Palaces, spice markets and a new world every few hundred kilometres.
India is less a country than a continent of cultures. The forts and palaces of Rajasthan, the ghats of Varanasi, the tea hills of the south and the beaches of Goa can feel like separate trips, each with its own language, food and rhythm.
It rewards travellers who slow down. Overnight trains, family-run guesthouses and regional cooking far beyond restaurant menus make up the real experience. Plan around the seasons: the cooler, dry months from October to March suit most of the country.
Best time to visit India
January, February, October, November, December.
Places to visit in India
Jaipur: The Pink City: hilltop Amber Fort, palace courtyards and bazaars full of block prints and gems.
Agra: Home of the Taj Mahal, best seen at sunrise, plus the red-sandstone Agra Fort.
Varanasi: One of the world's oldest living cities, centred on the ceremonies of the Ganges ghats.
Kerala backwaters: Houseboats drifting through palm-lined canals, with tea hills and spice gardens inland.
Goa: Beaches, Portuguese-era churches and a laid-back coastal food scene.
Delhi: India's capital pairs Mughal tombs and mosques with the lanes of Old Delhi and Lutyens' broad avenues.
Mumbai: India's financial and film capital, with Victorian Gothic landmarks, seafront promenades and outstanding street food.
Udaipur: Rajasthan's romantic lake city, with a vast hilltop City Palace and white palaces floating on Lake Pichola.
Amritsar: The holiest city of Sikhism, home to the gilded Golden Temple and its free community kitchen that feeds thousands daily.
Rishikesh: A Himalayan foothill town on the Ganges, known worldwide for yoga, ashrams, river rafting and the evening aarti.
Jaisalmer: A golden sandstone fortress city in the Thar Desert, with carved havelis and camel treks to the dunes.
Jodhpur: Rajasthan's Blue City, overlooked by the colossal Mehrangarh Fort on a rocky ridge above indigo-washed houses.
Darjeeling: A Himalayan hill station of tea estates, colonial cottages and sunrise views over Kanchenjunga.
Ladakh: A high-altitude Himalayan region of stark valleys, Buddhist monasteries and turquoise lakes, centred on the town of Leh.
Hampi: The ruins of Vijayanagara, a vast medieval Hindu capital, scattered across a surreal boulder-strewn landscape.
Kolkata: The former capital of British India, known for its grand colonial buildings, intellectual life and Bengali sweets.
Essentials
Currency: Indian rupee (INR)
Language: Hindi and English, plus many regional languages
Plugs: Type C / D / M, 230 V
Driving: Left side
Time zone: UTC+5:30
Tipping: Around 10% in restaurants is customary
Getting around: Trains and domestic flights for long distances; book trains early
Entry: Most visitors need a visa or e-visa; check the official rules