An insider’s guide to India, beyond the Golden Triangle | Canada Voices

India is the world’s seventh largest country by area, and is the size of Western and Central Europe combined. It has 28 states, yet most visitors stick to the Golden Triangle cities of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, or plonk themselves on the beaches of Goa. But between the Himalayas in the north and the Indian Ocean in the south are a mélange of cities with monuments, cuisines and traditions that symbolize the accretion of many cultural elements over centuries.

The sights, sounds and smells of Indian cities can be overwhelming in the first encounter, but time and an open mind can peel the many layers that make up the country’s onion.

I was born and brought up in India, and the country’s diversity is one that I hope that more people discover. I spoke to locals across six Indian cities who shared the highlights that they wish for travellers to experience.

LUCKNOW

Food makes history in this 2025 UNESCO City of Gastronomy

Expert: Simran Lekhi, founder of South of Indus, a handicraft design atelier in Lucknow

It is hard to find a mention of Lucknow without references to its food. The Nawabs, who ruled the city in the 18th and 19th centuries, loved lavish feasts. They championed Awadhi cuisine, known for slow cooking and balanced use of spices – marinated meats simmered until they fall off the bone, biryani cooked in sealed vessels to retain aroma and flavour.

“The Mughal’s Dastarkhwan restaurant [in Lucknow] is the best introduction to Awadhi food,” says Lekhi. “Start with mutton shaami kebab and galouti kebab, then move on to their biryanis and mutton stew. Also try heirloom recipes like bhuna gosht and mutton korma at Naimat Khana, housed in a heritage family home.”

For dessert lovers, Lekhi recommends heading to the sweets shop Ram Asrey in the Hazratganj district for malai paan gilauri, a triangular treat made with rich cream and dry fruits. He also recommends trying Indian ice cream, kulfi, at Prakash Kulfi.

Beyond food, the Nawabs built a variety of monuments, which are clustered in the Hussainabad Heritage Zone. The Bara Imambara is a 18th-century mosque complex built to provide employment to locals during a famine. Its central hall has a giant roof with no pillars, and its Bhool Bhulaiya, a labyrinth of winding passageways and identical doorways, can befuddle you.

Nearby is the Rumi Darwaza, an arched gateway embellished with floral and geometric motifs, and India’s tallest clock tower, the Hussainabad Clock Tower, modelled on London’s Big Ben. The recently opened Lucknow Museum of Heritage and Art showcases the city’s culture through interactive exhibits.

“If you don’t fear narrow and crowded streets, the Chowk market is a sensory delight,” adds Lekhi. “You can find shops selling traditional embroideries like chikankari and zardozi next to kite-makers and local craftsmen, all alongside century-old mansions.” Lekhi also recommends Hazratganj, a shopping complex with independent boutiques and design studios housed in Victorian style buildings, where Lekhi’s handicraft atelier South of Indus is also located.

Where to stay: Saraca is a 90-year-old heritage home converted into a hotel, while Clarks Avadh, on the banks of the Gomti river, is a short distance away from the heritage zone

UDAIPUR

Regal charm in the city of lakes

Expert: Anoop Thomas, hotelier and general manager at Manuscript-Jhilwara Haveli

Founded in 1559, Udaipur, in the state of Rajasthan, is a city of romance, bringing together placid lakes and marble palaces set against rugged hills. The City Palace is a puzzle box of courtyards, balconies and royal chambers decorated with colourful mosaics, mirror work, murals and paintings. “The Crystal Gallery in the palace complex has a stunning collection of crystal glass, from dinner sets to beds to thrones,” says Thomas. It is located above the Darbar (audience) Hall with expansive views of Lake Pichola, Udaipur’s largest lake.

Udaipur’s lakes hold attractions of their own. The Jagmandir, a 17th-century palace in the middle of Lake Pichola, is known for its marble elephants at its entrance and its waterfront courtyards; Thomas recommends taking a sunset boat ride to the palace.

On an island in Fateh Sagar Lake is Nehru Garden, a public park ringed with palm trees and domed pavilions. The Bagore ki Haveli museum on the bank of Lake Pichola is a grand example of Rajasthani architecture with its carved hanging balconies and vibrant frescoes, and hosts folk dance performances. For city views, head to the hilltop Monsoon Palace, which acted as the villain’s lair in the James Bond movie Octopussy.

Udaipur is a great place to sample Rajasthani food. Try “breakfast on poha, a dish of rice flakes with spices, at Jagdish Shree Restaurant,” says Thomas. “For lunch, try the thali [an Indian platter containing a full meal of rice, breads and side dishes] at Natraj Dining Hall which includes dal bati, a local dish of lentils and hard unleavened bread. For dinner, change it up at Poppy by Royal Repast with its Neapolitan pizzas.” For good food with lakeside views, consider Ambrai (try laal maas, a spicy local meat dish) or cocktails at Upre.

Where to stay: The Leela Palace Udaipur, on the banks of Lake Pichola, is a palace hotel with villas furnished with brass-inlaid hardwood floors and lapis lazuli accents. For affordable digs, Thomas’ Manuscript-Jhilwara Haveli is a boutique hotel in a 1910-built mansion opposite the City Palace

MUMBAI

Art deco and dining shine in India’s financial capital

Expert: Nooresha Kably, head chef at Japanese restaurant Izumi

Many will know Mumbai from the movie Slumdog Millionaire, but the city is more than its Hollywood depictions. Start at the Gateway of India, an archway built in 1924 to commemorate King George V’s 1911 visit to India. “It is a sign of our colonial past, but I love the fact that the architect used Gujarati and Islamic motifs and jaali patterns,” says Kably.

Opposite is the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, which opened in 1903 and has Moorish and Florentine influences in its architecture. Kably recommends its Harbour Bar, the city’s oldest licensed bar, which has great cocktails and views of the Arabian Sea.

A short distance away is Oval Maidan, a sports recreation ground surrounded by Victorian Gothic and art deco buildings that form a UNESCO World Heritage Site. “The Victorian Gothic style can be seen in the railway station of Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, the Rajabai Clock Tower and the University of Mumbai, while the art deco style is mostly seen in residential buildings,” says Kably.

An hour’s journey by ferry from the Gateway of India brings you to the Elephanta Caves, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, which has a collection of cave temples with sculptures depicting the Hindu god Shiva. In the city’s north is Sanjay Gandhi National Park, which is home to deer and hornbills and also millennia-old rock-cut caves.

Mumbai is a foodie’s city. The vada pav, a vegetarian cousin of the mini burger, is the city’s favourite snack. Everyone has their own favourite go-to vendors, but Ashok Vada Pav and Aram Vada Pav are evergreen shops.

Kably, who trained in making sushi and Washoku in Tokyo, runs Izumi, a Japanese restaurant. For fine dining, she recommends Papa’s, a modern Indian restaurant ranked 66 on the 51-100 extended list of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2026, and Golden Dragon for its authentic Sichuan and Cantonese dishes.

Where to stay: Luxury hotel The Oberoi on seaside promenade Marine Drive is a stone’s throw away from the city’s Victorian Gothic attractions. Boutique hotel ICONIQA is maximalist at heart, bringing art deco style indoors

KOLKATA

Old layered into new in India’s literary city

Expert: Koyel Nandy, head chef at modern Bengali restaurant Sienna

Kolkata, the capital of the state of West Bengal, is India’s literary heart. It is home to one of the country’s oldest book fairs, and also to polymath Rabindranath Tagore, the first non-European to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913. Jorasanko Thakurbari is the sprawling red-brick mansion where Tagore was born, which now serves as a museum dedicated to the poet.

“Kolkata is old, layered and full of character, with a story in almost every nook and corner,” says Nandy. She recommends a tour of the old neighbourhoods such as the colonial-era locality Bow Barracks and the historic New Market (a misnomer now as the market was established in 1874). A highlight is Kumartuli, the potters’ quarter where the idols for Kolkata’s largest festival, Durga Puja, are made. Sightseeing agency Calcutta Walks offers a variety of walking tours across the city.

“Earthaments is a hidden gem for buying jewellery,” says Nandy. “They make silver jewellery with designs that are inspired by different elements of Bengali culture.” Booklovers shouldn’t miss the second-hand book market of College Street. The Indian Coffee House opposite the market is suspended in time; skip the coffee though, and try the snacks such as chicken kobiraji instead.

Bengali cuisine is known for its fish-forward nature. Nandy runs Sienna, a modern Bengali restaurant that showcases local ingredients and traditional cooking techniques. In addition, “Kolkata’s Chinatown is the birthplace of Indo-Chinese food,” says Nandy. “Places like Ah Leung stay true to their tradition.”

Park Street is home to a number of the city’s iconic restaurants – Peter Cat for chelo kebab, Mocambo for sizzlers and Trincas for an old-school bar experience. “Try Nutcase Etc for an innovative and fun cocktail experience, showing the contemporary side of the city’s food,” says Nandy.

Where to stay: Elgin Fairlawn is a boutique hotel in a heritage building constructed in 1783, while ITC Royal Bengal is a luxury retreat whose tea lounge serves a curated selection of Darjeeling teas

HYDERABAD

History and craft in a city built by diamond wealth

Expert: Anusha Didige, long-time Hyderabad resident and filmmaker at Vihaara Films

Nearly a millennium ago, the Golconda mine in southern India began gaining prominence in historical annals because of the high quality of diamonds being mined there. Diamonds such as the Koh-i-Noor and Hope Diamond were unearthed, and Hyderabad was built in the 16th century on the back of that wealth.

On the outskirts of the city is the Golconda Fort; though in ruins, its scale lets you imagine the kingdom’s heydays. “Nearby are the Qutb Shahi tombs of the founders of Hyderabad, which are underrated and have many layers of history,” says Didige. The city’s landmark is Charminar, a mosque named after its four minarets, built by the founder of the city in 1591.

The Salar Jung museum houses the art collection of the Salar Jung family, who served as prime ministers to the Nizams, Hyderabad’s erstwhile royal family. From Indian miniature paintings to Persian carpets and European sculptures, the collection’s scope is significant.

“Hyderabad is also home to high-quality ikat fabric,” says Didige. “Kalanjali is known for fabrics and Indian traditional garments like sarees, while Lepakshi Handicrafts Emporium is a good place for local crafts.” The city was also a major pearl trading centre in the 18th century, and stores such as Mangatrai and Krishna Pearls are popular for their pearl jewellery.

One of Hyderabad’s most famous dishes is the biryani. Didige, who has made documentaries on Hyderabad’s food culture, highlights the mutton biryani. She recommends the biryani at Cafe Bahar, a restaurant more than five decades old, along with Pista House. The latter is also known for haleem, a slow cooked stew of mutton and lentils prepared during Ramadan. Irani chai (creamy tea with cardamom) with biscuits is a popular teatime tradition, and Didige recommends fruit biscuits from Karachi Bakery or Osmania biscuits (a crumbly butter cookie) from Cafe Niloufer.

Where to stay: The horse drawn carriages are the tip of the iceberg of royal living at Taj Falaknuma Palace, a former palace of the Nizams. ITC Kakatiya overlooks the expansive Hussain Sagar Lake and is known for its Dakshin restaurant spotlighting South Indian food

KOCHI

Living history in a famous medieval port

Expert: Johann Kuruvilla, founder of the Kochi Heritage Project

Nicknamed the Queen of the Arabian Sea, the port city of Kochi, in the state of Kerala, was a key trading port in medieval times. It was held by numerous European powers, which is reflected in the architecture of Fort Kochi, from the Portuguese-constructed Santa Cruz Basilica to the Dutch-made Bastion Bungalow.

“It’s a living neighbourhood where multiple worlds overlapped – Jewish merchants, Arab traders, Chinese sailors, Europeans, local fishing communities and contemporary artists,” says Kuruvilla. The age-old Chinese fishing nets are a recent social media sensation, and cafés such as Kashi Art Cafe and Pepper House in former Dutch mansions are great to soak in the area’s vibes.

The adjoining Mattancherry neighbourhood is home to the Mattancherry Palace, which showcases timber-based Kerala architecture with European influences, and Paradesi Synagogue in Jew Town, a testament to the city’s Jewish community. The Kochi Heritage Project offers guided walks through both Fort Kochi and Mattancherry.

Kochi is known for its backwaters, a network of canals and lagoons feeding into the Arabian Sea. A houseboat cruise is a popular way to explore the backwaters, but Kuruvilla also recommends checking out the ferry network used by locals. “The electric Water Metro is quiet and contemporary in design, with the network gradually extending into beautiful stretches that offer unadulterated views of Kochi’s waterways and island life,” he says.

Kerala’s cuisine makes good use of the bountiful seafood from the surrounding waters. Kuruvilla recommends going to Grand Pavilion for an upscale fish-forward meal, and Vella Kanthari and Karthiyayini for traditional meals. Toddy is a popular local alcoholic drink, and can be enjoyed alongside fresh seafood at tiny local eateries such as Mullapanthal Toddy Shop. For a more refined atmosphere, head to bars including O Porto or Hortus for locally inspired cocktails.

Where to stay: The Malabar House is a boutique hotel in a 1755 Dutch building that was owned by spice merchants, tea traders and bankers. Brunton Boatyard in the heart of Fort Kochi has great sea views and vintage furniture that evokes a bygone era.

Special to The Globe and Mail