JEWELS OF THE DECCAN

Your journey begins in Hyderabad, a fascinating city which represents India’s rich past and glittering future in vivid contrast. The old city is a wonderfully atmospheric maze of souks, bazaars and crumbling palaces which illustrate Hyderabad’s long history as a prosperous city of pearls and diamonds, and as the seat of numerous wealthy Muslim dynasties and empires. The west of the city, meanwhile, is one of India’s booming centres for technology, all shopping malls, restaurants and nightclubs. It’s no surprise, then, that most sites of interest to tourists are to be found in the Old City, such as the citadel of Golconda Fort, the magnificent tombs of the Qutb Shahs, and the ornate Charminar gate. You’ll spend 3 nights at Falaknuma Palace, an opulent former royal residence.

Departing Hyderabad, you’ll board a plane to another of India’s IT capitals, Bangalore. The urban hub of south India, it’s one of the country’s most progressive cities – second, perhaps, only to Mumbai – as is evident in attractions like the fantastic National Gallery of Modern Art. Bangalore’s an old city, though, and has plenty of historical attractions to check out too: Bangalore Palace is the opulent home of the maharajah and apparently took inspiration for tis design from Windsor Castle, and the ruins of the Bangalore Fort stand in a peaceful garden and contain a temple to the elephant-headed god, Ganesh. You’ll spend one night in Bangalore, at Taj West End, a luxurious hotel in a European-style mansion in the heart of the city.

The next leg of your journey will see you boarding the Hampi Express, an overnight train, to one of India’s most stunning archaeological sites: the ruins of Hampi. At the turn of the 16^th century, Hampi was the seat of the mighty Vijayanagara Empire and was one of the largest and wealthiest cities in the world. Today, some monuments of the old city remain and are in continued use, such as the Virupaksha Temple, which is an important Shiva temple and UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with the other extant monuments. Perhaps the most stunning thing about Hampi, though, is the landscape. The sheer size of the now ruined city means it has left miles and miles of boulder-strewn hills, the occasional recognisable structure or temple dotted between them. You’ll spend 3 nights at Evolve Back Kamalapura Palace Hampi, an incredible palatial hotel designed to evoke the majesty of the Vijayanagara era which is brilliantly located for exploring the ruins.

The final stop on your journey is Goa, a tiny gem of a state on India’s western coast. Long a magnet for hippies, ravers and sunseekers, Goa is a laidback, fun state with beautiful golden beaches and even better seafood-based cuisine. The final 3 nights of your trip will be spent at The Leela, a beautiful beach resort near the village of Cavelossim in the south of the state. Sitting on the golden Mobor Beach and surrounded by tropical gardens, this is a beautiful place to simply relax, but you’ll be rewarded for making the effort to explore the local area. There are Portuguese mansions dating back to the 15^th century in the village of Chandor, numerous Christian churches, and at Goa Chitra a fascinating museum showcasing daily life in Goa throughout the ages.