Delhi: While the Indian capital is said to be comprised of at least seven successive cities throughout history, the two most recent manifestations are the most apparent. Old Delhi is a vibrant but sooty conglomeration of streets and bazaars, thronged with people and cycle rickshaws. New Delhi is a colonial pattern of wide, sweeping boulevards and monumental buildings, a master plan designed by the British architect Edwin Lutyens. The most fun to be had is in the old city. For a memorable dining experience, duck down the tiny alleyway that leads to Karim’s, a well-known establishment occupying a courtyard of random buildings near the Jama Masjid, India’s largest mosque. The restaurant is famous as far away as Mumbai.
Agra: Most visitors are only in Uttar Pradesh long enough to see the Taj Mahal, but we were lucky enough to arrive in Agra on a Friday, the only day this World Heritage Site happens to be closed. This meant we had a day to explore Fatehpur Sikri, a Moghul “ghost town” about an hour away by taxi. Due to a shortage of water, the city was abandoned shortly after it was constructed. Back in Agra, be sure to visit the Taj Mahal early in the morning. Not only will you beat the crowds, the sunlight is more dramatic at this time of day, and you’re likely to catch the fog still rising off the River Yamuna and enshrouding the white marble base of this architectural icon.
Jaipur: Known as the Pink City among Rajasthan’s color-themed locales, the state’s capital is a teeming metropolis of more than 2 million. Jaipur’s highlights are found in the old part of town. The pink walls of the finely detailed City Palace are Jaipur’s namesake, and the palace museum offers an extensive collection of masterfully crafted miniature paintings. By far, the most compelling attraction is the nearby Jantar Mantar, an early-18th-century observatory of Escher-esque constructions. The Rajput ruler Jai Singh designed and built a number of these stunningly beautiful architectural contraptions for tracking celestial bodies, including one for each sign of the zodiac, making it a popular photo opportunity.
Udaipur: This lakeside locale holds the title as Rajasthan’s most romantic setting. Once inside the White City, it’s time to take it slow. The core of Udaipur’s old quarter remains a charming and walkable urban center, with plenty of shops, temples and palaces to keep visitors occupied. For a little romance, hire a rickshaw up to Monsoon Palace, and catch a view of the sunset high atop a mountain overlooking the town and lake Pichola. Somewhat like Fatehpur Sikri, the palace was abandoned due to the difficulty of getting water to such a high elevation, and even now, as Rajasthan experiences an ongoing drought, the level of the lake has dropped precipitously. But, you can still take a gondola over to Lake Palace for dinner. Both palaces served as backdrops for the 1983 James Bond film “Octopussy.”
Jodhpur: Rajasthan’s Blue City will feel crowded after Udaipur’s blissful calm, but the themed bazaars at the base of Meherangarh Fort are not to be missed. Clusters of spice vendors, cloth sellers and bicycle shops make for an impressive array of colors and sounds. The fort itself looms high above the maze of streets around it. Wander the path up through the old town to the entrance gate and then climb the fort’s staircases to see the indigo colored facades of the city below.
