Located on the banks of Gomti River, Lucknow is the city of Nawabs. The people here are known for their hospitality and gentle manners. Most of the old Nawabi and colonial structures have gone to seed as Lucknow reinvented itself as the state capital of Uttar Pradesh. However, the city retains its charm as a bastion of cultural and culinary delights.

A day-tour is all that is required to see the local attractions-the Charbagh railway station building, Bada Imambara, Chhota Imambara, Picture Gallery, Jumma Masjid, Shah Najaf Imambara, zoo and state museum. The star attraction is the "Bhulbhulaiya" in the Bada Imambara. It is a network of labyrinthine passages, some of which have dead-ends, some end at precipitous drops while others lead to entrance or exit points. An "approved" guide is your best bet if you want a tour of the secret labyrinth and want to avoid being fleeced by unscrupulous guides.

The Residency is the ruined quarters of the British administrators who fled the place during the Sepoy Mutiny.

You can buy the 'chikan' embroidered dress materials, typical of Lucknow. Almost all eateries and restaurants claim some link with the Nawabi kitchen and dish out almost similar fare. Try the eateries at Hazratganj and Aminabad for some near-authentic Lucknowi cuisine.

How to go : Lucknow is easily approached by road, rail and air from all major cities of India. The Amausi airport is 15 km away from the city. There are two major bus stations-Charbagh (from where buses depart for kanpur, Allahabad,Varanasi, Agra etc) and Kaiserbagh (from where buses depart for Delhi, Gorokhpur, Faizabad etc). There are also two train stations-trains running between kolkata and New Delhi pass through Charbagh stations while the rest pass through Lucknow Junction.

Accomodation : Uttar Pradesh Tourism Dev. Corpn. runs the 3 star Hotel Gomti (Tel No. : 2214708, 2214284); E-mail: gomtiupt@sancharnet.in). Some of the top-end hotels are Carlton (Tel No: 2224021),Arif Castles (E-mail : arifind@lw1.vsnl.net.in), Hotel Clarks Avadh (Tel : 2216500).

Best Season: November to March.

STD Code: 0522