Things to do in India

The classic introduction is the Golden Triangle. New Delhi pairs the stately avenues of the capital with the bazaars and Red Fort of Old Delhi, Agra is home to the Taj Mahal and its great fort, and Jaipur, the Pink City of Rajasthan, glows with palaces and hilltop forts such as Amber.

Mumbai, on the Arabian Sea, is the country's commercial and film capital, a city of colonial landmarks, seafront promenades and legendary street food. Beyond these, the backwaters of Kerala, the beaches of Goa, the ghats of Varanasi on the Ganges, the desert forts of Rajasthan and the mountains of the Himalaya each show a different India.

Indian food changes from region to region, from the kebabs and curries of the north to dosas and coconut dishes in the south, with spiced tea sold on every corner. October to March brings the most comfortable weather across much of the country, spring and early summer are very hot, and the monsoon arrives in June. Festivals such as Diwali and Holi light up the calendar.