IndianFriend

"Where would you visit if you had one, two, or three weeks in India? Emperor Akbar’s little-visited tomb at Sikandra? Fatehpur Sikri, among the most evocative ruins in India? Umaid Bhawan Palace, last of the mega-palaces built by Indian maharajahs?" - The New York Times

http://travel.nytimes.com/2012/03/25...WT.mc_ev=click

a_f_d

You can't not go to the Taj Mahal, Fatehpur Sikri was worth the trip forty years ago, don't know now. Delhi? Mumbai? Calcutta? but you haven't seen India unless you go to the Kashmir - but don't.
There you go -India is a dichotomy!

AndyD 8-)₹

Bipat

Agree, Kashmir Valley is where I would be happy to go and be an expat. but that is fantasy.

Otherwise the Minaxi temple at Madurai is not to be missed. Golden temple at Amritsar also.

IndianFriend

Fatehpur Sikri still very good, Kashmir ok to visit too now, no problem. Large cities are fine but you'll enjoy more at smaller places....now many are easily accessible by Road/Train. Must visit Ahmedabad, Pune, Hyderabad, Shillong, Ooty and more for lots of historical sites and fun

a_f_d

FCO say:
Even if you think this advice is too cautious you will invalidate your travel insurance if you ignore it.

AndyD 8-)₹

noni

www.Akshardham.com for me this is the place to go, but give it a good half day +,

Bipat

For a short trip you probably need to choose South or North not both.
So much to see in South; where to start?
Kanyakumari---lands end, where the seas meet the ocean. Chennai for a big city.
My favourite temple the Minaxi at Madurai, but can get very crowded with visitors.

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=mee...w=1024&bih=403

mentalist

What travel insurance? I've been all over the world (except the Americas) and have never spent a penny on such trivialities, especially as few claims ever get paid anyway.

a_f_d

Quite agree - but it's a consideration for a lot of people.

AndyD 8-)₹

IndianFriend

Absolutely spot on Bipat! N-S-E-W all have so much to see and just have to do all of them separately.

While in South I suggest 2 wonderful places which BEs particularly might like very much.... Wellington, near Ooty; and Munnar in Kerala.

Wellington is a quaint little hill station and is home to the HQ of the Madras Regiment. Its nestled between Coonoor and Ooty, both pretty towns too, and is a wonderful quiet retreat. We stayed at the Wellington Gymkhana, a relic of the old Raj days. Offers beautiful cottages and surroundings http://wellingtongymkhanaclub.com/

Munnar is a planters' town in the Hills of Kerala and of course much bigger in size than Wellington. Theres many sights to catch here and we stayed at the High Range Club, another Raj relic and a lovely place to relax on holiday. http://www.highrangeclubmunnar.com/

Best way to get to these 2 pretty little towns is to fly to Coimbatore and take a Taxi onwards to Wellington, spend a few days there and drive on to Munnar. On the way you drive through some very scenic spots including wildlife sanctuaries and other little towns and hills. The drive itself is worth it.

This site may be useful http://www.mapsofindia.com/ to locate places and calculate distances.

Cheers