Lucknow

Lucknow


Tourism in Lucknow

Lucknow is known all over the world for the tehjeeb or the courteous behaviour of its people. It is a rare city. Few places in the world are endowed with such rich cultural traditions, as is this romantic city of the nawabs. Whether it is history, architecture, music, dance, handicrafts, etiquette, or sports, Lucknow has its own story to tell.

History of Lucknow

Surprisingly, the story of Lucknow began not so very long ago. Though the city traces its origin to the Suryavanshi dynasty of Ayodhya in ancient times, and derives its name from Lakshmana (the brother of Lord Rama), Lucknow actually came into prominence during the 18th century. In 1732, Muhammad Shah, one of the later kings of the once-powerful Mughal dynasty, appointed Mohammed Amir Saadat Khan, a Persian adventurer of noble lineage, to the viceroyalty of the area known as Avadh, of which Lucknow was a part. Saadat Khan was the founder of the famous dynasty known as the Nawab Wazirs-a dynasty that changed the face of this hitherto little-known place. Under his successors, Lucknow flowered as never before and all but became the cultural nerve center of northern India. The rapid growth of Lucknow dates from 1755 when the fourth Nawab, Asaf-ud-Daula, transferred the capital of Avadh from Faizabad to Lucknow and set about gifting to the city some of its most splendid architectural marvels, a tradition that was sustained by this successors. During this period, Lucknow also established its prominent place in the field of poetry, music, and dance. A colorful local culture, incorporating fairs and festivals, also flourished alongside. But what really set Lucknow apart from others was a certain elegance and grace of lifestyle.

Best Time to Visit in Lucknow

The ‘City of Nawabs’, Lucknow is a sheer delight during all round the year but the best time to visit Lucknow is between the months of October and March. This is peak season as the weather condition is very pleasant with slightly sunny days and cold nights. This time is ideal for sightseeing and relishing sumptuous delicacies of Lucknow cuisine. Rain during the monsoon months of July and September might play spoil sport. From March to June, it is the summer season and the heat is extreme with temperature raising to as high as 45 degree Celsius. Avoid a trip to Lucknow during this time.

How to Reach In Lucknow

BY AIR

Lucknow is connected by daily flight from major towns and cities of India.

BY RAIL

Some well-known trains-Gomti Express (New Delhi to Lucknow), Neelachal Express (New Delhi to Puri), Vaishali Express (New Delhi to Barauni), Ganga-Jamuna Express (New Delhi to Lucknow), Sabarmati Express (Ahmedabad to Varanasi), and Avadh Assam Express (Guwahati to New Delhi)-connect Lucknow to the rest of India.

BY ROAD

Lucknow is also well connected to other cities of the country by road. The distances to some nearby cities are as follows: Delhi, 499 km; Jhansi, 340 km; Srinagar, 1394 km; Varanasi, 319 km.

Shopping in Lucknow

The good thing about the shopping places in Lucknow is that all of these places together offer a wide variety of stuff to buy for the visitors. So, the shopaholic traveller can actually expect to get anything in this place, right from clothes to embroidery to jewellery to books. In short, the city of Lucknow is no less than a paradise for those who like shopping. Some of the best places to go shopping in Lucknow include Alambagh Market, Nakhas Market, Chowk, Janpath Market, and Aminabad among other places.

Best Things To Do in Lucknow

Lucknow is the capital of Uttar Pradesh and the architectural hub of Northern India. The skyline is crowded with buildings that showcase a fascinating range of ancient styles, most of which date back to Mughal or British rule. The city itself is famous for many aspects of its rich culture, from music, poetry, and embroidery to technology, finance and pharmaceuticals. From those rich roots, we’ve dug up the top 10 sights and things to do in Lucknow.