani Haveli, The Nizam's Museum is chock-full of artifacts from the Nizams, former rulers of Hyderabad. Here, you can learn about the opulent lives of the men who once ruled over the city and its surroundings as you check out paintings, model airplanes, costumes, weaponry, and lots of gold.
Founded in 1936, the Kalakshetra Foundation is the leading academy of the arts in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, with a focus on the traditional dances and music styles of the region. Rukmini Devi Arundale, the school’s founder, studied dance under Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova. The word “kalakshetra” means “holy place of the arts.”
The National Gallery of Modern Art Mumbai (NGMA) is among India's most prestigious modern art museums—alongside the Kolkata Museum of Modern Art and the national galleries in Bangalore and New Delhi. The museum holds thousands of artworks dating from the mid-18th century onward, by Indian painters such as Raja Ravi Varma, M. F. Husain, and Tyeb Mehta. There’s also a small collection of paintings by Pablo Picasso.
The heart of cultural life in Chennai, Mylapore is a charming neighborhood characterized by broad, tree-lined streets coupled with narrow roads and myriad temples, churches, and restaurants. Its star attraction is the Kapaleeshwarar Temple, though it's also home to the San Thome Basilica, which houses the tomb of Thomas the Apostle.
Dating back to 1785, Mahalakshmi Temple is among Mumbai's most popular Hindu places of worship, attracting pilgrims from around the world. While it's at its busiest during the annual nine-day celebration Navratri, dedicated to the goddess, a visit any time of year will give you a good introduction to Hindu beliefs and prayer.
Situated in a former royal schoolhouse on the southern end of the Laxmi Villas Palace grounds, the Maharaja Fatesingh Museum houses an extensive collection of paintings and sculptures from around the world, many of which were acquired by Maharaja Sir Sayajirao Gaekwad III during his travels abroad.
Considered one of Kolkata’s most important Jain temples, the Pareshnath Temple is also one of the city’s most extravagant. Composed of four temples located in ornamental gardens, the complex is dedicated to Pareshnath, a Jain tirthankar (spiritual teacher), and attracts thousands of Jain followers and non-Jain visitors each year.
With red sands and rocky headlands in the distance, the twin beaches of Candolim and Sinquerim provide a relaxing alternative to some of the busier beaches just north. Candolim and Sinquerim Beaches are frequented by travelers staying at upscale hotels nearby, though many visitors make special a trip out to explore the beachfront at Fort Aguada.
The pièce de résistance of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Fatehpur Sikri, a carefully preserved former Mughal capital established by emperor Akbar in 1570, Diwan-I-Khas (which translates to the "Hall of Private Audiences") is a beautiful red sandstone structure. It was once adorned with murals and Persian poetry, but today only traces remain.
Located within the walls of Fort St. George, St. Mary’s Church is the oldest masonry building within the fort. This small church was consecrated in 1680 and was likely the first Anglican church in Asia. It’s also the oldest remaining English church in India. Work began on the church in 1678 on Our Lady’s Day, giving it its current name.
In 1953, the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI was founded in Darjeeling to celebrate Tenzing Norgay’s trip to the summit of Mount Everest alongside Edmund Hillary. Today, the institute has become somewhat of a pilgrimage site for climbers, who come from around the globe to train here.
Delhi’s Sulabh International Museum of Toilets must be one of the most memorable museums in India--if not the world. Despite being a fun and quirky museum, it’s also very educational and has an important mission: to inform visitors about sanitation issues around the world. It displays toilets and toilet-related paraphernalia from more than 50 countries, from both ancient and modern times.
Launched in 1996, the 1,666-acre (674-hectare) Ramoji Film City is the world's largest film complex. Tour studio lots, sets, and gardens to see where Bollywood and film celebs have shot scenes. Try activities at the skating rink, children’s play area, bird park, and family-friendly amusement park, Fundustan.
Often described as the lungs of Kolkata, the Maidan is the city’s largest urban green space, home to numerous cricket and soccer fields, playgrounds, the flowery Eden Gardens, and several memorials and monuments. The park is an important gathering place in Kolkata, and residents head to the Maidan for entertainment and leisure on the weekends.
Panaji is Goa’s capital city. Built alongside the Mandovi River as it flows into the Arabian Sea, many visitors start their vacations in Goa with a day or two in Panaji city.
At the edge of the Colaba Causeway in southern Mumbai, Regal Circle (SP Mukherjee Chowk) is a busy intersection with a Victorian fountain at its center. Next to it is the art deco Regal Cinema, an active cinema hall that dates back to the early 1930s, and the whole area is surrounded by historical Raj-era buildings, restaurants, art galleries, and shops.
One of a handful of tiger reserves across India, Sariska Tiger Reserve offers visitors the chance to see all sorts of birds and mammals in their natural habitat. Once the private hunting grounds of the Maharaja of Alwar, the reserve occupies a forest on the edge of the desert and is home to all sorts of creatures, including tigers.
Kerala has given the world many great cultural treasures, two of which are showcased at the Kadathanadan Kalari & Navarasa Kathakali Centre. Visitors can watch live performances of Kalaripayattu, one of the oldest martial art forms on earth, as well as Kathakali, a classical Indian dance known for its intricate eye movements, often used to depict epic tales.
This monumental tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, a key figure of India's independence movement, is among the tallest statues in the world. Gazing southeast over the Narmada River, the statue is meant to symbolize pride in the Indian national project—and to bring visitors to southern Gujarat. At the statue's feet lie a memorial garden and museum dedicated to the statesman.
The Marble Palace, one of Kolkata’s more curious landmarks, was constructed in 1835 by a wealthy merchant and art enthusiast named Raja Rajendra Mullick. Made from more than 90 varieties of marble, the palatial mansion draws inspiration from nearly every cultural influence imaginable, with artifacts from across Asia, Africa, and Europe; they even have authentic Rubens and Renoir pieces on the walls.
Built in 1636, today Thirumalai Nayak Palace may be just a quarter of the size of the original structure, but it’s still a vast complex that showcases grand Dravidian-Islamic architecture. From its large central courtyard flanked by huge 66-foot (20-meter) columns, to the throne room topped with a 70-foot (21-meter) dome, everything here is on a grand scale. The palace fell into disrepair not long after it was built, but was restored to its former glory in the 1860s.
Sahakari Spice Farm provides an excellent first introduction to India's spice-growing and production. Here you'll get to see where your spices come from and learn about how they’re grown, dried, and processed. If they’re daring enough, guests can also try their hand at swinging from betel-nut palms.
One of Delhi's oldest temples, the Hanuman Temple (Hanuman Mandir) is notable for its large statue of the monkey god Hanuman. It was built in the 16th century by Maharaja Man Singh of Amber, while much of India was under the Mughal Empire. The crescent atop the temple’s spire allegedly protects it from destruction at the hands of Muslim rulers.
Inaugurated in July of 1892, the Madras High Court is one of only three in courts modern India that were established by royal charter under Queen Victoria. Architecturally, it’s one of the city’s most stunning examples of the Indo-Saracenic aesthetic, displaying Moorish, European, Islamic, and Hindu elements in its red sandstone facade.
This temple, dedicated to the goddess Shantadurga, dates back to the first half of the 18th century (though there was likely some kind of temple here for much longer). Its architecture is quintessentially Goan, with rust-red exteriors and white trim coupled with arched windows and stained glass.
Built by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II in the 18th century for his second queen, Sisodia Rani, Sisodia Rani Palace and Garden is a beautiful complex situated on the outskirts of Jaipur. The palace interiors feature exquisite frescoes depicting scenes from the story of Lord Krishna, while the terraced gardens are filled with fountains and greenery.
Overlooking the sea on the eastern coast of the Gujarati island of Diu, Diu Fort offers a well-preserved glimpse into Diu's past. It was built in the 16th century following a joint alliance between Sultan Bahadur Shah and Portuguese colonialists, in a collective attempt to defend the territory from the Mughals.
Flanked by the Bay of Bengal and the Gulf of Mannar, Dhanushkodi is a pencil-thin beach that stretches out into the sea. The popular viewpoint Arichal Munai sits at the very tip of the beach. You'll find admirers there, looking out at the ocean, particularly around sunset.
Ganga Sagar (Sagar Island, the largest village on Sagar Island 50 miles (80 kilometers south of Kolkata, has long been an important pilgrimage site for Hindus. Each January on Makar Sankranti, pilgrims from around the country gather on the island to take a ceremonial bath in the waters where the Ganges River meets the Bay of Bengal.
Built in 1875, the Tagore House was the ancestral home of India’s greatest modern poet, Rabindranath Tagore—a native of Kolkata. The first non-European to obtain the Nobel Prize for Literature, the poet was born (1861) and died (1941) in this vast house, which is now a museum honoring his life and works.
