Cultural holiday India – our best-kept secret holiday destinations

Maheshwar, Madhya Pradesh: a riverside retreat into India’s living heritage

Maheshwar is one of those places in India that feels untouched by time. Situated on the banks of the sacred River Narmada, it is among the most serene temple-palace complexes I have ever visited. While Udaipur may be India’s most romantic city, Maheshwar is spiritual, pure, and deeply peaceful—a destination that captures the imagination of those seeking a luxury holiday to India with a cultural soul.

One of my most cherished experiences here was a sunset boat ride on the Narmada. The evening breeze, the palace glowing in golden light, devotees and sadhus bathing in the river, children tumbling into the water with laughter, and the faint sound of temple bells—it felt like stepping into the India of one’s dreams.

A town of queens, weavers, and living traditions

Steeped in history and mentioned in ancient scriptures, Maheshwar flourished under Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar in the 18th century when it became the capital of her empire. The town is equally famous for its weaving tradition, dating back to the 5th century. Once in decline, it was revived in the 1970s by the Holkar family through the REHWA Society, a not-for-profit initiative that continues to employ women weavers and fund education and healthcare for their families.

Spend half a day visiting the REHWA society and learn about the Ahilya School before meeting the weavers. Watching the women at work on their looms is an unforgettable experience—an opportunity to witness how centuries of craft survive in the modern day. For travellers on a cultural luxury holiday in India, Maheshwar offers the privilege of seeing heritage not in a museum, but in everyday life.

Staying at Ahilya Fort: a heritage haven

Part of the fort, Ahilya Wada, has been transformed into the Ahilya Fort Hotel, one of the most atmospheric heritage stays in India. Prince Richard Holkar, the descendant of Maharani Ahilyabai, personally oversees the property and even the kitchen, drawing on his passion as a gourmet. To me, it feels like staying in a family residence rather than a hotel—a rare and authentic luxury.

From the ramparts, watching the sun set over the kilometre-wide Narmada with a glass in hand, you understand what true slow travel in India means. This is a place for reflection, romance, and connection with India’s quieter cultural heart.

Spend a day in Mandu: romance and ruins

Maheshwar is also an ideal base for exploring Mandu, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Spread across 60 square kilometres, its ruins are both majestic and haunting—remnants of a fortified city once called Shadiabad, the “City of Joy.” Highlights include the massive Jami Masjid and Hoshang Shah’s tomb, whose architecture is said to have inspired the Taj Mahal. But what lingers most is the love story of Sultan Baz Bahadur and Queen Rupmati, whose romance gives Mandu a lyrical presence.

For travellers on a tailor-made luxury holiday to Madhya Pradesh, combining Maheshwar and Mandu creates an itinerary rich in heritage, atmosphere, and intimacy.

Kolkata, West Bengal: a city with a soul

If Maheshwar is about spirituality and riverside peace, Kolkata is about energy, ideas, and culture. Once the capital of the British Raj, Kolkata remains India’s cultural and intellectual capital—a city of writers, reformers, poets, and filmmakers. For those seeking a luxury cultural holiday in India, Kolkata is a destination that reveals the country’s layered history alongside its vibrant living traditions.

Colonial grandeur and living heritage

Exploring Kolkata on foot is my favourite way to experience its charm. Around Dalhousie Square, the colonial grandeur is unmistakable—the Writers’ Building, once the East India Company’s headquarters; the Governor’s House; and the lesser-known Charnock Mausoleum. The Park Street Cemetery and Victoria Memorial are equally captivating, each holding echoes of the Raj era.

Bengali Renaissance and artistic spirit

In North Kolkata, also known as “Black Town,” you encounter another side of the city. Wealthy Bengali families once built ornate mansions here, and their parallel culture influenced the Bengal Renaissance. Visiting the Marble Palace, with its eccentric collection of art and artefacts, or Tagore’s ancestral home, now a museum, gives real insight into how Kolkata shaped modern India. For those who value exclusive cultural travel in India, private guided tours here can bring alive stories of reform, art, and literature.

Flavours of Kolkata

Food is integral to Kolkata’s identity. I never miss tea and pastries at Flury’s Tea Room, a city institution, or a simple but historic meal at the Star Theatre, once the hub of Bengali theatre. But it is the sweets that Kolkata is truly famous for. My personal favourites are Roshogolla—soft dumplings in light syrup—and Sandesh, a delicate sweet made from fresh cheese. For the most authentic taste, I always recommend visiting K.C. Das, the legendary confectioner credited with perfecting these recipes.

For tea lovers, Kolkata also offers unique opportunities to visit tea auction houses and understand the city’s role in India’s tea trade—an enriching addition to a luxury cultural holiday in India.

Markets, festivals, and photography

For those who enjoy photography or local immersion, the Mullik Ghat flower market at dawn is extraordinary. Later in the day, a visit to Kumartuli, where artisans sculpt clay idols for the Durga Puja festival, is unforgettable. Even outside the festival season, the atmosphere in these workshops is electric. Take a walk through Kolkata with expert local guides for true immersion, trying street food, visiting historic churches or hidden temples, and learning about the colonial history of the city.

Kolkata is not a city for those who seek the polished and predictable; it is a city with depth, grit, and soul. As journalist Vir Sanghvi once wrote: “If you want a city with a soul, come to Calcutta.”