Indian Cities For Couples Who Fall in Love With Ruins

If you and your partner share a love for the ruins of history, mark your maps for these cities...

Feb 20, 2026
  • Raja Mahal, Orchha

    Almost all of us have fallen in love with the beautiful architecture of the various cities. The beautiful buildings, the remarkable architecture, the vibe of a carefully structured place but there is something undeniably cinematic and absolutely romantic about a love that unfolds against the backdrop of crumbling arches, weathered stone corridors and palaces that fell silent ages ago. So, if you and your partner bond over forgotten kingdoms, moss-covered fort walls, and stories etched into ruins and sandstone, India is nothing short of a treasure trove. From the royal citadels to the hauntingly beautiful ghost towns, there is something for everyone. 

    You may also like

    But if you are still confused about what cities you should venture into with your significant other, let this be your cheat sheet into the idea of a perfect getaway that includes hand-in-hand exploration through history.


    Indian Cities For Couples Who Love A Story Written in Ruins


    Hampi, Karnataka

    Hampi, Karnataka
    Hampi, Karnataka

    A love among the boulders and broken empires, Hampi in India, captures the poetry of ruins and creates an energy that fits right in for the couples who look for untold stories. Once the flourishing capital of the Vijayanagara Empire, today it stands as a surreal landscape of temple complexes, toppled mandapas, and colossal stone chariots scattered amid dramatic boulder hills. The silence here isn’t just a vacuum; rather, it is layered with echoes of its grand past, making it perfect for couples who find romance in history’s whispers. 


    You can wander through the iconic Vittala Temple complex at sunrise, cycle past ancient aqueducts, or climb Matanga Hill for a golden-hour view that feels almost otherworldly. 


    Fatehpur Sikri, Uttar Pradesh

    Fatehpur Sikri, Uttar Pradesh
    Fatehpur Sikri, Uttar Pradesh

    Built by Emperor Akbar in the 16th century, Fatehpur Sikri is a Mughal love story written in stone. An abandoned city that still feels astonishingly alive, the red sandstone courtyards, towering Buland Darwaza, and intricately carved jalis of Fatehpur Sikri create a setting straight out of an epic romance. It is the kind of place where couples can sit in quiet corners and feel its rich, royal history take over their imagination. You can stroll through its vast complexes that feel intimate despite the scale. 


    Rani ki Vav, Gujarat 

    Rani ki Vav, Gujarat 
    Rani ki Vav, Gujarat 

    A romance beneath the surface of the Earth, Rani ki Vav is for couples whose love story appreciates architectural genius. This UNESCO-listed stepwell in Gujarat is pure magic. Built in the 11th century, Rani ki Vav is an inverted temple, descending layer by layer into the earth.


    Each step reveals intricate carvings and sculpted deities, making the descent feel like uncovering hidden chapters together. 


    Bhangarh Fort, Rajasthan

    Bhangarh Fort, Rajasthan
    Bhangarh Fort, Rajasthan

    If you and your partner love a little adventure and also have a shared love for the other world, Bhangarh fort, with its myths and hauntings, is just the perfect place for you. It offers dramatic ruins framed by the Aravalli hills. Often dubbed India’s most “haunted” fort, it’s less about the legends and more about the stunning, overgrown palace remains and temple clusters.


    Visit during daylight to wander through its atmospheric corridors and crumbling arches. The rugged beauty here makes for incredible photography


    Orchha, Madhya Pradesh 

    Raja Mahal, Orchha, Madhya Pradesh 
    Orchha, Madhya Pradesh 

    Orchha feels like a secret you stumble upon. With its majestic cenotaphs or chhatris rising beside the Betwa River and palaces adorned with fading murals, this town blends serenity with grandeur. You can watch the sunset with your partner or choose to paint the chhatris gold. You can even explore hidden staircases inside Jahangir Mahal or simply sit by the river as the ruins mirror themselves in the water. 


    Golconda Fort, Hyderabad 

    Golconda Fort, Hyderabad 
    Golconda Fort, Hyderabad 

    Perched on a hill in Hyderabad, Golconda Fort offers sprawling ruins with panoramic views echoing its rich history and grandeur. Known for its ingenious acoustic system and diamond trade history, it’s a playground for curious couples and is perfect for those who find magic in stories engraved in stone. You can climb to the top together, test the echo at the Fateh Darwaza, and stay for the light-and-sound show that brings its dramatic past to life.



    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media

    For Manifest to become one of Cambridge Dictionary's most viewed words of 2024 — 1,30,000 hits and counting — it means some of us must have Googled it at least once. I know, I hit that search button over and over again
    because each time I looked at it, I saw a new meaning.

    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media

    Putting together a homegrown title at a time when the demise of print has been long announced may seem surprising...
    ...but it has long been a dream of mine to give India a magazine it deserves. A magazine that is the country.

    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media

    And nothing, absolutely nothing, represents India more than our weddings.It is a time when families are brought together. Traditions come alive as they are adapted to each couple's beliefs. And lives are joined in a way that the romantic in me still enjoys.

    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media

    The fact that it comes with band, baaja and baraat — what's not to love?And that is the reason our first issue celebrates:
    THE NEW BRIDE.

    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media

    If you look at
    'Curate Beautiful, Create Happy'individually, they are powerful but when you put them together, they become a promise. While each section is dedicated to a word, I hope you will see this as your first of many handbooks for happiness.

    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media

    Curate
    Where we give you a fast-paced look into everything you should wish list when you start to think about marriage. What to buy and how to dress, along with modern mithai and the homegrown fragrance makers to bookmark. Make special note of the feature on alta.

    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media

    Beautiful
    It has everything you need to make your wedding special. From the big comeback of red and pink in bridal wear to how the cool kids are wearing corsets to the celebration, there is only one way to get ready for a wedding —with enjoyment.

    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media

    Create
    This section is a building block, a step to a better life. A place where we have all the answers. Or at least the beginning of a great conversation.

    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media

    Happy
    This needs very little description. It has travel with a special focus on incredible India, and a collection of wedding albums, sourced randomly, but collected with abundance because happiness has no limits.

    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media

    This first issue has a lot more, including a carefully edited address book of everything you need to make your wedding perfectly 'gramworthy! But it doesn't stop there. Each issue will be different because each one of you is unique.
    Because we manifested this difference, now we will celebrate you.

    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media