Beneath the ruins lie deeper stories—Roman and Satavahana coins, pieces of pottery, and religious relics unearthed by archaeologists. These artefacts hint at the cosmopolitan nature of the site. The name Thotlakonda, meaning ‘hill of tanks’, finds its roots in the series of rock-cut cisterns that still punctuate the terrain. Carved into the hillsid

The cobbled streets of Nuremberg in Germany are haunted by dark shadows. It’s Nazi territory where local Jews were murdered during the Kristallnacht, also known as the ‘‘Night of Broken Glass’’. Several hundred Jews were arrested and sent to Dachau concentration camp to perish. The Nazi Party Rally Grounds was the actual location where the [&

Hospitality has long flirted with fashion, but this season, the affair has blossomed into full-blown haute couture. Across Europe, luxury beach clubs and storied resorts are transforming into catwalks by the sea, as designer brands turn summer escapes into curated lifestyle experiences. Think capsule collections, branded boutiques, immersive wellne

Two kilometres beyond the last motorable road in the Garhwal Himalayas, a story unfolds that feels plucked from a half-remembered fairytale. Here, hidden deep within oak and pine, a house rises from the earth—its walls swell and bend as though shaped by wind, its roof catches sunlight like a glaze. To the locals, it’s known […]

Interestingly, the quality of sake is an expression of a region’s rice quality—with heavy polishing making for a cleaner, purer sake. For instance, in Okayama Prefecture, the dominant Omachi rice lends sake a rich, earthy, and complex profile. Travel further north to Tohoku—where winter lingers longer and the air is crisp—the sake softens. The regi

A sleek, black leviathan rests silently on land, its massive form contrasting sharply with the clear blue sky above Simon’s Town. Towering over the curious crowd, the submarine’s superstructure proudly bears the insignia “S99.” Children buzz with excitement, craning their necks to take in the imposing figure of the SAS Assegaai. Nearby, an Indian c

Step off the train at Buñol and this Spanish town will snuggle you with its sweetest secret. Seven minutes’ walk from the station, along Avenida Pérez Galdós, stands a quaint inn. No flashy signs, no grand announcements, just four centuries of watching the jasmine that blooms every May like clockwork. Like a Spanish home, this […]

An informal, vibrant setting serving sakes and beers with an array of small, tapas-style dishes, designed for the love of sharing. That’s Otoki, the new Japanese izakaya having a moment in Mumbai. The new Japanese restaurant also features one of India largest collections of sakes curated by Maia Laifungbam. Food: Japanese comfort dishes shine in [&

With its white-washed houses and bright blue-hued doors, flower pots set on its crenelated walls, antiquated buildings and gothic churches in cobbled alleys, Obidos, at the risk of sounding cliched, is a magical fairy tale town. As one approaches the quaint town, just 85 km away from Portugal’s capital Lisbon, the cheerful local guide Juan [&hellip

The first thing you notice is the weight of the green. Not the polite emerald of a city park, but a green so dense it seems to fold around you. Step off the bus at the last tea stall on the Karulai road in Malappuram district and you see light fracturing through teak and sal […]

Forget beach bars and banana boats. Bulgaria’s Anastasia Island, a speck in the Black Sea just off Burgas, doesn’t serve you sunshine and selfies—it serves you shivers. With its pirate-haunted cliffs, a monastery-turned-prison-turned-hotel, and ghost stories thick in the air, this is not your ordinary sun-kissed beach escape. The small island lacks

As a group of five Indians enter the main auditorium of the Royal Opera House Muscat in the capital city of Muscat, their guide ushers them to take the comfortable parterre seats in front of the stage. Preparations for the next production are underway. The star on the stage? One of the world’s heaviest movable […]

KATHMANDU: Nepal has opened nearly 100 peaks in its remote western region for free climbing to boost mountain tourism, according to officials. In a bid to attract climbers to less-visited areas, the Himalayan nation’s government has waived the royalty for 97 peaks in Karnali and Sudurpashchim provinces for the next two years. These mountains,

On a blistering July afternoon in Shantiniketan, guests gather beneath the terracotta eaves of a pale, eggshell-hued bungalow. A breeze stirs through the trees, carrying with it the scent of mango flower sherbet and slow-cooked rice. Inside the sunlit kitchen, shrimps are being gently steamed into dumpling-like pithe, coconut milk simmers quietly o

From sourcing ingredients for that authentic mediterranean taste to a kitchen helmed by Afghani chef, Barin Naib Attai—Anar has got everything right to offer the taste of the Middle East. The meaty delight of mouth-melting kebabs, makes you want to revisit with friends in tow. Food: The short menu features staples like stews, kebabs and […]

Tucked into the vast plains of northwest Spain, the city of León emerges like a mosaic of centuries—its architecture a dialogue between empires, its streets a living gallery of tradition, and faith. A city born of Roman ambition and carved by medieval devotion, León is a place where every wall feels like a page from […]

Some places don’t shout for your attention. They simply linger like saffron on the tongue or rosewater in the air. Oman is one of them. A land of shadowed mountains and terracotta dunes, this Arabian peninsula offers something subtler than spectacle. Its cuisine is no different: a quiet, complex layering of histories, spices, and centuries-old [&he

Yacht companies are also catering to specific needs of their Indian clientele. Whether it’s installing on-deck mandirs, customising interiors with Indian art and textiles, or designing menus around Indian cuisine curated by Michelin-starred chefs, the industry is going beyond the conventional to court Indian buyers. Billionaire Gautam Singhania, kn

Some 317 kilometers south of Darwin, the mirror-still waters of the Katherine River cut a path through towering sandstone cliffs in Australia’s Top End. Here lies Nitmiluk National Park, where land, legend, and time are inseparable. The red rock walls sculpted over millennia glow in the sun’s passage, and their ancient presence speaks to something

Native Whitstable oysters—flat, earthy, and harvested by hand—enjoy protected status and are loved across Britain. In addition to the native Ostrea edulis, visitors can also try the cultivated Crassostrea gigas, a widely farmed European oyster species. The family-owned Wheelers Oyster Bar, with its pale pink façade, has been serving oysters since 1

The noon heat clings to the cobblestones of Plaza Mayor as the ancient bells of Santa María chime three o’clock. In the heart of Aranda de Duero in Spain, where the aroma of slow-roasted lechazo (a young lamb dish) mingles with the earthy aroma of ripening grapes, a repository of human joy awaits behind a […]

Earlier this year, India unveiled Bharat Ranbhoomi Darshan—a bold new initiative turning historic and active battlefields into immersive tourist destinations. Launched by the Ministry of Defence in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, the project opens up 77 sites, including Galwan and Doklam, inviting civilians to walk the very grounds wher

The donkey’s link to Wesel goes back to the 19th century, when the playful rhyme—“Wer ist der Bürgermeister von Wesel?” / “Esel!”—began circulating. It gained popularity post-World War II as a children’s saying, and over time became ingrained in the cultural fabric of the city. In 2007, Wesel took this cultural quirk to a whole […]

In Cave One, Devaraja Lena—the Cave of the Divine King—is a massive 14-metre reclining Buddha, carved directly from the rock, with Ananda, his disciple, kneeling by his feet, and nearby a statue of Lord Vishnu, silent guardian of the cave, a sign of Sri Lanka’s unique Buddhist-Hindu layers of faith. Outside the cave, a Brahmi […]

The traditional Parsi house with European, Hindu and Islamic architectural features has an open courtyard in the centre, with interconnected rooms. Shaded by old trees with a swing and a well—two very traditional features of Parsi architecture—the courtyard houses a pantry and dining area. From here, you can get a glimpse of interiors of the [&hell

In the far north-eastern corner of Kyrgyzstan lies Karakol, the nation’s fourth-largest city. Founded some 150 years ago, it was a military garrison at the edge of the Tsarist Russian Empire. Flanked by the mighty Tian Shan Mountains and the shimmering waters of Issyk Kul (lake), the province has long drawn adventure seekers. Beyond its […]

Bicycles glide past rows of colourful houses, bursts of bougainvillea, quaint cafes and elfin boutique stores, smartly navigating the handfuls of pedestrians in a sleepy town. Still fondly called ‘Pondy’ by old timers. The coastal Indian town of Puducherry has kept a charming cycling culture alive—the joy of pedals. It’s only fitting to welcome ‘Ci

Dubai has roughly nine expatriate residents for every Emirati citizen. Most of its private sector workers are migrants on temporary contracts, and only Vatican City has a higher share of foreign-born residents. Tourists, in turn, outnumber locals about five to one by some estimates, and they spend lavishly. Visitors to Dubai drop an average of [&he

“Someone sipped a cup and said, ‘This reminds me of home,’” she says, recalling the moment when she got to know she was not just offering coffee but sharing memory and identity. Ngarum’s coffee, often intercropped with native plants, is sun-dried under forest canopies. The resulting cup is layered: earthy, vibrant and umami-rich. “It’s not [&hellip

The discovery of the precious metal in New South Wales and spreading to other regions of Victoria, including Ballarat, led to an economic boom, altering the socio-political fabric of life in the town. It was followed by an unprecedented influx of people from all over the world, driven by the promise of riches. Soon the […]

Aboard the ship, you can’t help but wait with bated breath for a real-life Free Willy moment. For those who grew up on the 1993 cult classic, spotting a whale in the wild can feel like stepping into the film’s climactic scene. Ask the friendly bartender aboard the ship to play Michael Jackson’s iconic song […]

Nestled in the mist-shrouded hills of Coorg, Evolve Back Chikkana Halli Estate rises from the coffee plantations like a grand colonial vision reimagined. The resort’s palatial façade, with its imposing columns and wraparound verandas, gives way to interiors where hand-carved rosewood furniture sits beneath soaring timber-beamed ceilings. Meanwhile,

Part archaeological wonder and part landscaped public space, the Al Hili Archaeological Park showcases remnants of a Bronze Age settlement from 4,500 years ago. At its heart is the Hili Grand Tomb, a circular stone structure dating to around 2000 BC. Among the park’s crown jewels is the Hili Grand Tomb, a ring-shaped burial site […]

The shift isn’t just a trend—it’s backed by numbers. As per the Tourism Ministry, in 2023, over 2,00,000 Indians took to the seas. Skift, a New York-based travel data company, estimates out of roughly 4,70,000 travellers who took cruises in India in 2023-2024, 80 per cent were Indians. The number is only expected to soar. […]

If you’ve been on the sea for much of your life, it is natural to be at sea. Navy Captain Gaurav Gautam, wife Vaidehi and daughter Kaeya are riding the wave of a unique exploration: The Reeva Project, their Insta handle named after their yacht reflects the fact that they have made the ocean their […]

It starts with a soft crunch underfoot. Fallen leaves, gravel paths, or just the hush of your own footsteps blending into the stillness. Cyclists ride past mothers walking babies in strollers and hollering to children racing on the walking path. It is a cemetery, yes, but also a park, a retreat, where students sprawl out […]

The sound of shutterbugs pepper the background as visitors literally hijack every inch of the walls in Lane 56 on Chun’an Road to pose for photographs. Some are dumbfounded in awe as they get closer to the houses. Their smiling faces say it all. This area in Nantun district of Taiwan is buzzing with joyous […]

Opulent, extravagant, over-the-top—even these adjectives can’t quite describe the glory of this place: The 120-room, horseshoe-shaped Augustusburg Palace in Germany’s Brühl—a small town between Cologne and Bonn—represents one of the first and perhaps the finest examples of Rococo creations in Germany. The palace was the primary residence of t

The road leading to the land of the Lisu tribe in Arunachal Pradesh is long and arduous. If one travels by road from Guwahati in Assam, it takes an overnight bus or train ride to Tinsukia, followed by a three-hour drive to Miao. From there a backbreaking nine-hour journey on a 4×4 pickup truck, through […]

As one moves deeper into the heart of the city, the architectural masterpiece and decaying grandeur of ornately decorated brick buildings invites admiration. Don’t miss the many metal sculptures generously displayed in front of mosques and at city squares. For example, there is a catching sculpture of two old men sitting and sharing a laugh [&helli

The biggest draw, however, is the big cats—the jungle has a good population of tigers (said to be around 150) and leopards (estimated to be about 150). Elephants, gaurs, wild boars, sambhar and spotted deer that are commonly spotted, apart from several endemic species like the striped-necked mongoose. “The density of predators is very high, [&helli

Amid the sun-soaked beaches and bustling bars of Bali, where party-goers often lose sight of the island’s roots, a museum invites travellers to pause and reflect. With its rare manuscripts, intricate celestial calendars, and hauntingly beautiful ogoh-ogoh effigies, the Saka Museum showcases the island’s profound Hindu-Balinese heritage. Situated wi

The stunning Anantara Palais Hansen Vienna Hotel has reopened its doors after a glamorous refresh, marking a new era of urban hospitality in the Austrian capital. Designed by the celebrated architect Baron Theophil Edvard von Hansen for the 1873 World’s Fair, the heritage palace now stands as the city’s first urban luxury resort, where history [&he

But it’s the dragon’s blood tree that has long captured imaginations, its otherworldly form seeming to belong more to the pages of Dr. Seuss than to any terrestrial forest. The island receives about 5,000 tourists annually, many drawn by the surreal sight of the dragon’s blood forests. Visitors are required to hire local guides and […]

The little bull has many stylised features that have their own symbolisms. For instance, the wide open eyes signify that one must always stay alert and be aware of not just one’s surroundings but also of the inner self. The torito’s tongue usually sticks out, denoting the power of the spoken word and reminding you […]

With its vast biodiversity, India is uniquely positioned to lead this change. From the icy peaks of the Himalayas to the coral-fringed shores of the Andamans, the country’s beauty is immense, but vulnerable. In Himachal Pradesh’s Spiti, travellers can stay with local families through a homestay programme supported by the Snow Leopard Conservancy In

On a balmy summer evening, the promise of a great view leads you on a 30-metre climb up a metal staircase protruding from an oasis of teak, sal and rubber. From the top of the tower of a distillery, you witness the sweeping expanse of the bright city lights of Assam melt into the distant […]

Evergreen Favourites – Thailand and Bhutan Bhutan and Thailand remain favoured due to their affordability and visa-free entry. Despite the recent earthquakes, Bengalureans are still interested in travelling to Thailand, notes, Preeti Nath, founder of Trip Naari. “There was initially a panic with Bangkok being affected but there are many touri

Torvehallerne Market in Copenhagen, Denmark, is a great place to start a food tour, packed as it is with everything the Danes love: good wines, aged cheese, cold meats, jams, Danish pastries, and of course, smørrebrød. “We follow three principles: The food is organic; it is locally grown and sourced; and it is traditional food […]

In the heart of Stockholm, where maritime history echoes through wooden beams and centuries-old nautical tales, the Vasamuseet, stands as a tribute to royal ambition and maritime engineering. Housing the Vasa, a 17th-century warship that sank on its maiden voyage in August 1628, the museum rises dramatically from its custom-built harbour, showcasin

Some places seem untouched by time—where nature unfolds at its own rhythm, far removed from the chaos of human life. Nestled in the Terai region of Uttar Pradesh, Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary is one such haven. Part of the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve and spanning over 400 square kilometers, it serves as a vital ecological corridor between […]

A brooding, stone-clad structure looms tall along North Broad Street in downtown Philadelphia. The Masonic Temple or the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, it possesses a stately appearance with an arched entryway, corbelled balconies, stained glass windows, and a soaring tower that could be straight out of a medieval castle. The sombreness of the façade

Between the 6th and 3rd centuries BC, the capital city of Dadan rose to great power in northern Arabia. Reason: the burgeoning trade of frankincense from southern Arabia to Egypt and beyond. Dadan, right in the middle of the trade route, made huge profits from frankincense tolls. During this prosperous era, writing and art developed—the […]

Who would have thought that cycles could win wars? In 1942, during World War II, the Japanese army penetrated Singapore on cycles. The‘Bicycle Blitzkrieg’ navigated uneven roads and broken bridges with such speed that the over-confident British, who thought they were impenetrable on the island, were forced to abandon it in 73 days after the [&helli

Many Dickens-focused walking tours also take in Seven Dials, then a slum of “dirty men, filthy women, squalid children … reeking pipes … depressed dogs”. His books reveal empathy for the underclass, identifying with poverty-stricken Victorian London. All Dickensian tours begin or end at 48 Doughty Street, his only remaining family home in London. T

INDIAN SMALL TOWN MONEY POWER IS DRIVING TRAVEL In the late ‘90s and beginning of the 21st century, the Indian was a valued guest in the West. Liberalisation opened up a new alternate job universe, new businesses and multi-crore startups creating overnight millionaires. Those were the halcyon days of the Indian economy and the Indian […]

Good Friday is a day of remembrance and reflection. But Mousehole, a picturesque fishing village on the south coast of Cornwall, England has an unusual tradition: a special Good Friday walk. In Mousehole, pronounced ‘Mowzel’, a historic Cornish fishing village located near the market town of Penzance, the tradition of walking had one purpose: to [&

The thrill peaks further at Al Mughsail Beach, with its famed and ancient blowholes created by centuries of erosion on limestone rocks periodically erupting with electrifying roars, sending seawater skywards. An hour away is the jaw-dropping setting of Jabal Al Qamar or the Mountain of the Moon, named for its black rocks that resemble a […]

Spot the common pochard, black kite, white-throated kingfisher, and other waterbirds. Or, take a leisurely walk or cycle along the banks. For those craving solitude, Badi Lake offers a serene escape. Originally built to ensure water supply to city and its farmlands, this hidden gem now invites visitors to unwind amidst its pristine waters and [&hel

Need for a proper tourism plan But not everything is bright and blue here. Satheesan V R, who runs Kumbalangi Nights restaurant, points to the accumulating waste along the coastal road. “Yes, it’s great that visitors are thronging here, enjoying our food, and spending time in the village. But after they leave, we residents are […]

As the summer sun shines brighter every passing day, I am reminded of my winter in Moscow more and more. A white blanket of snow that welcomed me as I stepped out of Moscow Airport in mid-December was a starkly different experience from the blinding heat of India’s spring. When I visited Moscow with other […]

I magine an Instagram-worthy sunset over tranquil backwaters, with a sky full of stars. As the evening winds down, you retreat to your air-conditioned tent and cosy up on a plush queen-sized bed with a luxurious duvet. Welcome to glamping—where the beauty of nature meets the comfort of luxury. Instead of roughing it out in […]

The Rise of Silent Luxury Travel, once synonymous with indulgence—lavish hotels, fine dining, and adventurepacked itineraries—is undergoing a ‘silent’ transformation. “There’s a growing desire for mindfulness and respite in a world that feels constantly connected and overstimulated,” says Chadha. In an era where even vacations are often dictated by

When Sajal Dubey, a 27-year-old Dubai based businessman, boarded an Air India flight with his dog—Taco—he was overjoyed. “I was thrilled to see Taco beside me, gazing out the window,” Dubey recalls. “This was the first time he could travel with me in the cabin.” Until recently, Taco was confined to the cargo hold during […]

Whimsical rock formations are the first thing that captivate visitors in Goreme, a quaint village nestled in the heart of Cappadocia in Turkey. These mammoth rocks, born from ancient volcanic eruptions, rise across the entire Goreme National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Their hues shift from golden to orange, peach, and grey as the […

London has long been defined by the river that runs through it. In Victorian times, human figures were commonly spotted at low tide, bent over and wading in the wet mud. These “mudlarks”— a person who gains a livelihood by searching for iron, coal, old ropes etc. in mud or low tide—routinely scavenged the foreshore […]

London has long been defined by the river that runs through it. In Victorian times, human figures were commonly spotted at low tide, bent over and wading in the wet mud. These “mudlarks”— a person who gains a livelihood by searching for iron, coal, old ropes etc. in mud or low tide—routinely scavenged the foreshore […]

Wedding tourism is also a rapidly growing sector, with Indian couples increasingly choosing Malaysia for their dream weddings. Hishamuddin Mustafa, recently appointed Director of Tourism Malaysia Chennai, said, “The Southern Indian cities of Hyderabad, Bangalore, and Kochi are vital markets for us, and the ease of access through 84 weekly flights a

Local food makes the experience come alive on your taste buds, with aloo pitika packed with mustard and chillies; spicy Assamese preparations in duck gravy, and the fragrant, rustic pork belly cooked with mustard greens and roasted sesame in a banana leaf, those mini coconut-gur laddoos evocative of Bihu celebrations, together with the pitha making

The best view of Spain’s ancient capital Toledo is from Mirador del Valle—a lookout point to the south of the city that gives you a perspective of the monumental city. Perched on a hill top and nestled in a bend of the Tajo (Tagus) river, the old Toledo gleams gold. The church spires and bell […]

On the Whitsuntide weekend (a bank holiday in mid-June) of 1952, students Brian Varley and JM Dickenson aged 19 and 20 respectively, embarked on the vacation of a lifetime. They were exploring the rugged natural terrain of Lisdoonvarna, a small town north of County Clare in west Ireland. The Burren, as this region is colloquially […]

In Pune, she trained under Yogini Gandhi of the Lucknow gharana for almost 17 years until 2013. She then moved to Delhi and trained under Munna Shukla until he passed away in 2022. “Guruji was a wealth of knowledge and would take great pains to teach his students,” reminisces Goswami. He would conduct one-on-one classes, […]

English philosopher Herbert Spencer’s theory of evolution, popularised by Charles Darwin argues survival of the fittest, thereby leading to a natural process of selection and extinction. This theory often applies to creative minds and thinkers who flag the perils of their times. Visual artist Reena Kallat is a signaller of struggles. This time, in

In 2013, Zian Bhamgara, stage name Zian B, had just returned from studying jazz vocals in Germany and the Netherlands, under Sabine Kühlich, head of vocals at Conservatorium Maastricht. She was on a high note. She had completed Grade 8 (Rock and Pop) from Trinity College of London with distinction. The release of her first […]

The creative directors at label Satya Paul have brought a travel-ready collection for those who get itchy feet. Named ‘Pleasure Gardens’, it takes one on a flight of fantasy with printed ensembles. Imagine a field of flowers under a bright winter sun captured in prints of marigolds, hibiscus and palm groves on a kurta set, […]

It’s three in the afternoon at the iconic French Quarter of New Orleans in the US. The city’s oldest neighbourhood is a vibrant hub of food and music. The narrow streets lined with beautiful, old buildings and their ornate French windows, are bustling with tourists. The bars, some dating back to the 1700s, are busy […]

Tucked away from the well-worn tourist paths of Madhya Pradesh’s Kanha and Bandhavgarh lies Satpura’s hidden gem—the Denwa Backwater Escape. While the three-hour journey from Bhopal airport might test your patience, what awaits is an untamed paradise. Here, far from the madding crowds of India’s famous tiger circuits, you’ll find yourself in a rare

A little further on, Dhanushkodi, the ghost town, holds its own poignant allure to the tourist. The ruins of a church, remnants of a railway station and a sunken temple echo tales of the devastating cyclone of 1964. Yet, as the sun sets in a fiery blaze over the ocean, the stark beauty of the […]

Marc Dujardin, in his study, From Living to Propelling Monument, writes: “Contrary to most medieval castles in Europe that are relatively dead monuments and literally ‘empty’ places, Bhutanese (dzongs) are still in use today. The dzong still accommodates the same political, religious and logistic functions it was originally designed for.” Every dzo

Imagine a stretch of road flanked on both sides by the waters of the Arabian Sea and saline mudflats that look like frozen ice at first glance… Driving on the ‘Road to heaven’ is a sensory overload. This appropriately named stretch of asphalt road sprawling over 32 km, connects Khavda to Dholavira in Kutch, at […]

Traditionally, vacation itineraries were packed with daytime activities—visiting monuments, basking on sun-soaked beaches, exploring bustling local markets, or heading on hiking trails. But as the hustle and bustle of the day quiets down, a different side of destinations comes to life, and it’s drawing more people out to explore. This shift towards

As the setting sun glimmers on the baroque cathedral at the Old Town Square at Jicin, a local guide dressed as a Medieval Duke comes forward with a flourish. He regales the tourists with the heroic tales of the Duke Albrecht of Wallenstein and how the Duke had rebuilt Jicin after taking over the 12th […]

For travelphiles who grew up on a steady diet of Silk Route lore, perhaps the most famous trading route in history evokes the romance of adventure. While Uzbekistan gets the prize for variety, neighbouring Kazakhstan has some little-known destinations, which open the gateway to a bejewelled past. About 688 km southwest of Almaty, the gateway [&hell

Is coexistence of man and animal possible when there is a deep-rooted respect for nature? The Maldhari tribe of Gir know the answer. When the Maldhari cattle herders came to Gir from Pakistan, they were given a place to live inside the jungle, about 65 km from Junagadh, by the Nawab of Junagadh. It was […]

Majuli has been screaming for attention. It is the world’s largest inhabited river island and a melting pot of Assam’s neo-Vaishnavite, and indigenous tribal cultures, and famous for its 22 satras (monastic centres) introduced in the 15th century. Ravaged by floods annually, and washed away by bits and pieces, the island which used to be […]

The US is gearing up to get a new President. Anticipation and anxiety is building up in Washington DC. However, pause for a minute and see if the number 2024 is divisible by 20. No this isn’t a math challenge, but a theory called the ‘20-year curse’, which allegedly dooms US presidents elected in a […]

Geraniums, roses, palm trees, azahar (orange blossom) and bright bougainvillea bob their heads in terracotta pots. The scent of jasmine lingers in the air, as the bright palettes of colour contrasting sharply against the backdrop of whitewashed houses and blue windows and doors catches your eye. The only sound is the tinkle of flowing water [&helli

Manicured gardens and green lawns, historic stone archways, and a rustic greenhouse spread across 68 picturesque acres in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, US, create the backdrop for the 1825 farmhouse that was the home of Pulitzer prize-winning author Pearl S Buck for 40 years. The author may have spent a great deal of her life in […]

The story is similar for British visas. Many people in India, as well as other applicants, feel the process is too harsh and can be humiliating. Endless amounts of paperwork are required, including bank statements and invitation letters, and rejections are often not explained. In a study of travel trends in India, online travel platform Booking.com

Cleanliness begins at home. In 2017, Dawa Choden Bhutia, the panchayat president of Phadamchen village in Sikkim, assembled 17 women to form a group called Swachhata Sahayogi, a name that literally translates to “sanitation assistants”. Together these women decided to tackle the mounting waste crisis in the village. This, of course, was no easy tas

When she received her acceptance letter and moved to Delhi for her studies, Afeedha took every opportunity to travel. She visited Uttarakhand, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Punjab multiple times with her friends. But despite the joy of exploring new places, something didn’t feel quite right. She realized that her way of experiencing the world was differe

In the scenic coastal village of Dombe near Karnataka’s Byndoor, a homestay comes alive in the wee hours of the morning. Greater coucals and Rufous Treepie hop around, alighting high above on the red Mangalore tiled-roof of the villa. A hint of blue that catches your eye could turn out to be a kingfisher perched […]

As you sit down with Armenian painter Lusik Aguletsi’s family—the artist was often called the Van Gogh of Armenia—sipping warm mountain tea, the room becomes filled with conversations, memories and stories of a woman who has left an indelible mark on the country’s culture. Lusik, survived by her daughter Astghik Samvelyan and son Armen Aguletsi, [&

Walking through the narrow alleys and cobblestoned lanes of the town, one comes across patrician homes of traders and stately half-timbered buildings that once held corn and grain to protect the town in case of a siege. Most of these have been converted into charming hotels and restaurants. The turrets, spires and red roofs make […]

A group of Spanish tourists is engrossed in admiring a timber-crafted house in the town of Schiltach located in the Black Forest in Germany. Their guide draws their attention to the façade which has wooden ornamentation on it. The wooden frames are painted in red, while the window shutters are coated in green. The rest […]

The report also stated that international travel search volumes remain relatively steady across all seasons, with December being the most active month for international travel searches. Further, interest in luxury travel is rising among Indians, with a 10% growth in searches for business-class flights in the international segment. Indians are also

One of the oldest cities in Scandinavia and home to the world’s oldest amusement park, Copenhagen has a plethora of adventures for the discerning traveller. But there lies a hidden gem: the charming islet of Hven, a secret oasis waiting to enchant intrepid explorers. Once part of Denmark, in 1658, Sweden nabbed Hven, renaming it […]

Garima Sinha, a 32-year-old marketing professional and avid traveller from Noida, made an unusual decision during her visit to Canada last year. Instead of following the typical tourist route, she ventured to Churchill in Manitoba, a remote town famously known as the ‘Polar Bear Capital of the World’. Her decision was deeply rooted in her […

Sleep early, wake up early” is the motto of the enthusiastic guides at the Satpura Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh. Punctuality is a virtue, being at the right place at the right time. Jungle life is most vocal and active at dawn and dusk, and the golden hue allows photographers to play with light. “Mornings […]

Walking the narrow cobblestone streets with houses with green shutters on either side, is the two-storeyed Ataneo De Malaga on Calle Compania, which used to be the School of Fine Arts, where Picasso’s father taught technical drawing. He and his son would spend time together for the young Picasso to copy the classic plaster models. […]

Make no mistake, Barcelona is a walking city. And only by doing so do you let the city unveil an element of surprise at every turn. But summertime in Barcelona is motorcycling season, much like it is across the rest of Europe. The key difference, when compared to cities like Paris and Berlin, lies in […]

India has few destination restaurants. Naar, a cozy, 16-cover one-of-a-kind restaurant in a tiny village near Kasauli in Himachal Pradesh, is one. The mountains cast a spell on Kashmir-born maverick chef and restaurateur Prateek Sadhu, who, after working with the world’s best Michelin-starred chefs in Europe, and establishing his award-winning rest

Right at the start, a few guests want to give up. But instructor Adnan eggs them on, escorting each participant, from the top of the cliff to the first landing. Participants secure their waist harness to the rope, then grip the rope tightly with their hands and with the support of their legs, placed on […]

The Daunt bookstore almost diverts attention from the substantial collection of volumes it is stocked with. Situated on a quiet road in Marylebone, a London suburb, it was formerly an Edwardian antiquarian bookshop. That ambience has been retained: a gorgeous oak gallery, old-fashioned skylights that pour mellow light into the main hall, time-worn

The first official photograph ever of a tank in action is at the Battle of Flers-Courcelette on September 15, 1916. A Mark I tank with a steering tail at the rear of the vehicle. These were lumbering machines and only 25 of the 49 tanks moved forward to attack the Germans. Tanks treads have come […]

Charming historic houses cling to the wooded hillside, lining the steep cobbled street that snakes down the hill to the traditional fishing harbour on the coast. In the distance, the stunning seascape beckons: myriad shades of blue, green, and grey coalescing into a shadowy cerulean. Clovelly isn’t like any other part of Devon, a county […]

A vast expanse of wasteland, rugged and hostile, filled with colours of the earth—black, grey, red, brown, with a smattering of green—creates the textural kaleidoscope called Timanfaya National Park. A protected natural area located on the island of Lanzarote in the Canary Islands, Spain is as unique as they come; the fruit of a series […]

To grab a fantastic view, visitors have to climb up a cobblestone path made of hundreds of steps and cross the seven gates or pols—Ganesh Pol, Andheri Pol, Navlakha Pol, Hathi Pol, Satpol, Suraj Pol and Delhi Pol. The tigers may be the main attraction for the park visitors, but the mighty fort holds tremendous […]

Imagine waking up to the cacophony of peacocks and the faint sound of waves crashing on sand. The weather is already humid, but the tall coconut trees around offer respite. The tiny hamlet of Kumta, 30 km away from the now popular Gokarna in Karnataka, is already up and ready with men loading equipment on […]

A jungle hare caught in the headlight of safari jeeps stops momentarily to rear up on its hind legs to glare straight into the low beam; then continues to hop across the road. A thousand stars glitter overhead in the night sky; an hour defined by the repetitive chorus of cicadas. A few moments later, […]

“Har har Mahadev… Har Har Mahadev…” Each time you feel it is impossible to take another step forward on the hard road to Rudranath temple, nestled inside dense rhododendron forests and mountain pastures, Lord Shiva is there to help. Your feet will get numb from steep climbs through stone laid paths. Questions torment faith: can [&hellip

In 1765, Jassa Singh Ahluwalia defeated Afghan invader Ahmad Shah Abdali in the Battle of Amritsar and established the Katra Ahluwalia, a self-sufficient, small neighbourhood. “Such neighbourhoods were a common feature in the city,” says heritage architect Gurmeet Rai. Like the Har Mandir Sahib and the other sarovars of Amritsar, the katras were al

A striking pagoda with cantilevered wooden roofs, towers above Bhaktapur, a royal city in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. Close by is an Indian-style temple whose statues of deities are carved in stone. Nepal is a staple on the Indian tourist map and had a 33 per cent rise in Indian travellers flying into the country […]

Building it up: Galle’s British and Dutch colonial architecture exhibit similar order and symmetry. The Dutch, adept in masonry, favoured stone and brick over the British wooden bungalows. Their architectural adaptations are visible in tropical locations featuring broad eaves, internal courtyards, and colonnaded verandas for ventilation and shade.

A drive to Srirangapatna that sits along the Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway is a car metaphor. You pass a big building whose façade resembles a car tyre. Hard to miss. This newly opened Payana car museum is an epiphany of auto buff Dr D Veerendra Heggade, who has personally collected each of the vintage cars over the […]

I’m a big dreamer who made most of my dreams come true. One dream was to give back to Goa… what this wonderful state has given us as a legacy. A legacy of great culture, kaleidoscope diversity and formidable ancient history,’ the late designer Wendell Rodricks wrote, while fashioning the idea of the Moda Goa […]

A teenager wearing black shorts and a pink T-shirt is about to start hiking to the peak of the scenic Seongsan Ilchulbong Tuff Cone. Standing at the base, entry ticket in hand, she looks up at Seongsan, located on the eastern side of Jeju Island in South Korea, which is bathed in hues of green […]

Travelling to Lyon from Paris is taking a two-hour train ride to the Medieval Ages. Of course with a soupcon of intrigue. The Old Town in Lyon’s 5th arrondissement, built at the foot of a hill is freeze-framed in the 11th century. What sets the district Vieux-Lyon apart from other European medieval cities is something […]

Tiger lore at the reserve includes stories about how Maya, the current queen of Tadoba, learned to deal with gawping tourists when she was a cub and prowled the jungle with mother Nira. Now she imparts that lesson insouciantly to her various litters. The male cubs from her latest litter are curious and come right […]

The hotel is designed by Singaporean DP Architects, who strove to highlight the brand’s history in a modern, appealing manner. “The façade constitutes an aluminium screen which is a modern interpretation of railway sleepers, and the tower curtain wall has aluminium fins reminiscent of railway tracks. The terracotta hue of the podium mimics the roof

Back at the camp, a leisurely camel safari awaits. At a giant communal yurt made specifically for guests to feast together, sumptuous meals are served. Gastronomy enthusiasts can choose from authentic Uzbek specialities such as plov, manty and shashlik (the Uzbek versions of pulao, dumplings and kebabs respectively), complemented by abundant fruit

Steep craggy cliffs climb skyward, puffed-up clouds scatter through the sky, and the wind thrusts you onto the thin, coastal path. The view at the end of the cliff-top walk seems like the end of the world: infinite sea and sky melding into the horizon. The dramatic Valley of Rocks in Exmoor is an under-rated, […]

In early spring when the sun peeks out from behind the Aravalli range looming over the Chauth Ka Barwara village, the mountain is framed perfectly by the window of the five-ft-thick and 20-ft-tall wall of 700-year-old Fort Barwara. The sunlight splashes shades of orange, yellow and red on the clear, cloudless sky overlooking the gentle […]

Interestingly, ruin pubs have a short history—they are only two decades old. In the 20th century, Budapest’s Jewish Quarter was the site of a Jewish ghetto. World War II and the Cold War saw the area fall into ruin, populated with ghostly, derelict and abandoned buildings. In the early 2000s, a couple of entrepreneurs decided […]

Back to the roots’ is the ethos of Ezha, which in Malayalam means ‘thread’. Three women conservation architects Swathy Subramanian, Savita Rajan and Ritu Sara Thomas weaved a thread from the wefts of community and legacy at the Karnikara mandapam in Kunnamangalam Bhagawati Temple at Karuvannur in Kozhikode district, Kerala, which they restored. The

The Northeast of India, and its neighbour Myanmar aka Burma is knitted with secret forest routes and sprawling grasslands. Borders did not exist until British imperials tired from war left drawing borders as casually as a kindergarten child would scrawl with a crayon. Champhai, nearly 200 km from Aizawl—Mizoram’s capital—from where Myanmar is a pee

Egypt’s illustrious history is the protagonist in a one-of-a-kind drama that unfolds within the thick walls of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Centrally located on the edge of Maidan Al-Tahrir (Tahrir Square), the first purpose-built museum in the country, has been a tenacious memory-keeper for 121 years. Visitors pause when confronted with its spect

Taking a walk means diffrent things in different places. Insta Reels show off the thrill of climbing creaky ladders along the Mawryngkhang Bamboo Trail in Meghalaya; the real marvel is the ingenious engineering of these walkways crafted from bamboo and cane with nails used sparingly. This community intelligence, rooted in sustainable construction t

A sunflower field catches your eye as you drive towards Shilimb village in Maharashtra. The vibrant yellow of the flowers, swaying in the breeze, soaking in the sunlight against the backdrop of a clear blue sky resembles a painting. A little ahead, a sugarcane field towers over a field of millets. Greenhouses which are hotbeds […]

She adds, “Its unique keel petal requires birds to make an effort to reach the hidden nectar, thus aiding pollination. They are practically the first blooms of ‘Vasantha’ with generous amounts of nectar, therefore a key supporter of biodiversity in the arid season and important to the semi-arid ecosystem since they can survive the harsh […]

As winter fades away and spring approaches, Japan eagerly awaits the annual delight of cherry blossoms, or sakura, unfurling their delicate petals across the landscape. For countless travel enthusiasts, the dream of experiencing Japan’s iconic ‘hanami’ (flower viewing) comes alive during this time. While cities such as Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka are ch

A little detour from the main Ramnagar-Nainital road changes the perspective completely. The drive to Pangot, the quieter cousin of buzzing Nainital, is marked with thinning traffic and breathtaking mountain views. The calming sound of wind blowing between tall pine trees and the chirping of birds replaces the sound of honking cars. Pangot, just 15

The Art of Drifting Drifting may have been popularised in mainstream media by neon-bathed visions of Tokyo’s underground racing scene, but it was discovered here in Finland, along with a popular but tricky rally driving manoeuvre called the ‘Scandinavian flick’. In simple terms, the move involves steering left to go right. When the ribbon of [&hell

During the Mughal Empire and British colonial period, Gujarat’s Saurashtra region was divided into about 200 princely states and jagirs (fiefdoms). The medieval rulers lived in castle-like structures called darbargadh, which had exquisite stonework and woodcarving, open courtyards, residential and administrative areas,” says owner Raghvendra Sinh G

High-speed trains have revolutionised surface transportation, let alone railways around the world. A high-speed rail (HSR) network utilises trains that run significantly faster than those of traditional rail, through an integrated system of specialised rolling stock and dedicated tracks. Commonly, this network is built to handle speeds in excess of

Situated amidst the lush hills of Uttarakhand, Mussoorie and Landour stand as quintessential hill stations, offering not just breathtaking views but also a rich culinary experiences. Among the many delights that these towns feature, the vibrant café culture stands out as a testament to their charm. Here are seven cafés that capture the essence of [

Hay-on-Wye wasn’t always known as the ‘town of books’. Bookseller Richard Booth, the self-proclaimed ‘King of Hay’, opened the first second-hand bookshop, The Old Fire Station, here in 1962; since then, books have become the lifeblood of the small market town. Y Gelli Gandryll, as it is known in Welsh, is also known for the […]

The thrill of chancing on a wild cat from the open jeep keeps one alert at all times. What might be that ruffle in the distance, the slight movement in the grass, or that faint hint of a pugmark in the sand? Majestic nilgai often lurk behind trees, their impressive size easily underestimated. Wild boars […]

Blue should be the national colour of Bhutan. The clear skies in the backdrop of virgin pine-forested mountains are a sight to behold. The crisp air, the winding pebbled brooks and the ever-smiling faces will stay a long time with you after you exit the Dragon Country. And if there is one place that encapsulates […]

Green trees as far as the eye can see. Blue skies an expansive canopy above. The sound of birdsong. The purity of air. Talk about living, literally, in the lap of nature. Which is exactly what this home in EstatePlavu in Kerala’s Wayanad district is all about. George E Ramapuram Indeed, an escape from bustling […]

How do you spend an afternoon in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain? You could grab your towel and head to one of the many beaches. The volcanic origins of the islands lend them unique, pitch-black sands. You could try your hand at various water sports, from a speedy jet ski to a banana-boat ride; or sit […]

At The Chavni, the soft golden hue of the setting sun welcomes guests to the high tea area, set against the backdrop of the Sahyadris. Two forts—Lohagad and Visapur—loom large. Lohagad had been the proud conquest of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Tents and bullock carts stand nearby as Saraswati, the horse, neighs in the distance. As […]

Enter the Food Court, the barbecued smell of kebabs, aromatics, and other dishes will make you feel hungry. The silent sea adds a touch of serenity to this luxurious dining experience. The rooms were spacious, with a comfortable queen-size bed, a couch, a little walk-in closet, a television, and a balcony with a pair of […]

Hua Hin – Rewire your system in Hua Hin, Thailand’s wellness epicentre. Hua Hin, which was once a fishing village, has evolved through time into a crucial detox resort. It is a well-liked destination for individuals looking for a wellness-focused vacation because of its blend of unspoiled natural beauty, wellness resorts, yoga retreats, conve

The location is easily accessible by road from the Mandi Bus Station and Srinagar International Airport, depending on the time of year and traffic. The roomy, contemporary suites at the hotel are built for comfort and convenience, and all of them have views of the valleys and mountains nearby. These rooms provide individual climate control [&hellip

Concerts have always been big business, but with people traversing oceans for their favourite artistes, music shows have become a key draw for travellers. And 2023 is clearly the year of the stadium concert. After three years of watching everything online, music lovers are finally catching Taylor Swift, Beyonce, Backstreet Boys, Harry Styles, Ed Sh

For a country roughly the size of Tasmania in Australia, Sri Lanka has a surprising number of ecosystems. The island may be synonymous with beaches and temples, but there is a longer list of all that it has to offer. Somewhere down the list are places to see and things to do that steer visitors […]

No meat. No alcohol. Also forbidden were ‘Ten Cereals,’ consisting of rice, wheat, soybeans, adzuki beans, black sesame seeds, barnyard grass, millet, foxtail millet, buckwheat and corn. For mokujikigyo, Shingon monks would muck about local forests for tree roots, nuts, bark, berries, pine needles and even river rocks. To prevent bacterial infectio

Where did old farmhouses, stables, bakehouses or barns in Switzerland, which were replaced by modern buildings, go? They were dismantled and rebuilt at the Ballenberg Swiss Open-Air Museum. Spread over an area of 66 hectares, it’s a place where you will find heritage houses, rural handicrafts (think hand-carved wooden artefacts, hand-embroidered ta

The property also arranges for drives around the picturesque Kohka Lake and backwater safaris, besides visits to Pachdhar, a village of over 100 kumhars or potters, a couple of kilometres from the resort. As Sajendra Prajapati proceeds to mould the soil with his hands, he says, “In this village, you don’t need to teach children […]

Then there are over a century-old luxury department stores such as Galeries Lafayette and Printemps that have history written all over them. The latter, which opened in 1865, was one of the first few buildings in Paris to get electricity. Home to some of the finest brands in the world, it offers a personal shopping experience as […]

Following the latter, the jail was visited by its most famous resident, Mahatma Gandhi, who voluntarily spent the night here to show solidarity with the Irish cause. His VIP jail cell was the only one to have two rooms, a fireplace and a door leading outside. In its current form, the cell bears a photograph of […]

But the high price of the product inhibits a scale-up. “The cost is five times that of thermocol. Besides, thermocol is quicker to make. The growth of the mushrooms cannot be expedited to less than seven days—they will become cancerous. Thankfully, some corporate houses are placing orders with us,” Bodh says, adding that Dharaksha is […]

Technological innovations and modern entertainment in the 20th century, however, ushered in profound changes, making much of indigenous entertainment irrelevant or restricted to government tableaux. Two-time National Award-winning artist Dr Dalavai Kullayappa hailing from this GI-tagged artistic hamlet is trying to revive Tholu Bommalata. Recently,

Exiles can be long if they have a cause. Nupur Tron, founder and director of ‘Foundation Frison Horta’ in Brussels, Belgium, has a cause fired by passion. She is an Indian woman in a foreign land, using European legacy, heritage and aesthetics to get the Indian message across. After having lived in Paris as part of the haute […]

“One of the things that makes the art and culture scene in Philadelphia so wonderful is the variety,” says Irene Baker, author of 100 Things to Do in Philadelphia and Unique Eats & Eateries of Philadelphia. Walk down the Midtown Village neighbourhood to view the street art in Gaybourhood, Philly’s iconic queer community area that […]

It is a scenic drive to Turkestan from Shymkent in Southern Kazakhstan, about 680 km from Almaty, the country’s largest city. The sepia landscape is stark and generally unpeopled, with camel caravans lumbering along. Turkestan, the spiritual centre of Kazakhstan used to be home to the 11th-century Sufi mystic, Khoja Ahmed Yasawi. Once the hub [&hel

Watching the northern lights is like seeing a miracle unfold. It’s as if the cosmos is dancing and a superpower up there is trying to tell you something. After minutes of pitch darkness, the sky suddenly lights up. First, there is a faint green line across the vast expanse, which slowly merges with brighter orange, red and […]

B for Bonn. B for Boring. So it has been said of West Germany’s former capital city, about which  A local politician once famously sniped that “the best thing about Bonn is the train to Munich”. Compared to the vibrant, eclectic, manic-paced Berlin of haute cuisine, edgy fashion and hipster vibes, Bonn is, as unjustly […]

Kutaisi is surrounded by UNESCO sites, monasteries and caves. Gelati monastery, founded in 1106, used to be home to an academy of scholars and has brightly coloured Byzantine-style frescoes—there’s one significant one of King David the Builder, who heralded Georgia’s Golden Age. Not far away from Gelati, is the hillside Motsameta monastery overlook

Straight out of our mindscape of fairyland. Live in a mushroom shaped cave, shop for groceries from a bigger one, watch a multi-coloured sunset, in the evening, walk around moon face, and then suddenly, the ancient cave walls swaddle you to sleep. Suddenly, you don’t know if you ever woke from the dream. It is […]

Alongside a murmuring brook, a gentle uphill trail dissolves from a brown, muddy one to a path flanked by willows, fields of peas and barley, and fruit-laden apricot trees. There is not a soul in sight, but the worked fields and the lit butter lamps at the monastery shrine indicate habitation. A short hike back to […]

The last decade has seen some talented global artists play at the festival such as Prateek Kuhad, Peter Cat Recording Company, Lee Ranaldo, Acid Mothers Temple, Rabbi Shergill and Steve Shelley among others. This year, the stars of the Ziro galaxy were Mumbai’s hip-hop artist MC Altaf, Arunachali singer-songwriter Taba Chake, Nagaland’s folktronica

About 10 km away from the memorial is Nyamirambo, one of Kigali’s oldest neighbourhoods, dominated by Muslim traders speaking Swahili, who initially came here from Tanzania. Amid barber shops and tiny beauty parlours, street-side restaurants serving local delicacies such as pilau, biriyani, ugali (a porridge made with maize and water) and fried pla

Sitting on the northern tip of Lake Zurich and bound by the River Limmat, the city offers easy access to nature right within urban limits. It’s not just the lively waterfronts and green spaces that buzz with activity, it’s the water bodies themselves. Zurich locals love to swim. So much so, that, during office lunch […]

Famous as the site of the Potsdam Conference in 1945, when the UK, US and the Soviet Union decided the fate of Germany after World War II, there’s more to this tiny cosmopolitan town than just history. Founded around the seventh century and situated 24 km from central Berlin, Potsdam was the hunting quarters of […]

Tipai has an osmotic relationship with nature, and at times the guest can be forgiven for wondering whether they are indoors or outdoors. The dense thickets and little water bodies partially hidden by ochre green wild grass look like they have been there forever. When the team, however, scouted the location, it had only about […]

One of the best things to do in Sindhudurg is to go fort-hopping—the Nivati fort, also built by Shivaji, is hardly 10 km from the sea-fort. It is perched on a cliff near lush paddy fields and mango orchards, which yield the best Alphonso mangoes grown in the country. Experts believe that the black basalt […]

Are the Danes happier than the rest of the world? Perhaps; Denmark consistently ranks among the top 3 in the World Happiness Report. The Danes credit the higher rating to having achieved work-life balance by focusing on leisure, family, solitude, and a high quality of life. The practice of finding happiness in the everyday, seeking […]

Long walks along winding roads, gabled colonial bungalows and magnificent churches, quaint cafés and bakeries drawing people in with the wafting aroma of freshly brewed coffee and cake… Landour, a cantonment settlement next to the hill station Mussoorie, has its obvious charms. There’s more waiting to be discovered in this Uttarakhand enclave, a si

A temple dedicated to Lord Shiva in Siddipet, 100 km from Hyderabad, is teeming with crowds, thanks to it being the auspicious Karthika maasam (month of Karthik). But it’s no ordinary temple. The garbha gudis (sanctum sanctorum) have been made using 3D printing. Netflix documentary Print the Legend gave a glimpse of what 3D printing in construction

Uttarakhand’s most revered city—Haridwar—is surprisingly a case study in art and architecture. Aside from the temples and ashrams that dot the town, there are age-old havelis and ancestral bungalows that whisper secrets of its antique past. Most of them have striking arches and frescoes that may have faded with time, but, nonetheless, are a reflect

When in Stockholm, set stock by Swedish design. It pervades everything and every place—the cafes and museums, the castles and parks, the streets, metro stations, and even public toilets. Characterised by a minimal, clean approach that combines form and functionality, Swedish design is simple: it strips back the superfluous to reveal the essentials.

At Ham Ninh fishing village, you can watch locals go about their sepia-tinted lives. Enjoy the irresistible aroma wafting from dishes being rustled up by the women in their thatched-roof houses. The industrious boatmen, meanwhile, will be repairing their boats with assorted tools, their clickety-click resonating in the salt-laden air. For a small f

Fabric stores have a whimsical marketing strategy; their owners will always be found outside, calling out to passersby holding out a few samples of merchandise. Though they are mostly counterfeit Egyptian cotton, the designs are attractive. As in any large market, the souq has everything from cushion covers, rugs, hand-embroidered jackets and other

With peaceful mountains around, fast Internet and restaurants serving multi-cuisine food, there are many who have already made Dharamkot their mountain abode. A few kilometres away is the famous Gallu Devi temple, also the starting point for the popular Triund trek. With ample choice to spend your days as per one’s preference—be it wandering in [&h

The 6,000-plus crowd which thronged the confluence of music, art and wellness over the course of three heady days in the middle of India’s western desert could not get enough of it. “As we celebrate the third year of our partnership with Magnetic Fields, we have crafted an experience that resonates with the attendees of […]

Don’t miss the Orbeliani Baths, the iconic blue-tiled bathhouse, which is known for its stunning Persian-inspired architecture and looks like a mosque. For a more luxe experience, head to the Tbilisi Balneological Spa Resort, dating back to 1938, housed in a period building with a huge atrium. It boasts a team of qualified doctors and […]

Express News Service In Abanotubani, the old Bath District of Tbilisi under the imposing Narikala fortress where the air has a rotten egg odour, children clamber on the brick cupolas of the cluster of subterranean bath houses with filigreed glass doors, located along a rambling stream. Not many know that piping hot sulphur springs bubble […]

Express News Service The walls of the battle-hardened 17th-century Alsisar Mahal in Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan, came alive with spectacular 3D projections as thousands of music lovers danced, swayed and banged heads to the beats of pulsating music. In the twilight setting, it seemed as if the royal palace was playing a role rather than being just [&helli

Express News Service As the winter fog descends on the north Indian plains, it’s time for a quick getaway to the hills. McLeodganj, a suburb of Dharamshala in Himachal’s Kangra district, always tops the list of winter destinations in the country. But this time giving McLeo a miss might not be a bad idea. Let […]

Express News Service The Al Azhar Mosque in the heart of Cairo, Egypt, with its twin minarets reaching for the sky proudly straddles Islamic Cairo, surveying one of the world’s oldest cities. It is also the site of the world’s second oldest continually operating Islamic university. Even if it is an important centre of Sharia […]

Express News Service People were last seen as subjects in artist Sameer Kulavoor’s works in 2020. They appeared in You’re All Caught Up, an exhibition that looked at our obsession with social media. Since then, his works have seen a marked absence of the human figure. Now, even if they do make it to the canvas, […]

Express News Service A high-speed chase is underway in a lush green field as eight uniformed riders, astride majestic horses, confidently manoeuvre its length and breadth. Their weapons of choice are large mallets with which they dexterously aim to hit a small hard ball barely visible in the flurry of man and beast. It suddenly emerges […]

Express News Service As the setting sun paints the sky in swathes of orange on a rather hot day in Jamshedpur, Sumanti Devi Bhagat is busy giving final touches to a canvas. Her hands move deftly as she creates a festival scene using her fingers dipped in mud on paper. The end result is a stunning […]

Express News Service Holding hand-made paper baskets in one hand and a farming tool called cultivator in the other, Finnish forager Anna Nyman guides a group of tourists to Helsinki’s 10-sqkm Central Park. As the dew drops shine on the green, orange and red trees, the 38-year-old naturalist points out the first forest bounty in sight—the tiny, [&he

Express News Service As soon as the clock strikes 5.30 in the evening, the scenic village of Kharnak, nestled in the sprawling Tibetan Plateau of Ladakh, comes to life. Hundreds of sheep, yaks, goats, and a few dogs and shepherds, descend from the awe-inspiring, inhospitable desert mountains, raised 5,000 metres above sea level. Kharnak is a discre

Express News Service Blue should be the national colour of Bhutan. The clear skies in the backdrop of virgin pine-forested mountains are a sight to behold. The crisp air, the winding pebbled brooks and the ever-smiling faces will stay a long time with you after you exit the Dragon Country. And if there is one […]

Express News Service At The Chavni, the soft golden hue of the setting sun welcomes guests to the high tea area, set against the backdrop of the Sahyadris. Two forts—Lohagad and Visapur—loom large. Lohagad had been the proud conquest of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Tents and bullock carts stand nearby as Saraswati, the horse, neighs in […]

Express News Service Green trees as far as the eye can see. Blue skies an expansive canopy above. The sound of birdsong. The purity of air. Talk about living, literally, in the lap of nature. Which is exactly what this home in EstatePlavu in Kerala’s Wayanad district is all about. George E Ramapuram Indeed, an […]

Express News Service Phu Quoc Island seems to exist in a palm-fringed haze. Nestling along the Gulf of Thailand in south Vietnam, and voted by Time magazine as one of the world’s most amazing islands, its dazzling white beaches and turquoise waters make it tough to put the camera down. Hawksbill and green turtles nest […]

Express News Service How do you spend an afternoon in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain? You could grab your towel and head to one of the many beaches. The volcanic origins of the islands lend them unique, pitch-black sands. You could try your hand at various water sports, from a speedy jet ski to a banana-boat […]

Express News Service Admirers of the ocean and avid travellers alike, we bring you good news! There is now a luxury cruise liner operating between Chennai and Sri Lanka. Indulge in the luxury the Cordelia cruise, the first vessel to sail from Chennai to Sri Lanka, has to offer, while experiencing the beauty of the […]

By Express News Service What exactly does a wellness trip involve? Is it going to yoga retreats, or indulging in spa treatments? These wellness getaways guarantee a genuinely therapeutic experience for the body and mind. Awaji- On Awaji, Japan’s health island, you have the chance of becoming one with nature. Awaji Shima is a tiny […]

By Express News Service Visitors to Jammu and Kashmir have more luxury options now. The latest to join the existing holiday destinations in J&K is Radisson Hotel Sonamarg. The group has increased its footprint in the state of Jammu & Kashmir with its seventh operational hotel in the region. The hotel, which is surrounded by […]

Express News Service Sokushinbutsu shrines of Buddhist monks who transformed themselves into mummies while alive can be seen around Mount Yudono in northern Japan. Pilgrims believe they will rise to save mankind when the time comes. The search for salvation is within us, or so the holy texts preach, and ‘No Pain, No Gain’ as […]

Express News Service Concerts have always been big business, but with people traversing oceans for their favourite artistes, music shows have become a key draw for travellers. And 2023 is clearly the year of the stadium concert. After three years of watching everything online, music lovers are finally catching Taylor Swift, Beyonce, Backstreet Boys

Express News Service Where did old farmhouses, stables, bakehouses or barns in Switzerland, which were replaced by modern buildings, go? They were dismantled and rebuilt at the Ballenberg Swiss Open-Air Museum. Spread over an area of 66 hectares, it’s a place where you will find heritage houses, rural handicrafts (think hand-carved wooden artefacts

Express News Service The fresh jungle air in Pench National Park carries with it the smell of teakwood trees and the sounds of birds. This park in Madhya Pradesh is said to have inspired author Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book. Nestled on its outskirts is the boutique resort Saj in the Forest. Its manager Saurabh […]

Express News Service Paris conjures up images of romance, Mona Lisa’s smile, the iconic Eiffel Tower, charming cafes and delicious croissants… But look beyond to discover a different facet of the ‘City of Light’. Since the Netflix show, Emily in Paris, became a rage, many want to roam the streets of the French capital just the […]