Holidays in Delhi, India are full of new and interesting stimuli, from the spicy fragrances wafting from every restaurant, to the brightly coloured saris, to the mesmerizing chants and music. As you wander the streets and markets while on your Delhi holiday you’ll be jostled by locals, called to by vendors exclaiming the beauty of their wares and bombarded with overwhelmingly delicious smelling spices from curries, teas and sweet treats.

Delhi cuisine is known for being courageously spiced and is eaten with gloriously fluffy breads that are used to sop up every last drop of delicious sauce. Your holiday in Delhi will be steeped in the long religious and cultural history of India as you explore museums, markets and places of worship for all the major religions of the world. Though holidays to Delhi can be dampened by the monsoon season, much of the year is a wonderful time to travel there.

Delhi holidays are visually powerful and overwhelming. Delhi is a vibrant city full of colours, green gardens, people to watch and museums full of history and art to fulfil even the most desirous of intellectuals. Throughout Delhi you’ll find many places to explore the life and works of Mahatma Gandhi. You can visit the National Gandhi Museum to learn about his works and while there, be sure to visit Gandhi’s Samadhi (the place where he was cremated). You can also visit the Gandhi Smriti, the home where Gandhi spent the last 144 days of his life and was ultimately assassinated. If your Delhi holiday leads you to explore the National Gallery of Modern Art, prepare your senses for extreme visual stimulation. The galleries contain modern artwork of varying styles that explore Indian culture from a foreigner's perspective, from the perspective of a native who was trained in the European art schools and some works that just make you question why and how they were made.

Delhi holidays will be full of sound; road noise and car horns will bombard your ears, chatting and laughing people will be ever-present as you wander the streets and music will periodically float by from street performers. Delhi’s overwhelming quality is part of what makes it interesting and piques the curiosity of first-time travellers. Though sound may seem ever-present in Delhi, there’s an easy way to escape; step into a temple. As you enter the Lotus Temple your ears will be blasted with total silence. This marvel of architecture and place of worship for people of all religions, as is philosophically aligned with the Bahá’í faith, is a great place to escape and meditate away from the sounds and heat of holidays in Delhi. The Qawwalis at Nizamuddin Dargah are known for their mesmerizing ability to sing Sufi devotional songs alongside traditional Indian instruments.

As you wind through the streets on your holiday in Delhi, your nose will be inundated with smells from each food establishment that you pass. The food of Delhi is known for being rich in spices and butter. While much of the population in Delhi is vegetarian, the culture is well known for inventing tandoori chicken which is heavily spiced and cooked in a tandoor, a cylindrical clay oven. The cuisine of Delhi is deeply rooted in the religious and cultural history of the place, with strong ties back to the Mughal Empire. Much of the food in India is tied to the region in where it was created, making a wide-range of traditional food throughout the country. In Delhi you’ll find lots of heavily spiced curries and fantastic street food. A favourite is saag paneer and butter chicken where bread is used for eating and soaking up every last bit of curry. While exploring the cuisine during your Delhi holiday, be sure to try some chaat or street snacks. Many travellers recommend the samosa, a fried pocket pastry, or kulle which is a fruit chaat consisting of hollowed out fruits or vegetables topped with pomegranate seeds, chickpeas, lime juice and chaat masala which is a salty tangy spice mix. For dessert, be sure to try a fruit or spiced lassi, which is a smoothie-like drink, or gulab jamuns, which are like fried doughnut holes covered in sweet syrups. The foods of Delhi are wide-ranging and will fulfil even the most adventuresome of gourmands.

One of the best ways to explore a place is in the markets, watching and seeing all the wares available for sale. Located in Old Delhi, Chandni Chowk and Chawri Bazar are the best places to explore and find gifts for taking home with you to family and friends. With so many shops, you might want a tour guide to get you through thereby guaranteeing that you find exactly what you’re looking for and so much more. The chaos and crowded sidewalks of the market can be over stimulating, but if you’re interested in buying a sari or other clothing from a shop, you’ll be welcomed in with open arms and offered a steaming cup of masala chai tea to help along your decision. Don’t forget to remove your shoes before entering a shop and make sure you haggle and haggle and haggle some more- until you get the price you want.

The weather in Delhi is as intense as the sights, sounds and smells of the rest of the city. Throughout the year you’ll experience temperatures as high as 47 degrees and rain showers during the monsoon season that can drop inches of rain and hail in minutes.

Despite the intensity of the weather, there are seasons during which your holidays in Delhi will be filled with sunshine and fabulous temperatures for walking around the city. No matter when you decide to visit Delhi, be sure to plan ahead and pack according to the temperature. You’ll find the most superb weather and beautiful flowers from October to March, which is the best time of year to holiday in Delhi.

Springtime is the perfect time of year for exploring Delhi outdoors. Delhi is home to many parks and gardens, which are great ways to escape the city. You can picnic, practice yoga, walk or just sit and watch the other people go by. During this time of year you’ll find the flowers in full bloom. During the day, the average temperature is a balmy 24 degrees, with temperatures getting down to 10 degrees at night. Be sure to pack a range of clothing to stay warm but not be sweltering in the sun.

During the summer you can expect temperatures up to 47 degrees and only drop to 30 degrees at night. Though the temperatures are hot, touring Delhi in the summer can still be great. If your holidays take you to Delhi between the months of April and June, be sure to bring light cotton clothes, lots of sun protection and plan to spend the afternoons inside. By touring in the late afternoon and early evening, you’ll be able to avoid the hottest part of the day and still see everything Delhi has to offer.

Though not as wild as the coastal towns, Delhi does experience monsoon season. From July to mid-September you can expect to get wet during your holiday in Delhi. The monsoon season is still hot in Delhi with temperatures around 30 degrees, so you’ll find relief and coolness in the rain showers. The monsoon rains also bring a new glow to Delhi as they wash away all the dust and bring the smell of clean rain into the air.

With temperatures hovering around 20 degrees, autumn is a great time to spend your holidays in Delhi. From September to November, you’ll experience dry, cool weather. This is another great time of year to spend your Delhi holidays outdoors. Whether you’re walking the streets, exploring the gardens or wandering the markets searching for the perfect gift for your loved ones back home, you’ll enjoy the cool, dry weather.

December and January are the coldest months in Delhi with temperatures getting down to 8 degrees. Though rare, temperatures can dip below freezing during this time of year so be sure to bring warm clothing and bundle up while exploring the outdoor markets and being outside. December is the driest month in Delhi so you’re safe to leave your umbrella at home. Winter is a fantastic time of year to stay warm by eating all the spicy curries you can find and sipping on hot masala chai at every opportunity. 

Jaipur - the shimmering Pink City is located in Rajasthan, India. The city derives its name from Sawai Jai Singh II, who founded this city in 1727 AD. Jaipur is laden with eclectic avenues and huge gardens.

This city is a heaven for tourists, due to the magnificent and mesmerising royal Rajput heritage, prevailing in its giant forts and majestic palaces. During your Jaipur holidays you will see the past come to life while strolling through its magnificent palaces and forts, blushed pink, which were once occupied by the maharajas.

On top of that, these colourful people are warm and hospitable. Tourists can enjoy watching as well as participating in a number of festivals hosted in Jaipur, from the new Jaipur Literary festivals to the folk Gangaur, Kite, and Teej festivals. You can also shop from a huge range of handicrafts. The lively bazaars in this city are famous for their Rajasthani jewellery, shoes and fabrics. Holidays in Jaipur will fascinate any tourist and spellbound them with the romantic aura that will transport you to an era of tradition and royalty.

Communication during your Holiday in Jaipur is very easy with a minimal knowledge of English or Hindi.  Hindi and Rajasthani are the main languages spoken here however English is spoken at most restaurants and hotels where the staff can converse in Hindi and English. The traditional dresses, like the skirts and tops are woven with traditional fabrics by women here. You will see most women dressed in shalwar kameez and saree. Tourists with skimpy and revealing dressing can expect to be a stared at so it is best to dress modestly. With the exception of taxi and rickshaw drivers, a common practice here is tipping- from porters to the bearers, stewards and tourist guides. The average tip in restaurants and hotels is the 10% of your total bill.

Jaipur is called the Pink City as a result of the pink color of construction material used all over the city. This pink color has a history of its own and a tradition that has been followed since 1876, when the Maharaja Ram Singh ordered the entire city to be painted pink as a symbol of hospitality to the visiting Queen Victoria and Prince of Wales. The Pink City is undoubtedly one of India’s most magnetic and beautiful cities. Whether it is the architecture, culture, traditions, or jewellery of Jaipur, they always manage to charm the tourists with their deep roots in history. The majestic palaces and forts, the exquisite temples, the beauteous landscapes, the opulent cultural heritage all make Jaipur a must visit destination for travelers. There is magic in the air from the moment you step inside the city you can feel the happiness and joy. The pinkish color of Jaipur has a romantic vibe that enchants hearts.

The weather must be considered before planning Holidays in Jaipur. The hot and long summer time, March to July is not a suitable time for visiting Jaipur as the temperature can soar up to 45°C.

The intense heat will be accompanied by pollution and dust, which makes Jaipur Holidays unbearable during this time. If you still go on Jaipur holidays during the summers, make sure you book AC rooms in hotels as well as stay hydrated.

The moderate sunlight and cool breezes during October make it easy for travelers to head out for shopping and sightseeing during daytime. Winter starts in November and it ends by February. The evenings are usually cold during winters and the temperature can stoop down to 4 ° C at night time, especially in the month of January. This is the ideal time to plan holidays to Jaipur as you can shop and be a part of other activities till afternoon. A major festival, The Jaipur Literature Fest is held in January and it attracts people from across the globe. March sees Jaipur buzzing with the Elephant festival; it is a major tourist attraction too.

This is summer time in Jaipur. Weather is extremely hot during the daytime and that can make your sightseeing experience unpleasant. The temperatures can hike up to 47 °C. In April the Gangaur festival and also a fair are celebrated and organized. 

Jaipur experiences the monsoon rains during this season. June doesn’t see a lot of rain while it pours a lot during August. Many hotels and restaurants have great deals and offers on stays as this is off-season. For budget travelers, this is the time for a holiday to Jaipur. Teej, a famous festival that occurs during the month of August.

Located on the Yamuna banks in northern India’s Uttar Pradesh state, holidays to Agra take you to the destination that is home to greatest icon in the country. The Taj Mahal is the most commonly used image to present India making holidays to Agra amongs the most popular destinations in Uttar Pradesh and nineteenth in the whole of India.

A holiday in Agra is an architectural journey to the buildings constructed during the Mughal era. The most famous of these are the Taj Mahal, the Sandstone Red Fort, Fatehpur Sikri and Agra Fort that are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Together with Delhi and Jaipur, Agra forms the famous Golden Triangle tourist circuit further adding to its notoriety on India tour itineraries.

Agra city is renowned as the home of the legendary Taj Mahal mausoleum that was built to commemorate Mumtaz Mahal, who died while giving birth in 1631. She was the wife to Shah Jahan, the ruler of the Mughals. The architecture of the Taj Mahal rises out out behind a reflecting pool in its famous courtyard. The imposing dome carved in white marble inlaid with precious stones is a site that is simple awe inspiring. The Taj Mahal is regarded as one of the seven wonders of the world because of its beauty, its perfect symmetry and the fact that is was a building feat that took over twenty-two years to construct. Thousands of laborers, masons, and jewelers worked on a marble platform above a sandstone to bring this work of art to life and to now be one of the highlights of your holidays to Agra.

The Agra Fort, also known as the Agra red fort is in itself a beauty to behold. It was first used as a fort and then converted into Shah Jahan's palace. It has a stone tablet at the gate that is inlayed with marble and pietra dura. It is a show of Mughal architecture and a homage to the different North Indian style of construction.  Agra fort is a great tourist destination, which should definitely not be missed.

I'timād-Ud-Daulah is often called the ‘baby Taj’ due to its similar construction. It is also known as ‘the jewel box’ due to its many intricate jewel decorations. Baby Taj is located on the left bank of Yamuna river and was constructed by Empress Nur Jahan for her father.  It has many of the Taj Mahal’s features albeit on a smaller scale. The main chamber of this mausoleum is ornamented in pietra dura with mosaics and stones in the white marble. This main chamber also contains the tomb of I’timad-ud-Daulah and his wife.

This monument stands out because of its architecture and because it is a funerary monument containing the tomb of Allama Afzal Khan Mullah, a scholar and poet who was the Prime Minister of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. This tomb was built in 1635 and is said to be ‘usual’ because it is unusually plain with a simple sultanate style dome. The façade however is called one of the finest examples of glazed tile work from the Mughal era. This usual tomb is not to be missed on your holiday to Agra.

Holidays in Agra are easy when you know how to use the transportation system. You can access Agra via air, road or rail. Air India flies to Agra from Delhi via Varanasi on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. The flights from Agra to Delhi via Khajuraho and Varanasi are on the same days as from Delhi to Agra. Flights from Mumbai to Agra and back are on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Air India connects Agra to the rest of the world via Mumbai, Delhi five days a week. Agra uses the central train line between Bombay station and Delhi station and between Delhi and Madras. Many trains like Chennai Rajdhani, Bhopal Shatbdi, Bhopal Express and Taj Express connect Agra city to other Indian cities like Bombay, Delhi, calculate, Bhopal among others. Close to twenty trains operate from New Delhi and Gwalior junction daily. Agra has many railway stations. Major bus terminals in Agra are Taj depot, Idgah bus stand, Ford depot and interstate bus terminal. It has three national highways and one expressway. It's a four hour drive from Delhi to Agra. Vehicles that pollute the environment are not allowed near Taj Mahal hence need to take Tanga or Tongas buses.

The best time to take a holiday to Agra are between October and March. This is during the winter season and temperature remain mild.

Prices and tourists however will remain high in this time but the up side is you will avoid heavy rains of the monsoon season or the unbearable heat of summer.

The monsoons bring substantial rain that although mild in comparison to other parts of India, is enough to paint the city green and settle any dust. The monsoons kick in from around June and hang around until September.

Agra summers are notoriously hot. They run from March till the end of June and the temperature will easily soar beyond 46 degrees Celsius. The nights will however be a bit cooler but don’t expect them to fall below 30 degrees. The temperatures and the high humidity makes Agra quite a challenge in summer.

It may sound like a contradiction but it is true, the weather in winter in Agra is actually quite nice. It’s not too hot nor too cold. Winters runs between December and February. You will never experience sub-zero temperatures and you will be free to enjoy your food, the sceneries and partake in many festivals during this season. That is why during the warm winter is the best time to have an Agra holiday.

Known for its sculptured temples dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu, and Jain patriarchs, the erotic carvings at the Unesco World Heritage Site–listed temples are among the finest temple art in the world. Of the 85 original temples-most constructed of hard river sandstone-about 20 are still reasonably well preserved.

Both internally and externally the temples are richly carved with excellent sculptures that are frequently sensual and, at times, sexually explicit. Khajuraho itself is just a small modest village with no more than 3000 residents surrounded by forestland.

Varanasi has many names; Banaras, Benares, or Kashi. A trip to this city is an experience of a lifetime and quite different from anything else. It is a city resting on the apotheosis of holiness, overwhelmed with pilgrims and sacred cows. But it is also a place with an established commercial side which means that holidays to Varanasi are fabulous and frantic, but never dull. Varanasi is located on the banks of river Ganges, whose waters hold the salvation powers as Hindus believe.

It is a very sacred place for Hindus, and many consider it as the spiritual hub of India. Hundreds and thousands of pilgrims visit this city every year to take a dip in this water— which ironically now is so physically polluted by the contamination of humans, both dead and alive. For Hindus however, the water still remains pure and they believe it cleanses the soul.

There are around 90 steps or ghaat lined across this 6km wide stretch river Ganges, joining this holy river with the frantic city that lies above it. Filled with mazes of alleys and streets and overwhelmed with bereft palaces and homes, there are more than 2,000 shrines and temples scattered across the city. During your holiday to Varanasi you will witness things funeral processions and goats and cows feeding, especially close to the Golden Temple, also known as Kashi Vishvanath and the centrally located Dashashvamedh Ghat.

This city is considered to be the holiest of Indian cities, so there is no better place if you are in search of yourself or a third eye. Meditation and Yoga are two ancient India practices and 5000 years later, there is still no better Yoga destination than India. This city has a number of yoga ashrams and yoga resorts, which focus on cultivating spirituality. If you are looking for meditation and yoga, holidays in Varanasi will offer you an exceptional spiritual experience. If you are looking for meditation, you can go to any of the different ashrams in Varanasi. Varanasi can be called the heart for Yoga, Meditation, Ayurveda and Astrology in India. The Sampurnanand Sanskrit University is a place where you can find different departments and faculties of Yoga, Meditation, Astrology and Ayurveda.

If you’re game for a true Varanasi experience, you may try some of the traditional local activates during your Holiday in Varanasi. Over 65,000 people visit the ghats everyday for a dip, mostly at the time of dawn, in the holy waters of Ganges. It is nothing short of an exotic sight to witness. However, as the sewerage pipes dump human waste into water, as well as sunken corpses which are very prevalent, the likelihood of infections or diseases is very high – so it best to not get too close to the water. Boat riding is very popular here, especially at sunset and sunrise. Both rowboats and motorboats are available for touring. The most famous sunset boat ride starts at the Dasaswamedh Ghat or any of the other ghats along Ganges and they head upwards to the Manikarnika Ghat to witness the cremations. You can head down to the Dasaswamedh after sunset and you will get to witness the aarti ceremony from your boat. The sunrise is also an enchanting time to visit these ghats. You can also go exploring the alleys and streets during your Varanasi Holidays. The, sight, sounds and smells here are unbelievable. You will see little houses and shops that you had never imagined seeing. This place will overwhelm all of your senses- just make sure avoid eating anything unless you have very strong stomach immunity.

Holy sites are a must see during your holidays in Varanasi. You will get to witness the rich history and culture of India here. There are a lot of religious buildings around every corner that you turn. Here are a few that you should definitely see:

1.    Kashi Vishwanath Temple: It was built originally in 1776 by the Devi of Indore, Maharani Ahilya. The towers of this temple are gold plated.  Maharaja Ranjit Singh donated over 1000 kilograms of gold for its purpose in 1800s.

2.    St. Mary’s Church: This church is one of India’s oldest Protestant Churches. Its construction started on April 29th, 1810 and Daniel Corrie laid down the foundation stone. St Mary’s Church is located in the Varanasi’s cantonment area.

3.    Manikarnika Ghat: It is also called the “Maha shamsana’ or ‘Greatest Cremation Ground’, this is the place where dead bodies arrive from all across the country for cementation by fire. The fire used in this process is considered to be sacred and is believed to be burning for centuries.

4.    Ramnagar Fort: This fort is also a palace and it was constructed in the 18th century. King of Kashi used to live here. The building has red sandstone, and the fort museum displays a Royal collection of vintage royal cars and palkies, an armory with vintage swords and guns, antique clocks and ivory work.

5.    Nepali Temple: It is a very unique temple situated at the Lalita Ghat. The king of Nepal commissioned this temple and i

To make your Varanasi holiday pleasant, the time to visit is very important. Weather in Varanasi is usually humid and hot with temperatures that vary drastically between winter and summer. The summers last from the early April till October.

Temperatures can go from 32°C to over 45°C. The stretch of Heavy monsoon rain and humidity characterize the monsoon, which occurs between June and July. Winter is between December and March. The weather here can get really cold and the temperature often fall as low as 5°C during the night but days are very pleasant generally. This is the best time for a Varanasi holidays.

Varanasi faces very harsh weather from April to October; hot summers with high 33°C and low of 24°C. The hottest time of the year is May, where the temperature soars up to 40°C. It is followed by great levels of rain. In July, the city stays wet with more than 340 mm of rain.

Contrary to summers, the winters in Varanasi are quite pleasant, where 22°C is the highest. Winters here appear very soothing as the minimum temperature fluctuates between 12 to 16°C. The coldest time is January, where it can go as low as 5°C. The rainfall level is very low during winters as March only receives 10 mm. This is the ideal time for a Holidays to Varanasi.