Experience the best of Nashik

Nashik lies on the Godavari River in northern Maharashtra and is one of four places where the Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious gatherings, is held in rotation. Pilgrims bathe at Ramkund, a stepped tank on the river said to be where Rama bathed, and the Panchavati area on the bank holds temples linked to the Ramayana, among them the black-stone Kalaram Temple.

The Pandavleni caves, Buddhist rock-cut monasteries on a hill south of the city, were carved over several centuries, beginning more than two thousand years ago. Trimbakeshwar, about 28 kilometres west, is a revered Shiva temple at the foot of the hills where the Godavari rises. Vineyards across the plateau make Nashik the centre of Indian wine, and Shirdi lies to the east.

Misal pav, a spicy sprout curry topped with crunchy farsan and served with bread, is the signature breakfast, and Nashik chivda is the town's savoury snack. Grapes and onions grow across the plateau, and the vines are picked in late winter, when the days are mild and dry.