India Things To Do

This much-lauded scenic spa retreat, tucked away in the Himalayas, is India’s ultimate self-pampering destination. Spread over 21,000 square feet, Ananda offers everything from yoga and Ayurvedic treatments to fitness and spa cuisine. Book a villa and stay the week.

Set on top of Chittar Hill, this palace was the world’s largest private residence, with 347 rooms, by the time it was completed in 1943. Today, it functions as both a museum (check out its impressive clock collection!) and a hotel.

Built in 1921, this memorial arch commemorates the 90,000 Indian soldiers that died during WWI and in the 1919 war in Afghanistan. Designed by Edwin Lutyens (an Englishman responsible for much of New Delhi’s architecture), the arch mimics a similar structure in Victoria Park, Leicester.

Climb 399 steps to the top of this 237-foot-high brick minaret, one of the tallest in the world. Built in 1193 by the first Muslim ruler of Delhi, the ornately carved tower is made of red sandstone and marble. The Qutb festival, usually in October, features classical dance and arts programs at the site.

It took ten years for this fortress palace, begun in 1638 by Shah Jahan, to be completed. Be sure to visit the ornate halls Diwan-i-Am and Diwan-i-Khas, which feature inlaid mosaic work and exquisite marble.

For an authentic taste, literally, of New Delhi, weave through the congested lanes of this bazaar teeming with food stalls, sari shops, electronics stores, and more. Be sure to try the jalebis (pretzel-shaped fried dough marinated in syrup) at Haldiram’s.

Watch joggers, power-walkers, friends and couples make their way through the well-manicured lawns here; you’ll also find the tombs of 15th- and 16th-century Sayyid and Lodi kings Mubarak Shah and Ibrahim Lodi, respectively, within the garden.

At first glance it looks like a Frank Gehry museum, but this white-marble architectural marvel is actually a Baha’i temple designed by Iranian architect Fariborz Sahba and built in 1986. The beauty of its shape, quiet prayer hall, and sprawling gardens manage to draw four million people a year!

A UNESCO World Heritage site, this tomb belonging to Mughal emperor Humayun, built by his wife in the 16th century, was the architectural inspiration for future gardens and buildings, including the Taj Mahal. Look for the intersecting waterways, typical of Mughal garden design.

Whitewashed walls lead to an ornate gold altar at this nearly 500-year-old church in Old Goa. The remaining tower houses a famous bell, known as the Golden Bell – the largest of its kind in Asia.