Lucknow

Sprinkled with exceptional Islamic and British Raj–era architecture, stuffed with fascinating bazaars and famed throughout India for its food, the capital of Uttar Pradesh is something of a sleeper: plenty worth seeing, but often overlooked by travellers. Central Lucknow features wide boulevards, epic monuments and several parks and gardens that contribute to an atmosphere of faded grandiosity. Locals tend to be welcoming, and you'll experience little of the hassle of more touristy towns.