Experience the best of Allahabad

The city stands where the Ganges and Yamuna meet, a confluence Hindus call the Triveni Sangam, where the mythical Saraswati river is believed to join them. Pilgrims bathe at the confluence, and the riverbanks are lined with temples, shrines and ghats.

The Kumbh Mela, one of the largest gatherings in the world, is held here every twelve years, and a smaller Magh Mela takes place each winter. Allahabad Fort, built by the Mughal emperor Akbar in the sixteenth century, overlooks the rivers, and Anand Bhawan, the Nehru family home, is now a museum. Boats carry pilgrims out to the confluence.

Food here is north Indian, with kachori and jalebi, sweets and snacks, and chaat from street stalls, and the city's guavas are well known. Summers are very hot, with temperatures above 40 degrees in May and June, and the monsoon arrives in July. October to March is the best time to visit, when the air is cooler.