Amritsar

Most visitors to Amritsar in northern India will want to focus their travels on the labyrinthine conglomeration of tight-knit lanes and alleyways that forms the heart of the old city. This is where the glistening Golden Temple can be found shimmering above the waters of the Amrit Sarovar; the holiest pilgrimage destination for Sikhs the subcontinent over. Having paid your respects at the Harmandir Sahib, stop by for a free meal in the Guru-ka-langar, or head upstairs to the Central Sikh Museum to view the macabre portraiture of the religion’s zealous martyrs. A short walk from there is the sobering Jallianwala Bagh, the site of the 1919 massacre and honorific memorial to Indian suffering under the British Raj. Afterwards, be sure to quiz your Amritsar tourist guide about the old town’s other worthy sights (dominated by temples and gurdwaras), which are generally concealed between the steamy Punjabi eateries and bustling trinket bazaars. A crossover to the modern side unveils busy malls, hotels and affluent residential neighbourhoods that speak volumes of the affluence of the present populace. Away from the city’s congesting traffic, don’t miss a visit to the nearby border crossing at Wagah, where Indian and Pakistani troops conduct their evening rituals of retreat.