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East facade of Hawa Mahal, Jaipur, Rajasthan

Places to Visit in India

9 states & territories13 cities119 places

Hawa Mahal, Jaipur · Photo: Chainwit. / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

India is not one trip. The distance from Leh to Kanyakumari is roughly the distance from Lisbon to Moscow, and the country changes language, script, food and climate several times along the way. Twenty-eight states, eight union territories, forty-three UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and a coastline of about 7,500 kilometres. Most first visits pick one region and stay in it. This page is organised so you can do that — by state, by theme, or by the month you can travel.

Capital

New Delhi

Currency

Indian rupee (₹)

Languages

Hindi, English + 22 scheduled

Best months

October – March

Visa

e-Tourist Visa online

Main airports

DEL · BOM · BLR · MAA

Where to start in India

The place ranked first in each of our city guides.

Amber Fort seen from the bank of Maotha Lake, Jaigarh Fort on the hills in the background

Amber Fort & Palace

Fort · Jaipur, Rajasthan

₹100 Indian3 hrs
At Vitthala temple in Hampi, Karnataka state, India

Vittala Temple

Temple · Hampi, Karnataka

₹40 Indian2 hrs
The Gateway of India in Mumbai, IndiaFree entry

Gateway of India

Monument · Mumbai, Maharashtra

30 min
Udaipur - City Palace at Udaipur (Rajasthan, India)

City Palace Udaipur

Palace · Udaipur, Rajasthan

₹300 Indian2.5 hrs
Ganga Dwar (गंगा द्वार), Gateway of corridor that connects the ghats of Ganges with Kashi Vishwanath Temple. The Gateway was built in 2019-2021 as a part of KasFree entry

Kashi Vishwanath Temple

Temple · Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh

1 hr
Taj Mahal, Agra. FP on the English Wikipedia.

Taj Mahal

Mausoleum · Agra, Uttar Pradesh

₹50 Indian2.5 hrs
Mehrangarh Fort as seen from the northeast. Jaswant Thada is in the foreground.

Mehrangarh Fort

Fort · Jodhpur, Rajasthan

₹200 Indian3 hrs
Pangong Tso (Lake) is an endorheic lake, situated at an elevation of about 4,250 meters.Free entry

Pangong Tso

Lake · Leh, Ladakh

5 hrs
This is a photo of ASI monument number

Red Fort

Fort · New Delhi, Delhi

₹35 Indian2.5 hrs
This is a photo of HPIP monument numberFree entry

Se Cathedral

Church · Panaji, Goa

45 min
Chinese fishing nets (Cheena vala), a type of stationary lift net in India that are fixed land installations for fishing. Fort Kochi, Cochin, Kerala, India.Free entry

Fort Kochi & Chinese Fishing Nets

Fort · Kochi, Kerala

2.5 hrs
Mysore Palace

Mysore Palace

Palace · Mysuru, Karnataka

₹150 Indian2 hrs

Explore India by state

India by theme

All themes
The famous Akshardham temple at Delhi, India

Temples & Sacred Sites

35 places

This is a photo of ASI monument number

Forts & Palaces

27 places

Qutub Minar

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

20 places

The front view of National Museum New Delhi India

Museums

21 places

Government Middle School Alchi

The Himalaya

9 places

doodhsagar Fall is amongst India's tallest waterfall with height of 310m (1017 ft) and an average width of 30m (100 ft).

Lakes & Waterfalls

11 places

doodhsagar Fall is amongst India's tallest waterfall with height of 310m (1017 ft) and an average width of 30m (100 ft).

Wildlife & National Parks

6 places

The famous Akshardham temple at Delhi, India

Free to Visit

67 places

Train classes, decoded

Trains are the most useful way to cover distance in India. Book on IRCTC — popular routes sell out weeks ahead.

1A
First-class AC: lockable two- and four-berth cabins.
2A
AC two-tier: open bays with curtains, bedding provided.
3A
AC three-tier: the best value for overnight journeys.
CC / EC
AC chair car on daytime trains, including Vande Bharat and Shatabdi.
SL
Sleeper: non-AC, open windows, cheapest and most crowded.

Know before you go

  • Religious sites. Shoes off; heads covered at gurdwaras and many temples. Some sanctums admit only Hindus, and many Jain temples bar leather.
  • Two-tier ticket prices. ASI monuments charge foreign visitors many times the Indian rate; SAARC and BIMSTEC citizens pay the lower rate.
  • Dry states. Alcohol is prohibited in Gujarat, Bihar, Nagaland, Mizoram and most of Lakshadweep. Gujarat issues visitor permits.
  • ID at hotels. Hotels must record your passport and visa, and many ask for a copy.
Best time to visit, month by month

Travelling in India: common questions

What is the recommended visa route for visiting India?

Most international tourists can apply online for the Indian e-Tourist Visa (available for 30 days, 1 year, or 5 years) via the official government portal at least 4 days prior to departure.

What do Indian train class codes mean (SL, 3A, 2A, 1A, CC)?

SL is Sleeper (non-AC, open window); 3A is 3-Tier AC with berths and bedding provided; 2A is 2-Tier AC with wider bunks and privacy curtains; 1A is First Class AC with lockable 2-berth or 4-berth coupes; CC is AC Chair Car for daytime express trains like Vande Bharat.

Which Indian states enforce total alcohol prohibition (dry states)?

Gujarat, Bihar, Nagaland, Mizoram, and the Union Territory of Lakshadweep are dry states where the sale and possession of alcohol are prohibited by law.