Mumbai, Goa and Rajasthan A grand culinary journey around India

“You have to accept the cow’s kicks just as you accept its milk and butter.” If this Hindu proverb is to be believed, you have to suffer in order to enjoy yourself. In any case, that is not the spirit of this trip, which we want to be fulfilling, but above all a delight for the senses. To achieve this, we have designed a bold itinerary that takes you from northern India to the coastal region of Goa in fifteen days, passing through the mythical Rajasthan. Along the way, you will meet producers, vendors, artisans, cooks and delivery people. These women and men who bring India to life and make it pulse with energy every day. With our senses on alert, we become acquainted with the places and their historical, culinary, and architectural heritage - with the spices that make Indian cuisine one of the most distinctive in the world, and with an ambiance that permeates ancient stones, rivers, paddy fields, palaces and temples. You land in Delhi, a vibrant capital divided in two. New Delhi, created by the British in the 1930s, is a district with wide avenues and well-kept gardens, a testament to former colonial power. Old Delhi, with its incessant bustle, is home to the picturesque markets of Chandni Chowk, Chawri Bazar and Phool Mandi (flower market), where thousands of people gather every day to buy fruit, spices, meat, kitchen utensils or rose petals. We then head towards Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh and the birthplace of Awadhi cuisine. A cuisine reminiscent of those of Kashmir, Persia and Punjab, focusing on cardamom, saffron and slow cooked food. Next stop: Hyderabad, an elegant city founded in the 16th century by aesthete princes, renowned for its diamonds and its own version of Silicon Valley. A new quick flight allows you to experience a completely different India - coastal, and lusitanian: Goa. This former Portuguese colony stands out for its remarkable architectural heritage - the Sé Cathedral, the Basilica of Bom Jesus - and its unique, gentle way of life. The streets are filled with the scent of spices grown in the surrounding area and fish, cooked here in every possible way. We travel by train to Mumbai for the aromatic grand finale of the trip. We hurry along the trail of the British colonists at the High Court, then on to Crawford Market, a late 19th-century covered market whose stalls overflow with spices, vegetables, jewellery and more… Just a few steps away, around the old “Victoria” station, the dabbawalas - meal couriers dressed in white - are getting ready to feed part of the metropolis.

Your trip

Well, what a journey! Five cities in two weeks is ambitious, but rest assured, you will not feel as though you are rushing. Nor will you spend all your time travelling from one place to another. Your trips are optimised from A to Z: private vehicles with drivers almost everywhere, and short domestic flights when necessary. Between Goa and Mumbai, you will also enjoy the authentic experience of travelling in a train made inIndia. You certainly won't be bored, as your schedule is punctuated by a variety of fascinating visits and enriching encounters: from gourmet walks in Delhi, Lucknow and Hyderabad where you set out in search of the secrets of biryani, the country's emblematic dish, and where you can also take part in the veryBritish ritual of High Tea. There are plenty of opportunities to visit markets, shops and street food stalls - and, of course, to try everything. In Goa, you spend a day joyfully wandering from temples to spice plantations. Finally, in Mumbai, we have planned a unique activity that immerses you in the daily life of the city: you will follow in the footsteps of a lunchbox delivery person, known as a dabbawala, during their route. Each time, you are accompanied by a private guide who sheds light on what is worth seeing and creates that precious connection with artisans, producers and vendors. As for your accommodation, it reflects the trip itself: varied and full of charm. Contemporary and elegant hotel, Art Deco building with a pool, high-end property with a spa, intimate villa with exuberant gardens, former colonial mouse. The recipe for a unique trip, throughout which you can rely on the assistance of our on-site Concierge, available to handle unexpected situations and last-minute requests, book a restaurant, or answer any questions you may have.

On the menu

Curries, of course: chickpea (chole bhatura),paneer (cheese that doesn’t melt), mutton or goat (laal maas); lentil dhal; meat cooked in a tandoor oven; murgh makhani, chicken prepared in a rich sauce made with butter, onion, and yogurt; besan gatte ki sabzi, chickpea flour dumplings cooked in a thick tomato-based sauce; kachori, fritters filled with lentils or onions, usually served with chutney; sorpotel, brought to Goa by the Portuguese, who themselves brought it from Brazil where it was cooked by African slaves—a dish of pork meat and offal cooked in a tangy, spicy sauce; pork vindaloo, meat curry marinated beforehand in palm vinegar and garlic; gongura pickles, tangy sorrel leaves; kismur, a salad of dried fish and coconut; missi roti, a spiced flatbread (notably with fenugreek); churma ladoo, small fried balls made from wheat flour, ghee, and cardamom; gulab jamun, dumplings made with curdled milk soaked in rosewater and saffron syrup; bebinca, a cake made of several sweet layers with jaggery; kheer, rice pudding flavoured with cardamom and topped with raisins, pistachios, and cashews; ghewar, a festive pastry made from ghee, sugar, flour, and syrup, often drizzled with condensed milk.