Like moths to a flame, the Taj Mahal has drawn more than five million visitors to its magnificent marble walls, capturing the hearts and minds of all who lay eyes on it. Busy it may be, but the Taj is every bit as magical as pictures portray, and a tour will leave you speechless. Glinting snow white against a sapphire blue sky, the mausoleum dazzles as the world’s most mesmerising ode to love. When Emperor Shah Jahan’s wife died in childbirth, he is said to have gone grey almost overnight, building the Taj as an everlasting symbol of his devotion. A visit to Agra may focus largely on this UNESCO masterpiece, but consider lingering a little longer in this characterful city. For over half a century it glittered as the capital of the world’s richest empire, and history lovers could spend days hopping around its ancient sites, from Agra Fort and Akbar’s Mausoleum to the white marble tomb of Itmad-Ud-Daulah, nicknamed the Baby Taj.

A long and complex history defines the city of Thanjavur. Over the centuries it’s been home to some of India’s greatest ruling dynasties, including the Cholas, Nayaks, and the Hindu warrior caste of Maratha, known for their mastery of art. The result is a dizzying blend of cultural intrigues, from the maze-like palace to Saraswathi Mahal Library housing 6,000 ancient manuscripts. Today, Thanjavur has all the trappings of a modern Indian metropolis, complete with the kind of chaotic charm you’d expect, but the past is still present and everyday thousands flock to worship at the Cholas' astonishing Brihadishvara Temple. The city is an enclave of art connoisseurs, so over a devara of coffee at one of old school cafes in the bazaars, you might get an invite for a Bharatnatyam recital or quizzed on musical traditions. This is where Carnatic music was born, after all.

Known affectionately as Pondy, this southern, sun-soaked town remained under French colonial rule until 1954 and the culture here has retained a distinctly francophone feel. Think elegant European-style buildings, cafes serving croissants and croque monsieurs and police sporting smart white uniforms complete with gendarme caps. Wander down its peaceful waterfront promenade at dusk to watch waves rolling in off the Arabian Sea, and candyfloss sellers whisking up the fluffy sweet treat from stalls along the beach. And while French cuisine plays a starring role here, creamy South Indian curries are another highlight, with a plethora of high-end restaurants to pick from. A short hop up the coast takes travellers to Chennai, the charismatic capital of Tamil Nadu and a treasure trove of cultural sites, including marshmallow-pink Vivekananda House, once used for meditation by India’s famous ‘wandering monk’.

Butting up against Bangladesh’s western border and running from the Himalayan foothills to the mangroves of the Bay of Bengal, this state packs a serious punch. At its core lies Kolkata, India’s City of Joy and artistic capital, where bohemian millennials sip bullet-strong coffees in independent cafes and the Bengali elite spend their weekends in colonial-era clubs. No visit to the city would be complete without a visit to the Victoria Memorial, one of India's most telling remnants of the British Raj, before driving the ribbons of road north to Darjeeling. Here, in the shadow of Kangchenjunga and the world’s third highest mountain, grand estates sit atop tea-draped hills and hikes crisscross plantations producing some of the world’s finest brews. Meanwhile in the south of the state, the sultry, mangrove-lined waterways of the Sundarbans brim with wildlife, from cormorants and crocodiles to India’s largest concentration of tigers.

From Arambol to Polem, India’s smallest state sweeps down the west coast in an almost uninterrupted swathe of white sand. Bathed in sunshine and backed by palms, the gods certainly smiled on Goa, one reason, perhaps, why you’ll find some of India’s warmest people here. Much like the Danes have hygee, Goan’s have their own outlook — sugesad, meaning simply ‘happiness through laid-back living.’ It’s a motto woven into the very fabric of the state, emanating from locals and rolling off the waves that gently lap its shores. Once an infamous hippie enclave, Goa has shaken off its reputation for cheap booze and beach parties. Smart new boutique hotels and a standout restaurant scene have transformed the area, so order a cocktail, look out across the ocean and let sugesad wash over you.

From Arambol to Polem, India’s smallest state sweeps down the west coast in an almost uninterrupted swathe of white sand. Bathed in sunshine and backed by palms, the gods certainly smiled on Goa, one reason, perhaps, why you’ll find some of India’s warmest people here. Much like the Danes have hygee, Goan’s have their own outlook — sugesad, meaning simply ‘happiness through laid-back living.’ It’s a motto woven into the very fabric of the state, emanating from locals and rolling off the waves that gently lap its shores. Once an infamous hippie enclave, Goa has shaken off its reputation for cheap booze and beach parties. Smart new boutique hotels and a standout restaurant scene have transformed the area, so order a cocktail, look out across the ocean and let sugesad wash over you.

A compelling blend of hidden bays, seductive cities, national parks and a staggeringly beautiful array of ancient sites makes Karnataka a splendid introduction to southern India. Hampi has long captivated all who lay eyes on its collection of intricately sculpted stone ruins, rising from a landscape freckled with granite boulders and cut through by the Tungabhadra River. Spead over 15 miles, and once the capital of one of India’s greatest empires, the site is nothing short of spectacular. Wander through the echoing halls of centuries-old temples, lingering to learn the stories behind the carvings etched so perfectly in the stonework, before lying back in a coracle and letting the river punt you past shrines almost hidden among the rocks lining its shore. The tiny traveller’s enclave of Gokarna, meanwhile, is Goa without the crowds. Soak up the sun in empty coves, eat fish fresh from the ocean and retreat to a suite fit for Raj-era royalty.

To travel across Madhya Pradesh is to taste India’s untamed heartland. This unsung state sometimes flies under radars, to the benefit of travellers wanting to witness the country at its wildest. Here, the looming, pine-crested Satpura Range dissolves into Kanha’s grasslands to the east and the dense forests of Bandhavgarh to the north. There are 11 national parks in Madhya Pradesh, more than any other Indian state, and these pockets of wilderness are fiercely protected, their flora and fauna wonderfully diverse. This is Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle Book personified, where Bengal tigers stalk the shadows, sloth bears amble comically across your path and groups of grey langurs charge through the treetops, chanting their unruly chorus for all to hear.

High in the Himalayas, Ladakh’s arid moonscapes are shrouded in mystery. In this silencing, mountain strewn land, snow dusts peaks so high they seem to pierce the sky, ancient monasteries perch precariously on rocky outcrops and red-robed monks sit serenely in golden halls, chanting sutras and sipping cups of butter tea. A Buddhist ex-kingdom, Ladakh feels more like a little slice of Tibet, marooned in the furthest reaches of Northern India and world’s away from the riotous streets of Rajasthan. All adventures start from the region’s capital, Leh, a beguiling city strung with prayer flags and full of cafes serving steaming bowls of noodle soup. From here, venture into the desert to track snow leopards stalking across silvery plains, watch golden eagles dance in thermal currents, and visit villages where you’ll be welcomed into the fold like family. The Land of High Passes will leave you longing to return.

Slow down to soak up the colours of Kerala. A tropical paradise running for almost 400 miles down India’s west coast, the palette here shifts from lime to emerald, hugged by golden beaches and the cerulean blue waves of the Arabian Sea beyond. For many, this is India at its most serene, a quiet stretch of swaying palms, thick jungle and sprawling tea plantations. And then there are the backwaters. This languid network of waterways teems with tropical birds and the rhythms of local life, and boat trips will reveal grey-headed fish eagles swooping for prey, and people busy at work in rice paddies lining the shore. The state’s cities, too, are as fascinating as they are diverse from compact, culturally complex Trivandrum to the explorer’s enclave of Kochi.

Few cities on earth have the chaotic, yet utterly captivating energy of Delhi. This is a city that pulses with life, and every corner throws up something new. Adventure into the hubbub to witness cows wandering serenely down highways, tuk-tuks weaving their way through traffic, and throngs of colourfully clad locals perusing fruit and vegetables piled high on wooden carts in market squares across the city. And beyond the fascinating glimpse into daily life here, history abounds, from the 14-th century Red Ford to Humayun’s Tomb, which seems to float above its beautiful garden surrounds and is rumoured to have inspired the Taj Mahal. Fabled fine-dining restaurants, awe-inspiring architecture and a buzzing nightlife are just a few more reasons to explore India’s cacophonous capital.

The jewel in India’s crown, Rajasthan is a place of honey-hued landscapes stretching forth beneath a blood-red sun and bursting with ancient history. This is the land of maharajas, where palaces rise majestically above rooftops, temples tell stories of religious ascetics, and leopards pad silently through swaying grasslands. From the romantic, incense-scented markets of Jaipur and the towering desert fortress of Jaisalmer to tiny rural villages where life has walked to the same beat for centuries, Rajasthan enchants. Meet local artisans, taste food spiced with tradition and marvel at the colours, sounds and smells that will envelop you on a journey through the country’s largest state. This is India at its most mesmerising.