Culture vultures

For those mother-daughter duos who enjoy a good dose of culture, the laidback former French colony of Pondicherry is the perfect place to get away to. Explore the small sea-side city at a languid pace—unlike most Indian cities, this one is best discovered on foot. Seamlessly blending two distinct cultures—French and Tamil—Pondicherry is divided into two quarters. Spend some time at the Sri Aurobindo ashram, walk across to the Manakula Vinayagar Koil to visit the Ganesha temple, admire the quaint French style villas lining the streets, binge on their unique Franco-Tamilian cuisine, and save a day to make a trip to Auroville.