Lucknow
Awadh's capital of etiquette and appetite — vaulted imambaras raised as famine relief, kebabs pounded soft as folklore, and the ruined Residency where the empire turned.
1722
Awadh's nawabs
Saadat Khan founds the dynasty.
1784
Famine relief
The Bara Imambara rises as a public work.
1857
The siege
The Residency is besieged for nearly five months.
1916
The Lucknow Pact
Congress and the League agree, briefly.
3 days in Lucknow
Day 1 — Husainabad
- Morning
- The Bara Imambara at opening: Asaf-ud-Daula's 1784 vaulted hall, the bhulbhulaiya maze in the roof, the stepwell (baoli) and the Asfi Mosque.Bara Imambara
- Lunch
- Kulcha-nihari at Rahim's near Akbari Gate, then sheermal from the bakers in the same lane.Rahim's
- Afternoon
- Through Rumi Darwaza to the Chota Imambara's chandeliers and mirrored hall, the Husainabad Clock Tower, and the Picture Gallery's portraits of the nawabs.Rumi Darwaza · Chota Imambara · Husainabad Picture Gallery
- Dinner
- Galouti kebabs on paratha at Tunday Kababi's original shop at Akbari Gate in Chowk.Tunday Kababi
- Evening
- Rumi Darwaza and the Clock Tower lit up after dark, then a walk through the Husainabad lanes.
Good to knowOne ticket covers the Bara Imambara, Chota Imambara and Picture Gallery. Hire an authorized guide for the maze. Many monuments and museums close on Mondays, so check before planning this day.
Day 2 — Chowk and the old city
- Morning
- A morning walk through Chowk: chikan embroiderers, attar sellers, kite shops and the 1660s Teele Wali Masjid, ending at the Gomti and Lal Pul.Chowk heritage walk
- Lunch
- Mutton biryani at Idris in Chowk, or kebabs at Mubeen's.Idris ki Biryani · Mubeen's
- Afternoon
- Malai gilori at Ram Asrey, open since 1805, then shopping for chikankari in the Chowk workshops.Ram Asrey Sweets
- Dinner
- Awadhi dishes at Dastarkhwan near Lalbagh.Dastarkhwan
- Evening
- A ghazal or qawwali evening, or the lit-up lanes of Chowk.
Good to knowChowk lanes are narrow, so walk or take a cycle-rickshaw. In winter, look for makhan malai — saffron milk froth sold in the mornings only between November and February.
Day 3 — The Residency and Qaisarbagh
- Morning
- The Residency ruins and their museum, shell scars still in the brick from the 1857 siege, with the cemetery where Henry Lawrence is buried.The Residency
- Lunch
- Bun-makhan and tea at Sharma Tea Stall in Lalbagh, or basket chaat at Royal Cafe in Hazratganj.Sharma Tea Stall · Royal Cafe
- Afternoon
- The Kalka-Bindadin ki Dyodhi Kathak museum in Wazirganj, then the Qaisarbagh palace quarter and the Shah Najaf Imambara.Kalka-Bindadin ki Dyodhi · Shah Najaf Imambara
- Dinner
- Kebabs and biryani at Wahid in Aminabad.Wahid Biryani
- Evening
- Prakash Kulfi's falooda kulfi in Aminabad, then the Aminabad bazaar's evening crowds.Prakash Kulfi · Aminabad bazaar
Good to knowThe Residency and the Kathak museum close on Mondays. The Kathak museum does not allow photography.