Do you have a flashy, fast trip in mind? Indulge your senses and see what there is to do in India with our list of the 14 best places to visit in India.
Fresh, lively and lush, this diverse and exciting country is the place where you want to be if you want to experience an optimum sensory stimulus. Here is our top 14 places to see when you wonder what to do in India. We also recommend the best time to visit for each location, based on the weather, local cultural events, costs and the season.
Bangalore (Bengaluru)
On the San Francisco side! It is Bangalore’s turn to be in the limelight. The city is a meeting place for techies, Number Of IT entrepreneurs live here. Investment funds stimulate the economy and here you can also shop endlessly, such as the typical yuppie street Brigade Road and the luxury shopping center UB City Mall . Good restaurants can also be found everywhere and craft beer is very popular in the pubs. The Mavalli Tiffin Rooms has a wonderful old-fashioned look.
The traffic is as dense as the air pollution, new buildings pop up before your eyes like mushrooms, but when you go to the center of the city you will find beautifully preserved buildings from the colonial era. Examples is Bangalore Palace inspired by Windsor Castle and green areas such as Cubbon Park.
Best time for a visit: September – February
Delhi
Delhi is the center of India’s government and the heart of Indian culture. It is a vast, ancient district which is so busy that you’ll get a lot of elbows while walking in bazzars. It is very hot here in the summer and cold in the winter, but at least the topography is completely flat. This makes it easier to make way through the crowded streets while golgappas and chaat papdi (Indian Watery Ball and a Fried Flour Crispies) keep chasing you.
If possible, take the Metro Rail for any way. Order a cocktail at the Imperial Hotel , walk to Old Delhi’s old bazaars, visit the Red Fort to admire the beautiful Mughal architecture believe me it’s as red as Mars. Then do a meditation session in the Lotus Temple, shaped like a lotus. What a luxury!
Best time for a visit: October – January
Chennai
Bloody hot and notorious because of the traffic. Chennai will not make it easy for you to see its charm. It is bustling and colorful, full of artistic highlights and vividly painted temples. The food here is inspired by the religious roots of the city and it has a unique place in the south India.
Make your way to the colonial heart of George Town and explore Fort St George – built by the British East India Company – with the old-fashioned, rickety fence. For a moment of peace you can make a hike to the nearby gopurams, ancient temple towers that give the Empire State Building a check.
Best time for a visit: December – March
Hyderabad
The Old City of Hyderabad where cows roam on the busy narrow streets, market vendors loudly praise their wares and the smell of chai and hot Hyderabadi Biryani with goat meat fills the air.
The iconic Charminar monument and ancient mosques such as Mecca Masjid emerge above the otherwise insignificant streets as silent witnesses of city’s rich past. This is also a city of extremes: head west to “Cyberabad” and you will wonder if you have suddenly arrived in high-tech Japan. However, if you don’t have too much time, focus on the historic heart of the city and the beautiful architecture.
Best time for a visit: November – February
Jaipur
It is nicknamed “pink city” because of the exceptional and distinctive color of the buildings. Jaipur is a sparkling city! Everything stretches from the heart of City Palace, where the royal family still lives. And there is so much to see: the floating water palace Jal Mahal, the iconic temple Govind Dev Ji with the many Krishna legends, they are certainly worth a snapshot. Staring at the stars is fantastic from Jantar Mantar, an UNESCO astronomical observatory.
Need a bit more crowds and noise? Then visit the bazaar in central Jaipur, or join the noisy crowds at the Raj Mandir cinema – one of the most famous movie theaters in the country.
Best time for a visit: November – February
Kerala
Kerala people says it as God’s own country. It is a stunningly beautiful tropical paradise in the deep south and perfect for an Indian holiday. Sparkling water, vast beaches and lots of huge nangka trees and cashew nut trees full of ripening fruits – if you are looking for a paradise oasis far away from the hustle and bustle of the rest of India, then you have to be here.
A hike through the Blue Mountains of Western Ghats is recommended, the waterfalls of Athirapally are of exceptional beautiful. Cross the lagoons behind – or follow the Vallamkali boat race that held in August. The food is as usual spicy, so keep some coconut milk in hand to extinguish the fire of your taste buds.
Best time to visit: January – March (although Kerala is tropical all year round)
Pune
Lush, green and skilled, Pune bears the nickname “Oxford of the East” with verve – on a side note there are many bicycles. Universities and colleges abound, so if you want to dive into the books you can do it here. Party students crowd around Fergusson College Road on Saturday evenings – or grabbing a strong cup of coffee to study in one of the many cafes for the next test.
Pune University, is one of the oldest universities in India and you can take a tour there, or you can take a horseback ride through Bund Garden and take a look at the fire-ravaged palace Shaniwar Wada. The locals call Koregaeon Park the “restaurant suburb”, where you can spoil yourself with dozens of options for great food.
Best time for a visit: November – January
Mumbai
Hold on. The crowded city of Mumbai is all commotion. What else do you want if you are in a mess with 12 millions in this province consisting of seven islands? This is the commercial epicenter of India: the concrete skyscrapers are erupting all around you. Set sail for Kala Ghoda for a variety of museums, then continue your way to one of the most beautiful sights in India, the Hanging Gardens on Malabar Hill – the perfect place for a selfie, so go ahead enthusiasts! – and then you can also run behind the pigeons around the historic Gate of India.
You cannot, of course, skip the famous markets, with all the curiosities and jewelry from the Colaba market that stand out in particular. You can see traditional Hindi performances at the Prithvi Theater in Juhu. If you really want to go to the beaches, just go and watch people, but rather skip the swimming.
Best time for a visit: November – February
Kolkata
This is a city of contradictions and Kolkata can therefore be quite confronting for visitors. There is visible poverty here, all the more clearly illustrated by the extreme wealth in the background – immaculate golf courses, polo fields and expensive clubs of big money, only accessible to members. You can consider Kolkata as the closest big city in India.
Despite – or perhaps precisely because of – its distress, Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) is known as a city of culture and has produced several Nobel Prize winners, prize-winning writers, poets and scientists. Experience the daily contradictions on a walk along the river, across the Eden Garden promenade that runs next to the cricket ground and visit the annual Book Fair – the world’s most visited book fair – in January. Otherwise, grab a movie at the Kolkata Film Festival in November.
Best time for a visit: October – February
Mysore
Absolutely pleasing to the eye, Mysore is famous for its unparalleled beauty. The flagship in all this splendor is the UNESCO-listed palace, with the magnificent red domes and the kaleidoscopic stained glass windows of the interior. Mysore Palace offers an unbeatable sight on Sunday evenings when the entire retreat is bathed in light.
The architectural indulgence continues with the Gothic St. Philomena cathedral and the beautiful Lalit Mahal Palace, known for the typically British high teas. If you have a sweet tooth, try Mysore Pak, where they serve a fudge-like dessert based on ghee. In the Mysore Sand Sculpture Museum you can see beautiful works of art and Brindavan Gardens with its many fountains is a nice diversion. Festival lovers, note in your diary that the ten-day Dasara Festival is on the program in September.
Best time for a visit: September – January
Ooty
In the Blue Mountains in southern India you can escape the tropical heat, because the green hills are full of eucalyptus trees and tea tree plantations – all accessible by a funny miniature train.
Explore the vast Botanical Gardens where the Summer Festival takes place in May and climb the Doddabetta peak to take perfect pictures. You can ride horses around the lake or further into the beautiful countryside. Treat yourself to the famous chocolates of the region and take locally planted tea to wash it away. For a little something else you can also visit the scary Wax Museum.
Best time for a visit: March – June
Pondicherry
Don’t know what to do in India? Then come to Pondicherry. There is an artistic, bohemian atmosphere in this city and it is nowhere else in India as relaxed as here. Listen carefully, you might hear that they speak French here. ‘Pondy’, as it is known, was under French management until 1954 and Gallic history is very evident especially in the eastern part of the city.
The objective of Pondy is to do as little as possible, so switch on your inner sloth. The Old City all has curious terraced houses and cobblestone streets and you can dine here the French way. If you missed the croissants, steak and red wine, get your portion here and then head to the beach.
Best time for a visit: October – February
Udaipur
James Bond fans recognize Udaipur from Octopussy. The architecture is a truly delight here, just like the calm lakes. This is a perfect setting for a romantic getaway. Color is very important for the people here and they have a “color festival” Holi every year where the locals put on colorful outfits with a little extra shine and color. Even the buildings participate – At the Udiapur City Palace complex you see mirrored turrets and glass mosaics everywhere.
The Green New Moon Fair festival is held around the artificial lakes of the city and gives Udaipur extra shine in August. The Shilpgram Crafts Fair in November is a fun fair where you can buy local art.
Best time for a visit: August – January
Munnar
Leave the big cities behind and head for the hills. Munnar is the former summer resort of the British in India, a beautiful, peaceful setting with many tea trees and mountain tops disappearing into the clouds. The gardens of the Floriculture Center are worth a visit, as well as that picnic on Mattupetti Dam. Test your lungs at Echo Point.
Eravikulum National Park is the site of leopards, tigers and mountain goats who are not afraid of anything or anyone. The Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary is a haven for the birds and there are some very special ones in between. Rent a rowing boat, ride a bike through the landscape, or put on the naughty mountain boots and do a rock climbing expedition on the steep rock of Munnar.
Best time for a visit: September – June