Lucknow gets much of its present character from its long history under the Muslim Nawabs of Oudh. Originally from Persia, these Mughal rulers were the original bon viveurs: famously extravagant; lovers of poetry, music and dance; builders of elaborate tombs and enjoyers of general splendor. Today, the city is about 70% Hindu and 26% Muslim, but it retains a distinctly Islamic flavor — thanks to them. The Bara Imambara is one of the more impressive of their bequests: a tomb complex with one of the largest vaulted halls in the world and a mysterious labyrinth of corridors leading to rooftop balconies. Chota Imambara is another, with its twin replicas of the Taj Mahal and its purple interiors festooned with colored chandeliers. The people-watching is as compelling as the architecture, with sufi singers, fruit sellers, chaiwallahs on bicycles and couples taking romantic photos.

Though the nawabs gave the city its flavor, a more recent episode in its history overshadows the rest: the Siege of Lucknow. Enraged by the exile of the last Nawab of Oudh and annexation by the British East India Company, mutinous sepoys trapped the British Commissioner Sir Henry Lawrence and 3,000 others inside the British Residency for four and a half months. Fighting was bitter, and fewer than a third of the besieged survived. Today, the compound is preserved as it was when the siege ended, pitted and pockmarked by bullets and cannonballs, echoing with the stories of its former residents.

Even without all this history, we’d still recommend Lucknow. For a start, the food is outstanding — even for India. Mention Lucknow to any Indian anywhere and their first words will be Tunday kebab: a melt-in-the-mouth sensation purportedly concocted for a toothless nawab. Then there are the traditional crafts: delicate chikan embroidery and musky attar perfumes, both of which can be found in the atmospheric old town markets.

Most importantly of all, there’s just an atmosphere to this place. Chilled-out and friendly, but also clean and well organized, with an excellent metro system and brilliant guided walks. It’s a really easy place to fall in love with.