India holiday
Travel tips, best time to visit & highlights for your India holiday in Asia
India is a universe unto itself: the Taj Mahal, sacred rivers, chaotic metropolises, majestic palaces in Rajasthan, beaches in Goa, and the backwaters of Kerala. No country in the world offers such intensity of colors, smells, sounds, and tastes. India transforms every traveler.
Capital
New Delhi
Language
Hindi, English
Currency
Indian Rupee (INR)
Time zone
UTC+5:30
Flight time from DE
approx. 8–9 hours
Entry requirements
Passport, e-visa required
Deals for India:
Which hotels in India are recommended?
Selected hotels and holiday accommodations in India — with images, reviews, and direct booking links with our partners.
Hotel The Grand New Delhi
Delhi / Neu Delhi, Indien
DoubleTree by Hilton Gurugram Baani Square
Gurgaon, Indien
Hotel The Suryaa New Delhi
Delhi / Neu Delhi, Indien
Pullman New Delhi Aerocity
Delhi / Neu Delhi, Indien
Holiday Inn New Delhi International Airport
Delhi / Neu Delhi, Indien
The Imperial
Delhi / Neu Delhi, Indien
Hotel Lemon Tree Premier, Delhi Aerocity
Delhi / Neu Delhi, Indien
Hotel ITC Maurya New Delhi
Delhi / Neu Delhi, Indien
What are the highlights of India?
The best-known highlights of India include Taj Mahal, Agra, Rajasthan, Kerala Backwaters, Varanasi, Goa.
The places you absolutely must not miss.
Taj Mahal, Agra
The mausoleum of love – one of the New Seven Wonders of the World and India's most iconic structure.
Rajasthan
Jaipur (Pink City), Udaipur (Venice of the East), Jaisalmer (desert fortress) and colorful bazaars.
Kerala Backwaters
Houseboat rides through tropical canals, coconut palms, and green rice fields.
Varanasi
India's holiest city on the Ganges: ghats, fire ceremonies, and spiritual intensity.
Goa
Tropical beaches, Portuguese churches, hippie markets, and legendary sunsets.
Hotels in India
Compare thousands of hotels, apartments and resorts on Expedia – with price guarantee, free cancellation and reward points.
* You will be redirected to Expedia.de. Their terms of use apply.
Reise-SIM für India
Prepaid-SIM mit Datenvolumen für India. Einfach einlegen und sofort lossurfen – keine Roaming-Gebühren.
* Weiterleitung zu travSIM.de. Es gelten die dortigen Nutzungsbedingungen.
Reiseversicherung abschließen
Rundum-Schutz ab 9,90 € auf TravelSecure.de
Pauschalreisen & Rundreisen
Berge & Meer – 170 Tage Cookie
When is the best time to visit India?
The best time to visit India is October–March (cool and dry). In summer: 32–42°C. In winter: 15–28°C.
Recommended travel time
October–March (cool and dry)
Summer
32–42°C
Winter
15–28°C
How much does a holiday in India cost?
A holiday in India costs roughly 15–30€ per person per day (excluding flights) on a budget, 30–70€ mid-range and 70–200€ for luxury travel.
Average cost per person per day (excluding flight)
Budget
15–30€
Hostel, street food, public transport
Mid-range
30–70€
Hotel, restaurant, excursions
Luxury
70–200€
Boutique hotel, fine dining
How long is the flight from Germany to India?
From Germany you reach India in approx. 8–9 hours.
What travel tips are there for India?
Insider knowledge to make your holiday better.
Traveler's diarrhea is common – only drink bottled water and eat cooked food
Book trains early on IRCTC – India has the largest railway network in the world
Nodding your head means agreement, not negation
Use your right hand for eating and greeting
Women: cover shoulders and knees, especially in temples
What do people eat in India?
Typical dishes in India are Butter Chicken, Biryani, Masala Dosa, Samosa, Dal Makhani, Chai.
These dishes you must try!
Which regions and places in India are worth visiting?
57 regions, cities and highlights in India
Cities
Agra
Agra is home to the Taj Mahal — arguably the most famous building in the world and a masterpiece that leaves every visitor in awe. The city on the banks of the Yamuna in the …
Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad is India's first UNESCO World Heritage City — a place that embodies the soul of modern India like few others. Here, Mahatma Gandhi founded his Sabarmati Ashram in 1917, …
Alleppey (Alappuzha)
Alleppey is the "Venice of the East" — a city in the labyrinth of the Kerala Backwaters, where one glides on a traditional houseboat (Kettuvallam) through tropical canals, rice …
Amritsar
Amritsar is the spiritual capital of the Sikh religion and is home to the Golden Temple — one of the holiest and visually stunning religious buildings in the world. The city in …
Bengaluru (Bangalore)
Bengaluru — known as Bangalore until 2006 — is India's Silicon Valley and at the same time the garden city of the subcontinent: A metropolis of 8.5 million on the Deccan Plateau …
Bhopal
Bhopal, the capital of the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, is known as the city of lakes: The Upper and Lower Lakes in the heart of the city together form one of the …
Bhubaneswar
Bhubaneswar — the "City of Temples" — is the capital of the Indian state of Odisha and is home to over 700 Hindu temples, some of which are over 2,000 years old. The city on the …
Chandigarh
Chandigarh is India's most modern and cleanest city — and an architectural unique. The city was planned and built from scratch in the 1950s by Le Corbusier as the new capital of …
Chennai
Chennai (formerly Madras) is the capital of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu and the cultural heart of South India. The city on the Bay of Bengal is the center of Tamil …
Coimbatore
Coimbatore, located at the foothills of the Western Ghats in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is known as the Manchester of South India — a thriving industrial city that …
Darjeeling
Darjeeling, the "Queen of the Himalayan Stations," sits at an altitude of 2,042 meters in the foothills of the eastern Himalayas and is inseparably linked to the tea that bears …
Delhi
Delhi, the vibrant capital of India, combines the splendor of past empires with the energy of a modern 30-million metropolis as one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in …
Faridabad
Faridabad is the largest city in Haryana and an important part of the National Capital Region (NCR), located just 30 kilometers south of New Delhi. The city combines industrial …
Gorakhpur
Gorakhpur is a historical city in the east of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, near the Nepalese border. The city is primarily known as the gateway to Lumbini — the birthplace …
Guwahati
Guwahati is the gateway to Northeast India — one of the most fascinating and least traveled regions of the subcontinent. The city on the mighty Brahmaputra River connects Hindu …
Hyderabad
Hyderabad is the city of pearls, palaces, and biryani — a 7-million metropolis in the heart of India, which has preserved a splendor that overshadows Delhi and Jaipur as the …
Indore
Indore is the largest city in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh and proudly holds the title of the cleanest city in India — an award that Indore has won multiple times in a row …
Jaipur
Jaipur, the pink capital of Rajasthan, rightly carries its nickname: in 1876, Maharaja Ram Singh had the entire old town painted terracotta pink to welcome the British crown …
Jaisalmer
Jaisalmer, the "Golden City" in the heart of Rajasthan's Thar Desert, rises like a mirage from the endless sand. Its golden-yellow sandstone walls glow at sunset in a warm honey …
Jamshedpur
Jamshedpur is India's first planned industrial city and is nicknamed Steel City — named after Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata, who founded India's first steel plant here in 1907, laying …
Jodhpur
Jodhpur is the "Blue City" of India — and the first view from the Mehrangarh Fort over the sea of blue-painted houses stretching to the horizon is one of those moments that make …
Kanpur
Kanpur is the largest industrial city in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and is located on the banks of the sacred Ganges. With around 3 million inhabitants, the city was once …
Khajuraho
Khajuraho is home to the most famous erotic temples in the world — a UNESCO World Heritage group of 25 Hindu and Jain temples from the 10th to 12th centuries featuring spectacular …
Kochi (Kerala)
Kochi is the cosmopolitan gateway to Kerala, 'God's own country', and one of the most fascinating port cities in Asia. Located on a peninsula, Fort Kochi reflects 500 years of …
Kolkata
Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) was the capital of British India until 1911 and remains the intellectual and artistic capital of the country. The city on the Hooghly River has …
Lucknow
Lucknow is the capital of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and one of the culturally richest cities in South Asia. The city on the Gomti River was once the center of the Mughal …
Ludhiana
Ludhiana is the largest city in the Indian state of Punjab and the industrial heart of India's grain bowl. With around 1.7 million inhabitants, it is a vibrant metropolis known …
Madurai
Madurai is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and the cultural heart of South India. For over 2,500 years, the city has been a center of Tamil …
McLeod Ganj (Dharamsala)
McLeod Ganj is the seat of the Dalai Lama and the heart of the Tibetan exile community in India — a spiritual center at 1,770 meters at the foot of the Himalayas. This small …
Mumbai
Mumbai, the unofficial capital of India, is a metropolis full of contrasts: Here, Bollywood glamour meets Dharavi, one of Asia's largest slums, art deco splendor meets modern …
Mysore (Mysuru)
Mysore (officially Mysuru) is the most royal city in South India — a place full of palaces, temples, jasmine, and sandalwood. The former capital of the Kingdom of Mysore has …
Nagpur
Nagpur is located in the exact geographical center of India and is the third-largest city in the state of Maharashtra. The city is affectionately known as Orange City, as the …
Nashik
Nashik is one of the holiest cities in India and at the same time the emerging wine center of the subcontinent — a fascinating combination of ancient spirituality and modern …
Patna
Patna is the capital of the state of Bihar in northeastern India and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. As ancient Pataliputra, the city was once the …
Pondicherry
Pondicherry (officially Puducherry) is India's French Riviera — a former colonial city with colorful villas, boulevards, and boulangeries on the Coromandel Coast. The charming …
Prayagraj
Prayagraj — formerly Allahabad — is one of the holiest cities in Hinduism and the place where three of India's most sacred rivers converge: the Ganges, Yamuna, and the mythical, …
Pune
Pune is the second largest city in the Indian state of Maharashtra and is located on the Deccan Plateau at an elevation of about 560 meters, approximately 150 km southeast of …
Pushkar
Pushkar is one of the oldest and holiest cities in India, picturesque by a sacred lake in the Rajasthan desert. The small town with its 400 temples and 52 ghats attracts both …
Rajkot
Rajkot is the fourth largest city in Gujarat and is inseparably linked to the childhood of Mahatma Gandhi, who spent formative years of his youth here. The city on the Kathiawar …
Rishikesh
Rishikesh, the "Yoga Capital of the World", is located where the holy Ganges leaves the foothills of the Himalayas and enters the northern Indian plains. This spiritual city at …
Srinagar
Srinagar is the summer capital of the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and is often referred to as the 'Venice of the East.' The city is beautifully situated at an …
Surat
Surat is one of the fastest-growing cities in India and is located in the western state of Gujarat on the Tapi River, near its mouth into the Arabian Sea. The city is …
Thane
Thane is a million-strong city in the state of Maharashtra, located on the northeastern edge of the Mumbai metropolitan area, directly on the banks of Thane Creek and the Ulhas …
Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram — formerly Trivandrum — is the capital of Kerala, India's most tropical state, and is located on the Malabar coast of the Arabian Sea. The city is named after …
Tirunelveli
Tirunelveli, affectionately known as Nellai, is one of the oldest cities in Tamil Nadu and lies on the banks of the Thamirabarani — the only river in the region that flows …
Udaipur
Udaipur, the "City of Lakes," is India's most romantic destination and is often referred to as the "Venice of the East." The former capital of the Mewar Kingdom in Rajasthan …
Vadodara
Vadodara, also known as Baroda, is the third-largest city in the western Indian state of Gujarat and was the capital of the princely state of Baroda until 1949. The city combines …
Varanasi
Varanasi is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world and the spiritual heart of India. For over 3,000 years, Hindus have been pilgrimage to the banks of the sacred …
Visakhapatnam
Visakhapatnam — affectionately known as "Vizag" — is the port city on India's east coast, where the Eastern Ghats dramatically plunge into the sea. The city combines golden …
Regions
Goa
Goa is India's smallest state and at the same time its most famous beach paradise. The former Portuguese colony on the west coast combines golden beaches, Portuguese colonial …
Kerala
Kerala, India's greenest state, stretches like a narrow strip of tropical paradise between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea on the southwest coast of the subcontinent. Known …
Ladakh
Ladakh is India's highest region and one of the most fascinating landscapes on Earth. The 'Land of High Passes' in the far north, nestled between the Karakoram and the Himalayas, …
Beaches
Goa
Goa is India's tropical paradise — a former Portuguese territory on the west coast that combines golden beaches, colonial churches, hippie heritage, and Indian spirituality into a …
Gokarna
Gokarna is India's tranquil alternative to Goa — a sacred Hindu pilgrimage site on the coast of Karnataka with paradise beaches that can only be reached on foot or by boat. The …
Varkala
Varkala is Kerala's most dramatic beach destination — a cliff village where steep laterite cliffs drop directly into the Arabian Sea. Along the cliff edge, cafés, yoga shalas, and …
Areas
Hampi
Hampi is one of the most surreal landscapes in India — a lunar landscape of giant granite boulders, among which lie the ruins of one of the largest and richest cities of the …
Munnar
Munnar is Kerala's green roof — a former British hill station at 1,600 meters, surrounded by the most beautiful tea plantations in South India. The endless emerald green tea …
Complete guide for India
Regions, attractions, food, routes, costs & practical tips — all in one digital guide.
Open guideHow do I plan a holiday in India?
India is one of the most popular travel destinations in Asia, offering Culture, Temples, Food and much more. The best time to visit India is October–March (cool and dry), when the weather is ideal for exploration and relaxation. With a daily budget starting from 15–30€ (Budget) to 70–200€ (Luxury), India is suitable for various travel budgets.
From the capital New Delhi, India can be excellently explored. The official language is Hindi, English, and the currency is Indian Rupee (INR). From Germany, you can reach India in approx. 8–9 hours. Whether you want to try culinary highlights like Butter Chicken, Biryani, Masala Dosa, visit top attractions, or simply enjoy the atmosphere: India has something for every type of traveller.
Use our free travel tools to prepare your India holiday perfectly. With the holiday finder, you can discover if India is the right destination for you. The budget calculator helps you plan costs realistically, and with the packing list, you won't forget anything.
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