A travel Guide to Lucknow

Lucknow Tourism

Lucknow, the city of nawabs is a perfect spot for people who love art, architecture, food, and shopping. From seeing the beautiful and grand historical places to tasting the most exotic kebabs and shopping for some exquisite embroidery, Lucknow India has a lot to offer to its visitors. There are so many places to visit and things to do here.

Lucknow tourist attractions offer you glimpses of Awadh and British culture. The city is famous for its rich and diverse culture, its poetry and music, its chikankari embroidery and some mouth-watering dishes. Lucknow tours offer you so many memories that you will go back to your home with your hearts filled and your soul wanting for more.

Places to visit in Lucknow

1. Bara Imambara

Lucknow tourist places consist of many historical places, Bara Imambara is one of them. Considered to be the largest vaulted chamber in the world, its two gateways lead to the central hall. It was built by one of the reputed Awadh, Asaf-ud-Daula. This is a huge complex having a large mosque, a bhul bhulaiya and a shahi baoli. This excellent piece of architecture will give you a closer look of the Awadh culture. Also, if by any chance you happen to solve the bhul bhulaiya and reach the top, you will get to see the most spectacular view of the city.

2. Chota Imambara

Also known as the Imambara Hussainabad Mubarak, this admirable place was built by the third Nawab of Awadh in 1838. Walls filled with detailed Islamic calligraphy, this place is no less than a heaven for an art and architecture lover. Bless your eyes with the chandeliers and lamps brought from Belgium that makes the interior structure even more fascinating. Due to this, this is commonly known as “the palace of lights”. It was originally intended to serve as a gathering place for Shia believers. However, it later became the mausoleum for both the Nawab and his mother.

3. British Residency

As the name suggests, this place was a home for over three thousand Britishers. It was built in the last quarter of the 18th century during the 1857 revolution. The marks of the revolution can still be seen on the walls of this residency. 2000 British soldiers that were killed during the rebellion are buried in its ground. Its gardens and ruins would give you a glimpse of the British Raj. This site is a historical landmark and is surely among the highlights of Lucknow tourist places.

4. Rumi Darwaza

There is nothing that can beat the aesthetic charm of this place. Designed after the Sublime Porte in Istanbul, this gate is commonly known as the “Turkish Gate”. It was constructed in the year 1784 by Nawab Asaf-ud-Daul. Generally used as the logo of Lucknow city, this gate stands 60 feet tall. It is beautifully decorated with carved flowers and detailed designs. Rumi Darwaza was built under the “food for work” program to sustain the city from the ongoing famine. It represents the marvellous architecture of Awadhs and shows us their intricacies, used in their culture. There is no supplementary iron or wood in the structure but it stands still to date.

5. Ambedkar Park

Till now we have seen, every Lucknow attraction does have a purpose behind it. Similarly, this vibrant park was built to honour several social reformers like Dr B. R. Ambedkar, Kanshi Ram, Narayan Guru who fought for equality and social justice. The things worth looking at here are Pratibimb Sthala with statues of 62 elephants, Ambedkar Stupa, Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Samajik Parivartan Gallery, and the museum along with others.

Things to do in Lucknow

You might have gotten an idea of what things you can include in your Lucknow tourism but let’s just make it easier for you.

Learn about the cosmos at Indira Gandhi Planetarium.

The most unique element of this place is its architecture. It resembles the mysterious planet, Saturn with its outer rings. Built-in the year 2003, this stunning structure is located at Suraj Kund Park near the river Gomti. The whole complex is air-conditioned with a state-of-the-art projection system installed. This experience would not be exactly similar to the real outer space, but it would be no less. It is quite a famous place among the tourists as well as the young people of the city. The planetarium opens from 10 am to 5 pm and conducts screenings and shows regularly at various times throughout the day. This is the perfect thing to do in Lucknow if you love science and astronomy.

Shop at the Lucknowi markets

Your Lucknow travel guide would be incomplete without this activity. The more you explore the city’s markets, the more you are going to love it. There are various markets in Lucknow with their own specialities. Hazratganj is known for its wonderfully smelling ittars and you would surely not want to miss that. At Aminabad, you can find suits, sarees, lehengas, and various items of home decor to bring back. For the Chikankari Kurtis and the quirky Nagra footwears, check out the chowk near Bara Imambara. Shopping at Janpath market would bring out the shopaholic in you without burning a hole in your pocket.

Indulge in the yummiest food

After doing all the shopping and sightseeing, you would be screaming for some delicious food. On that note, we have the perfect activity lined up for you. This city of nawabs will bring out the foodie in you. Tundey, Karori and Galouti kebabs would give you a taste of Lucknow. You can complement the taste of these kebabs with rumali roti and sheermal. This Lucknowi delicacy will melt in your mouth. Aminabad, Hazratganj, and Chowk would be some places to look out for these stalls.

Best time to visit Lucknow

The months between September to March would be the best time to visit Lucknow due to the pleasant weather condition. Being located in a plain region, the winter season would be the best season to visit Lucknow. The summer is quite hot and the monsoon would not let you explore the city with all its charm. Winter provides an ideal environment for the exploration of this city of Awadh. Also, booking your flights and hotels beforehand is a good idea to avoid any kind of rush.

How to reach Lucknow?

Lucknow, being the capital of Uttar Pradesh is well connected with every mode of transport. Wondering about how to reach Lucknow? Keep reading!

By Roadways: If Lucknow is not far from your city, travelling by bus would be a good option. You can easily get a bus from Delhi, Agra, Varanasi, and Kanpur. You can also find many affordable Hotels in Lucknow near the bus stop.

By Railways: Lucknow has two railway stations, Lucknow Jn and Charbagh Railway Station, that connect it to the rest of the country conveniently. Regular trains from the major cities like Delhi, Kolkata, Patna, and Chennai to Lucknow are easily available.

By Airways: Choudhary Charan Singh airport or popularly known as Lucknow airport is situated at Amausi and is 15 km away from the city centre. Flights to Lucknow are frequently available from the major cities of India.