{"id":9936,"date":"2016-11-09T16:21:18","date_gmt":"2016-11-09T16:21:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.experiencetravelgroup.com\/blog\/?p=9936"},"modified":"2020-11-03T12:19:09","modified_gmt":"2020-11-03T12:19:09","slug":"lucknow-north-indias-hidden-gem","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.experiencetravelgroup.com\/blog\/lucknow-north-indias-hidden-gem\/","title":{"rendered":"Lucknow: North India\u2019s hidden gem"},"content":{"rendered":"

The first time I saw Lucknow was on route to Varanasi<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 a fleeting visit while I waited for a delayed train \u2013 and all I saw of the city was its beautiful railway station. I\u2019m really glad I got the opportunity to experience it a second time. We love the city so much here at Experience Travel Group that we have created our very own signature experience<\/a> there.<\/strong><\/em>\"rumi-gate\"<\/p>\n

Lucknow is the capital of Uttar Pradesh<\/a> and is highly regarded in India as a city of culture, renowned for its crafts, cuisine, and the many poets that once lived here. It\u2019s a clean, green and open city \u2013 with far better cycle lanes than London! \u2013 and the monuments are well maintained<\/strong>, making it a lovely place to walk around. It\u2019s also a relatively small city<\/strong> so there\u2019s no need for early starts as the monuments, points of interest and hotels are close together.<\/p>\n

There is history at every turn here, with stunning Islamic architecture, most strikingly the two great tombs Bara Imambara (an architect\u2019s dream) and Chota Imambara, and British Raj-era buildings, including the ruins of the Residency, site of the infamous mutiny, and the La Martini\u00e8re School. There\u2019s also that incredible railway station.<\/p>\n

The city is a food-lover\u2019s heaven. It\u2019s the home of the Indian kebab, and is also known for its chaats<\/em>, kulfis<\/em>, biryanis<\/em> and breads, making a street food tour a must for all foodies. Its oil-based perfumes are famous too; unsurprisingly, the biryani-scented one caught my attention the most!<\/p>\n

\"Lucknow,<\/p>\n

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\"Visit<\/a><\/span><\/span>
\nTo get to Lucknow you can easily catch the Shatabdi train from Delhi, a six-and-a-half-hour journey that is an experience in itself<\/strong>. A new highway to Agra opens in October and will cut the journey time by road from between 7\u20138 hours to a more manageable 4\u20135 hours. Daily flights connect the city to Kolkata, Bangalore, Delhi and Mumbai and it also connects well to less-visited wildlife parks such as Dudhwa and Corbett.<\/p>\n

Lucknow\u2019s sights, people, food and location make it easy to fit into any northern India holiday.<\/strong> It\u2019s a destination often reserved for visitors\u2019 second or third trips to the country, but it definitely has enough going for it to fit into a first timer\u2019s visit too. For those wanting to see Delhi and Agra, but also a little more of India\u2019s north, Lucknow is the ideal gateway to less-visited parts<\/strong> and a wonderful destination in itself.<\/p>\n

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