Indian Towns With A European Vibe

10 places where history, culture and architecture transport you straight to Europe, without leaving India.

Feature Created and Presented by Hemantkumar Shivsharan

Puducherry
French quarter with pastel-colored colonial villas, bougainvillea-lined streets and cafés.
Seafront promenade and Auroville add to the European charm.

Pic: Kind courtesy Pinakpani/Wikimedia Commons

Panjim, Fontainhas
Fontainhas, Panjim's Latin quarter, has narrow streets, tiled roofs, vibrant Portuguese-style houses.
Old Goa is dotted with grand baroque churches and convents reminiscent of Lisbon.

Pic: Kind courtesy urbzoo/Wikimedia Commons

Fort Koch
Dutch and Portuguese mansions, a Jewish synagogue and streets like a European settlement.
Cafes, art galleries and colonial bungalows add to the charm.

Pic: Kind courtesy BgbwikiV4/Wikimedia Commons

Chandannagar
Riverside town in West Bengal with French-style churches, promenades and colonial villas.

Pics: Kind courtesy Go-Myanmar and Kinjal bose 78/Wikimedia Commons

Tharangambadi/Tranquebar
The Danish settlement in Tamil Nadu has Fort Dansborg, churches and colonial houses right by the sea.

Pics: Kind courtesy Anonymous0006/Wikimedia Commons

Shimla
Once the summer capital of the British Raj.
Gothic churches, Tudor-style cottages and Mall Road echo an English town.

Pics: Kind courtesy ShashankSharma2511/Wikimedia Commons

Darjeeling
Tea estates, toy train, colonial clubs and heritage schools make it feel like a little English town.

Pics: Kind courtesy Amitabha Gupta/Wikimedia Commons

Kasauli
A quaint British hill cantonment town with cobbled paths, colonial churches and pine-covered hills.
Christ Church and bungalows mirror English countryside vibes.

Pics: Kind courtesy Harvinder Chandigarh/Wikimedia Commons

Landour
Located next to Mussoorie but quieter.
Stone cottages, pine forests and St Paul's church have a Scottish-English look.

Pics: Kind courtesy Paul Hamilton/Wikimedia Commons

Diu
Seaside fort, churches and pastel-colored villas resemble a Mediterranean town.

Pics: Kind courtesy Vijay Bhadani/Wikimedia Commons
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