Holidays for couples

Chennai, Mahabalipuram & Pondicherry Coastal Break

A short East Coast Road trip from Chennai: Pallava shore temples at Mahabalipuram, then two easy days in Pondicherry's French Quarter and Auroville.

Hill-station holidaysFamily holidays

4D / 3NOoty · Coonoor

Ooty & Coonoor Nilgiri Escape

Ride the UNESCO toy train into the Nilgiris, spend two days around Ooty's lakes and gardens and finish with tea-estate quiet in Coonoor.

Honeymoon packagesHill-station holidays

4D / 3NKodaikanal

Kodaikanal Honeymoon Getaway

Three slow nights in the Palani Hills: misty Coaker's Walk mornings, boating on the lake and pine-forest drives, with time simply to rest.

5D / 4NOoty · Coonoor

Ooty & Coonoor Honeymoon

The Nilgiris for two: the toy train up from Mettupalayam, rose gardens and a lake boat ride in Ooty, then quiet tea-estate days and Dolphin's Nose views in Coonoor.

5D / 4NMahabalipuram · Puducherry

East Coast Road Beach Honeymoon

Sunrise at Mahabalipuram's Shore Temple, then three slow days in Pondicherry: French Quarter cafés, a sunset walk on the Promenade and lazy mornings at Auroville's beaches.

4D / 3NYercaud

Yercaud Honeymoon Retreat

Three unhurried nights in the Shevaroy Hills, the closest hill station to Chennai: coffee-estate walks, sunset at Lady's Seat and a rowing boat on Yercaud Lake.

Plan couples' holidays in Tamil Nadu → Explore Tamil Nadu

Itineraries

Couples' holidays: 92 itineraries

5D / 4NChennai · Mahabalipuram · Puducherry

Chennai, Mahabalipuram & Pondicherry Coastal Break

A short East Coast Road trip from Chennai: Pallava shore temples at Mahabalipuram, then two easy days in Pondicherry's French Quarter and Auroville.

Hill-station holidaysFamily holidays

4D / 3NOoty · Coonoor

Ooty & Coonoor Nilgiri Escape

Ride the UNESCO toy train into the Nilgiris, spend two days around Ooty's lakes and gardens and finish with tea-estate quiet in Coonoor.

Honeymoon packagesHill-station holidays

4D / 3NKodaikanal

Kodaikanal Honeymoon Getaway

Three slow nights in the Palani Hills: misty Coaker's Walk mornings, boating on the lake and pine-forest drives, with time simply to rest.

5D / 4NOoty · Coonoor

Ooty & Coonoor Honeymoon

The Nilgiris for two: the toy train up from Mettupalayam, rose gardens and a lake boat ride in Ooty, then quiet tea-estate days and Dolphin's Nose views in Coonoor.

5D / 4NMahabalipuram · Puducherry

East Coast Road Beach Honeymoon

Sunrise at Mahabalipuram's Shore Temple, then three slow days in Pondicherry: French Quarter cafés, a sunset walk on the Promenade and lazy mornings at Auroville's beaches.

4D / 3NYercaud

Yercaud Honeymoon Retreat

Three unhurried nights in the Shevaroy Hills, the closest hill station to Chennai: coffee-estate walks, sunset at Lady's Seat and a rowing boat on Yercaud Lake.

5D / 4NValparai · Coonoor

Valparai & Coonoor Tea Country Honeymoon

Valparai & Coonoor Tea Country Honeymoon

Mist, tea and forest: the forty hairpin bends into Valparai's Anaimalai Hills, where hornbills and lion-tailed macaques live, then the Nilgiri tea estates of Coonoor.

4D / 3NMadurai · Chettinad

Chettinad Heritage Honeymoon

Madurai's Meenakshi temple lit up at night, then two nights in a restored Chettinad mansion with Athangudi-tiled courtyards, village walks and a Chettinad feast.

3D / 2NPuducherry

Pondicherry & Auroville Weekend

Cafés, colonial lanes, the Promenade and a morning at Auroville: a two-night French Quarter break that is easy to reach from Chennai and Bengaluru.

Couples' holidaysSolo travel

5D / 4NPuducherry

Pondicherry Slow Stay

Four unhurried nights to cycle the French Quarter, learn pottery, take a boat to Paradise Beach and spend real time at Auroville.

7D / 6NMunnar · Thekkady · Alleppey · Kovalam

Kerala Honeymoon with Houseboat & Beach

Tea-garden views, a private houseboat night on the backwaters and two beach days at Kovalam, with time for an Ayurvedic massage for two.

4D / 3NMunnar

Munnar Tea Country Short Break

Three nights in Munnar for Eravikulam's Nilgiri tahr, tea estate walks, Mattupetty and a jeep ride up to Kolukkumalai at sunrise.

7D / 6NKochi · Kumarakom · Alleppey · Varkala

Kerala Backwaters & Beaches

Water all the way: Kochi's harbour, a lakeside stay at Kumarakom, a houseboat through Alleppey's canals and cliff-top Varkala to finish.

3D / 2NKumarakom · Alleppey

Couples' holidaysCruise and houseboat holidays

Alleppey Houseboat & Kumarakom Weekend

A two-night backwater taster: a lakeside resort evening in Kumarakom and an overnight kettuvallam cruise through Alleppey's canals.

5D / 4NKochi · Munnar · Vagamon

Kochi, Munnar & Vagamon Hills

Swap the crowds for meadows: Munnar's estates followed by Vagamon's pine forest, paragliding (in season) and misty viewpoints.

7D / 6NMunnar · Kumarakom

Couples' holidaysSenior-friendly holidays

Kerala Monsoon Ayurveda & Hills

Built for the monsoon months: misty Munnar, then four nights of Ayurveda by Vembanad Lake when the treatments are traditionally most effective.

5D / 4NVarkala · Kovalam

Kerala Beaches: Varkala & Kovalam

Two different beaches in one trip: Varkala's cliffs and cafés, then Kovalam's lighthouse bay with a day out to Poovar's estuary.

4D / 3NCoorg

Coorg Coffee Estate Honeymoon

Three nights in a plantation stay with estate walks, Abbey Falls, Raja's Seat at sunset and candlelit dinners among the coffee.

5D / 4NGokarna · South Goa

Gokarna & Goa Beach Trail

Quiet coves at Gokarna and the long beaches of South Goa, linked by a short drive along the Konkan coast.

5D / 4NSouth Goa

Goa Honeymoon by the Sea

Four nights at a South Goa beach resort with a sunset cruise, dolphin trip and Cabo de Rama, far from the party crowds.

3D / 2NNorth Goa

Goa Weekend Escape

Two nights of sun, seafood and Fontainhas' painted streets, with a Mandovi river cruise on the last evening.

Couples' holidaysHill-station holidays

Mahabaleshwar & Panchgani Couple's Break

4D / 3NMahabaleshwar

Mahabaleshwar & Panchgani Couple's Break

Three nights in the Sahyadri's highest hill station with Venna Lake, Panchgani's Table Land and Pratapgad Fort.

4D / 3NUdaipur

Udaipur Romantic Getaway

Three nights in the city of lakes with a sunset boat on Pichola, rooftop dinners, the City Palace and a day out to Kumbhalgarh.

6D / 5NJaipur · Udaipur

Rajasthan Honeymoon Special

Palaces for two: Jaipur's Amber Fort and a hot-air balloon (in season), then three nights by the lakes in Udaipur.

3D / 2NAgra · Mathura & Vrindavan

Agra Taj Mahal Short Break

Sunrise at the Taj, Agra Fort and sunset from Mehtab Bagh, with Krishna's Mathura and Vrindavan on the way back to Delhi.

5D / 4NManali

Manali Honeymoon

Four nights in Manali with Solang Valley, Sissu via the Atal Tunnel, Old Manali's cafés and a riverside cottage stay.

5D / 4NMussoorie · Rishikesh

Couples' holidaysHill-station holidays

Mussoorie & Rishikesh

The queen of the hills and the yoga capital: Landour's walks and cafés, then riverside Rishikesh.

5D / 4NNainital

Kumaon Lakes & Hills

Nainital, Bhimtal, Sattal and Naukuchiatal, with a day trip to Mukteshwar's orchards and Himalayan views.

6D / 5NSrinagar · Gulmarg · Pahalgam

Kashmir Honeymoon with Houseboat

A shikara ride at sunset, a private houseboat night, Mughal gardens and snow at Gulmarg, paced for couples.

4D / 3NSrinagar

Srinagar Short Break

Three nights in Srinagar for the floating market at dawn, Nishat and Shalimar Bagh, Shankaracharya Hill and a houseboat stay.

6D / 5NSrinagar · Pahalgam

Kashmir Autumn Colours

Golden chinar trees, harvest-time villages and clear skies in October and November, with time for photography.

7D / 6NLeh · Nubra Valley · Pangong Lake

Ladakh Honeymoon

Desert camps under the stars, a camel ride in Hunder and a lakeside stay at Pangong for couples who want something different.

6D / 5NDarjeeling · Kalimpong · Gangtok

Darjeeling, Kalimpong & Gangtok

Three hill towns in the eastern Himalaya, with tea, nurseries, monasteries and Kanchenjunga views.

4D / 3NGangtok

Gangtok Short Break

MG Marg, Rumtek Monastery, the ropeway and a day trip to Tsomgo Lake and Nathula (permits permitting).

7D / 6NGangtok · Pelling · Darjeeling

Sikkim Honeymoon

Monasteries, mountain views and tea estates: a romantic eastern Himalaya trip across Sikkim and Darjeeling.

6D / 5NPort Blair · Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep) · Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep)

Honeymoon packagesIsland holidays

Andaman Honeymoon

Three nights on Havelock for sunsets at Radhanagar and a try-dive, with private ferries and a beach resort.

Couples' holidaysHill-station holidays

3D / 2NKasauli

Kasauli Weekend Getaway

Two nights in Kasauli's colonial cantonment: Christ Church, the Gilbert Trail, Monkey Point and quiet evenings at Sunset Point.

2D / 1NNeemrana

Neemrana Fort Weekend

A night in a 15th-century fort-palace two hours from Delhi, with the zip-line over the ramparts and the old stepwell nearby.

Luxury holidaysCouples' holidays

4D / 3NChettinad

Chettinad Luxury Heritage Stay

Three nights in a restored Chettiar mansion hotel with private guided walks through Kanadukathan, an Athangudi tile workshop and a Chettinad cooking session.

Beach holidaysIsland holidays

6D / 5NPhuket · Krabi

Phuket & Krabi Beach Holiday

The Andaman coast's two best bases: Phuket with a Phi Phi day trip and Phang Nga Bay, then Krabi's cliffs, Railay and the Four Islands.

8D / 7NPhuket · Krabi · Bangkok

Thailand Honeymoon: Phuket, Krabi & Bangkok

Thailand Honeymoon: Phuket, Krabi & Bangkok

Seven nights from beach villas to city lights, with a private longtail at sunset in Krabi and a Chao Phraya dinner cruise in Bangkok.

Island holidaysCouples' holidays

5D / 4NKrabi

Krabi Island Escape

Island-hopping by longtail, rock climbing at Railay, kayaking in mangroves and the Emerald Pool, based in Ao Nang.

5D / 4NPhuket · Phi Phi Islands

Island holidaysCouples' holidays

Phuket & Phi Phi Island Stay

Three nights on Phuket and an overnight on Phi Phi Don to see Pileh Lagoon and the viewpoint without the day crowds.

5D / 4NChiang Mai · Bangkok

Festival and seasonal tripsCouples' holidays

Chiang Mai Yi Peng Lantern Trip

Planned around Chiang Mai's lantern festival in November, with temple visits, a cooking class and an ethical elephant sanctuary.

5D / 4NKuala Lumpur · Cameron Highlands

Cameron Highlands & Kuala Lumpur

Tea estates, mossy forest and strawberry farms in the highlands, with the capital on either side.

6D / 5NUbud · Bali (South Coast)

Bali Honeymoon

Ubud's jungle pool villas and rice terraces, then three beach nights with Uluwatu's Kecak dance and a Jimbaran seafood dinner.

6D / 5NUbud · Bali (South Coast) · Nusa Penida

Adventure holidaysCouples' holidays

Bali & Nusa Penida

Bali's highlights plus an overnight on Nusa Penida for Kelingking, Diamond Beach and manta snorkelling.

8D / 7NTokyo · Mount Fuji & Hakone · Kyoto

Japan Honeymoon

Tokyo's skyline bars, a private onsen ryokan in Hakone and Kyoto's lantern-lit Gion.

9D / 8NTokyo · Mount Fuji & Hakone · Kyoto · Nara

Japan Autumn Colours

Red maples in Kyoto, Fuji above autumn lakes and Nara's temples in November.

6D / 5NTokyo · Mount Fuji & Hakone

Tokyo & Mount Fuji

Tokyo's highlights plus two nights at Kawaguchiko or Hakone for Fuji views and hot springs.

5D / 4NGuilin & Yangshuo

Guilin & Yangshuo Scenic Trip

A Li River cruise, bamboo rafting, cycling through rice fields and the Longji terraces.

3D / 2NMacau

Macau Weekend

Senado Square, the Ruins of St Paul's, Macau Tower and a show at the Cotai resorts.

6D / 5NBentota · Galle

Sri Lanka Beach Break

Beaches, river safaris and Galle Fort's ramparts on Sri Lanka's southwest coast.

5D / 4NGalle

Galle & South Coast Escape

Galle Fort, Unawatuna's bay, Mirissa whale watching and stilt fishermen at Koggala.

6D / 5NSeychelles

Seychelles Nature Holiday

Hikes in Morne Seychellois, giant tortoises on Curieuse and snorkelling in marine parks.

7D / 6NLucerne · Interlaken & Jungfrau · Zermatt

Switzerland Honeymoon

Lakeside Lucerne, Jungfrau views and the Matterhorn at sunrise from car-free Zermatt.

5D / 4NParis

Paris Short Break

Four nights for the Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Montmartre, a Seine cruise and Versailles.

7D / 6NParis · Nice & the French Riviera

Paris & the French Riviera

Paris, then the TGV south to Nice, Monaco and the hilltop village of Èze.

6D / 5NLake Como & Milan · Venice

Italian Lakes & Venice

Lake Como's villas and villages, Milan's Duomo and two nights in Venice.

Couples' holidaysBeach holidays

5D / 4NAmalfi Coast

Amalfi Coast Escape

Four nights on the Amalfi Coast for Positano and Ravello, a boat day to Capri's Blue Grotto, Pompeii and the clifftop Path of the Gods.

5D / 4NBarcelona

Barcelona Short Break

Four nights in Barcelona for the Sagrada Família, Park Güell, the Gothic Quarter, tapas bars and a day trip to Montserrat's mountain monastery.

4D / 3NLisbon

Lisbon Short Break

Three nights in Lisbon for Belém's monuments, Alfama's fado houses, Tram 28 and a day among the palaces of Sintra.

6D / 5NMunich & Bavaria · Salzburg & Hallstatt

Festival and seasonal tripsCouples' holidays

Germany Christmas Markets

A December trip for the Christmas markets of Munich and Salzburg, with Neuschwanstein Castle in winter and mulled-wine evenings.

6D / 5NNetherlands · Paris

Multi-country toursCouples' holidays

Amsterdam & Paris

Two nights of Amsterdam's canals, museums and windmills, then the high-speed train to Paris for three nights of landmarks.

4D / 3NCzech Republic (Czechia)

Prague Short Break

Prague Castle, the Charles Bridge, the Old Town and a Vltava cruise.

4D / 3NHungary

Budapest Short Break

Three nights in Budapest for the Parliament, Buda Castle and Fisherman's Bastion, a thermal bath and a Danube cruise at night.

5D / 4NPlitvice Lakes · Dubrovnik

Croatia Coast & Lakes

Plitvice's turquoise lakes and waterfalls, then down the coast to three nights in the walled city of Dubrovnik.

5D / 4NSantorini

Santorini Escape

A cave suite with a caldera view, a sunset catamaran and wine tasting.

6D / 5NAthens · Santorini

Cultural holidaysCouples' holidays

Athens & Santorini

Two nights in Athens for the Acropolis and Plaka, then a ferry or flight to Santorini for three nights among its white clifftop villages.

5D / 4NBergen & the Fjords

Norway Fjords

Bergen, the Flåm Railway and a Nærøyfjord cruise on the 'Norway in a Nutshell' route.

5D / 4NMarrakech

Marrakech Short Break

Riads, souqs, Majorelle Garden, a hammam and a day in the Atlas Mountains.

5D / 4NLas Vegas · Grand Canyon

Couples' holidaysAdventure holidays

Las Vegas & Grand Canyon

Shows and the Strip, plus a night at the Grand Canyon's South Rim.

7D / 6NSan Francisco · Los Angeles

Road tripsCouples' holidays

California Coast

Three nights in San Francisco and three in Los Angeles, linked by the dramatic Pacific Coast Highway through Big Sur.

8D / 7NVancouver · Banff & the Rockies

Canada Rockies & Vancouver

Vancouver's seawall and Whistler, then Banff, Lake Louise and the Icefields Parkway.

6D / 5NArgentina · Iguazu Falls

Couples' holidaysMulti-country tours

Buenos Aires & Iguazu

Three nights in Buenos Aires for tango, Recoleta and San Telmo's market, then a flight north to the Devil's Throat at Iguazu Falls.

7D / 6NSydney · Melbourne & the Great Ocean Road

Sydney & Melbourne

Australia's two great cities, with the Blue Mountains and Phillip Island's penguins.

5D / 4NBelgium

Brussels & Bruges

The Grand-Place, Atomium and chocolate workshops in Brussels, with a night in canal-lined Bruges and a day in Ghent.

Road tripsSelf-drive holidays

8D / 7NIreland

Ireland West Coast Road Trip

Dublin's Book of Kells, then the Cliffs of Moher, Galway, Connemara and the Ring of Kerry on Ireland's Atlantic coast.

Cultural holidaysCouples' holidays

7D / 6NRomania

Transylvania Castles & Bucharest

Bucharest's grand boulevards, Peleș and Bran castles, and the medieval towns of Brașov, Sighișoara and Sibiu.

6D / 5NArmenia

Armenia: Monasteries & Mount Ararat

Yerevan, Khor Virap beneath Ararat, Garni and Geghard, Lake Sevan and the Wings of Tatev cable car.

Adventure holidaysCouples' holidays

6D / 5NAlmaty

Almaty Mountains & Lakes

Almaty, the Shymbulak gondola, Big Almaty Lake, Charyn Canyon and the turquoise Kolsai and Kaindy lakes.

8D / 7NMauritius · Réunion

Island holidaysMulti-country tours

Mauritius & Réunion

Lagoon beaches in Mauritius, then Réunion's volcano, cirques and waterfalls, a 45-minute flight away.

Couples' holidaysGroup tours

4D / 3NAlmaty

Almaty Short Break

Three nights in Almaty: the Shymbulak gondola, Big Almaty Lake, Kok Tobe and a day trip to Charyn Canyon.

8D / 7NAlmaty · Bishkek · Issyk-Kul

Adventure holidaysMulti-country tours

Almaty, Bishkek & Issyk-Kul

Almaty's lakes and Charyn Canyon, the road across the border to Bishkek, and two nights by the alpine lake of Issyk-Kul.

Couples' holidaysGroup tours

5D / 4NBaku

Baku City Break

The walled old city, Maiden Tower and Flame Towers, a day at Gobustan and the mud volcanoes, and Yanar Dag's burning hillside at dusk.

6D / 5NTbilisi · Kazbegi (Stepantsminda)

Couples' holidaysHoneymoon packages

Tbilisi & Kazbegi

Old Tbilisi, the Narikala cable car and sulphur baths, then the Georgian Military Road past Ananuri to Gergeti church beneath Mount Kazbek.

8D / 7NTbilisi · Kazbegi (Stepantsminda) · Armenia

Multi-country toursCultural holidays

Georgia & Armenia

Tbilisi and the Caucasus at Kazbegi, then the road south to Yerevan for Khor Virap beneath Ararat, Garni and Geghard.

Cultural holidaysCouples' holidays

5D / 4NSt Petersburg

St Petersburg White Nights

The Hermitage, Peterhof's fountains, Catherine Palace's Amber Room and late-night bridge raisings during June's White Nights.

6D / 5NChiang Mai · Pattaya · Bangkok

Thailand Honeymoon Special: Lantern of Love

Thailand Honeymoon Special: Lantern of Love

A six-day couples' trip timed for Chiang Mai's Yi Peng lantern festival (usually in November), followed by Pattaya's Coral Island and a river cruise dinner in Bangkok.

6D / 5NUbud · Bali (South Coast)

Bali: Island of the Gods

Jungle Ubud and the beaches of south Bali: rice terraces and the Kintamani volcano, a speedboat day to Nusa Penida's cliffs, sunset at Tanah Lot and the Kecak fire dance at Uluwatu.

8D / 7NHanoi · Ha Long Bay · Da Nang · Ho Chi Minh City

Cultural holidaysCruise and houseboat holidays

Vietnam North to South

The length of Vietnam in eight days: Hanoi's Old Quarter, a night aboard a cruise in Ha Long Bay, the Golden Bridge at Ba Na Hills and lantern-lit Hoi An, then Saigon, the Cu Chi tunnels and the Mekong Delta.

9D / 8NBangkok · Siem Reap (Angkor) · Manila · Boracay

Multi-country toursBeach holidays

Thailand, Cambodia & Philippines

Three countries, three moods: Bangkok's Grand Palace and floating market, sunrise over Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, and three beach nights on Boracay's White Beach in the Philippines.

92 itineraries

Where to go

Destinations for couples' holidays

Indian Ocean Islands

Best forHoneymooners, luxury travellers, divers

Maldives

The Maldives is a chain of coral atolls in the Indian Ocean, about an hour's flight from Thiruvananthapuram or Bengaluru, where each resort usually occupies its own island.

Chamarel Seven Coloured Earth – Mauritius

Indian Ocean Islands

Mauritius

Mauritius is a volcanic island ringed by coral reefs, with a strong Indian heritage: most Mauritians have Indian ancestry and Hindi, Bhojpuri and Tamil are widely heard.

Best forHoneymooners, families

Indian Ocean Islands

Seychelles

The Seychelles are 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean, famous for granite boulders on white beaches, giant tortoises and the coco de mer palm.

Best forHoneymooners, nature lovers

Best forCouples, culture and wellness lovers

Europe

CityHeritageCulture

Hungary

Budapest straddles the Danube, with hilly Buda's castle district facing grand Pest and its Parliament building.

Australia, New Zealand & the Pacific

Fiji

Fiji is a South Pacific archipelago of more than 300 islands, with warm hospitality, coral reefs and island resorts.

Best forHoneymooners, families

Tamil Nadu

Best forFamilies, couples, summer escapes

Ooty

Ooty (Udhagamandalam) is the queen of the Nilgiris, a colonial-era hill station at about 2,240 metres surrounded by tea estates, eucalyptus forests and grassy downs.

Tamil Nadu

Coonoor

Coonoor is Ooty's quieter neighbour, lower and warmer, with tea estates spilling down to the plains and viewpoints over the Nilgiri valleys.

Best forCouples, slow travellers

Best forHoneymooners, families, summer breaks

Tamil Nadu

HillLakeNature

Kodaikanal

Kodaikanal, the princess of hill stations, sits on a plateau in the Palani Hills around a star-shaped lake.

Best forHoneymooners, families, nature lovers

Munnar

Munnar is Kerala's best-known hill station, at around 1,600 metres in the Western Ghats, where tea estates cover the slopes in neat green rows.

Best forHoneymooners, families, slow travel

BackwaterHoneymoonFamily

Alleppey

Alleppey (Alappuzha) is the centre of Kerala's backwaters, a maze of canals, lagoons and paddy fields lived on by whole communities.

Best forHoneymooners, wellness seekers

BackwaterHoneymoonNature

Kumarakom

Kumarakom is a cluster of islands on the eastern shore of Vembanad Lake, quieter than Alleppey and lined with lakeside resorts.

Best forBeach lovers, wellness seekers, couples

BeachWellnessHoneymoon

Kovalam

Kovalam is a string of crescent beaches south of Thiruvananthapuram, with a red-and-white lighthouse on the headland.

Best forYoung travellers, yoga and surf lovers

BeachWellnessPilgrimage

Varkala

Varkala is the only place on the Kerala coast where red laterite cliffs drop straight to the beach.

Karnataka

Best forHoneymooners, nature lovers, families

Coorg

Coorg (Kodagu) is Karnataka's coffee country, a district of misty hills, estates shaded by silver oak and waterfalls in the forest.

Best forHoneymooners, families, relaxed beach stays

Goa

BeachHeritageHoneymoon

South Goa

South Goa is slower and greener, with long, clean beaches like Colva, Benaulim, Palolem and Agonda, spice farms inland and the UNESCO-listed churches of Old Goa on the way north.

Maharashtra

Mahabaleshwar

Mahabaleshwar is the highest hill station in the Sahyadri, with viewpoints over deep valleys, strawberry farms and Venna Lake.

Best forCouples, families

Best forHoneymooners, couples, culture lovers

Rajasthan

HeritageLakeHoneymoon

Udaipur

Udaipur is Rajasthan's city of lakes, with white palaces reflected in Lake Pichola and the Aravalli hills all around.

Best forFirst-time visitors, couples, families

Uttar Pradesh

HeritageHoneymoonFamily

Agra

Agra was the Mughal capital for much of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and it holds three UNESCO sites: the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and nearby Fatehpur Sikri.

Best forFamilies, honeymooners, first trips to the hills

Himachal Pradesh

HillSnowHoneymoon

Shimla

Shimla was the summer capital of British India, and its Mall Road, Christ Church and Viceregal Lodge still feel colonial.

Best forHoneymooners, friends, adventure lovers

Himachal Pradesh

HillSnowAdventure

Manali

Manali sits at the head of the Kullu Valley, with apple orchards, old wooden temples and snow peaks all around.

Himachal Pradesh

Dalhousie & Khajjiar

Dalhousie is a quiet colonial hill station spread over five hills, with churches, pine walks and views of the Pir Panjal.

Best forCouples, families

PilgrimageAdventureWellness

Uttarakhand

Rishikesh

Rishikesh, where the Ganga leaves the Himalaya, is the yoga capital of the world and the place the Beatles came to study meditation.

Best forAdventure, yoga and spiritual travellers

Uttarakhand

HillLakeHoneymoon

Nainital

Nainital is a lake town in the Kumaon hills, built around the pear-shaped Naini Lake and the Mall Road.

Best forFamilies, couples

Best forCouples, families, writers' retreats

Uttarakhand

HillHoneymoonFamily

Mussoorie

Mussoorie, the queen of the hills, sits on a ridge above Dehradun with views of the Doon Valley on one side and Himalayan peaks on the other.