Chennai

This city is synonymous with the Mylapore temples, the Portuguese-built San Thome Basilica, the beachside OMR Road, the rich but ubiquitous filter coffee, rendu idli and oru vada sambhar, and heritage architecture. It is however the sea which gives Chennai more character than anything else. Much nicer than Mumbai’s shoddy beaches, it is possible to spend mornings and evenings strolling Marina Beach, sampling seafood that you can get for very little. You could request a fisherman for a ride on a catamaran, or climb the lighthouse on Beach Road. Overlooking the Bay of Bengal, this lighthouse marks the end of the promenade on the beach.

Inland, the Theosophical Society, headquartered here, has the Huddleston Gardens, ideal for an early morning walk (check for permission). The city also comes to life during cultural festivals such as the one in Mylapore. Come August, the Madras Week will pay tribute to the genesis and formation of the city — through heritage walks, poetry sessions, quizzes, food festival, photo exhibitions and bike tours. And all this can be done for little or no money! But the best part is the December music season and its several free concerts.

Inputs by Sumana Narayanan

Delhi

If you think this city is all about its luxury malls and snazzy pubs, you are mistaken. It is possible to have a good time alone or with company, without spending your month (or even day’s) savings in a 24 hours. So much so that Deutsche Bank has recently declared Delhi one of the cheapest places in the world to go on a date, at $40, versus Zurich, which tops the dating price list at $195 (147 per cent more than a date in Manhattan). We say $40 is too much to spend, when good things can be had for free.

To begin with, Delhi’s various parks are godsend to couples, the artfully placed benches and benevolently looming tombs of Lodhi and Tughlaq patrons give them much-needed privacy. The various college campuses in the city are tiny havens for students (and young adults) with big hearts and empty wallets. If it’s winter, the North Campus area is good to walk around. If you aren’t squeamish, sip ample amounts of banta, or masala nimbu soda sold by vendors from silver-coloured portable refrigerators. The soda comes in greenish-blue bottles with quaint marble stoppers. The bhelpuri outside Hindu College, sold by a laconic man who is a silent legend on campus, is the best. If you are in the mood, you can have a tiny cup of tea for ₹4 at CCD (Chandu Chai ki Dukaan) a few steps away. Stop over next door at Delhi School of Economics for adda under the banyan tree. Walk into the canteen for a ₹30 keema dosa, or a cup of the simple yet delectable jelly-cream (it is exactly how it sounds). Close to Gwyer Hall is the ridge, a walk down which will do your lungs and knowledge of Sepoy Mutiny some good.

The Lodhi art district and Shahpur Jat, sites of street art projects in the last few years, are also beautiful to spend a cool evening. If you are into cultural programmes, or a film and documentary buff, Delhi has many film festivals, dance performances and live music at venues such as the India Habitat Centre, India International Centre, Siri Fort auditorium and Nehru Park, especially in winter. If you would much rather rest, Kunzum in Hauz Khas Village is an art-and-travel themed café. Coffee and yummy cookies are on them, and you can leave whatever money you wish.

Mumbai

The Maximum City is also paisa wasool for those not bereft of romantic imagination. Look beyond its hipster-business cloisters, and there are many locations for some alone time. Mumbai is ideal for the flâneur, with its forts and churches, its Dutch heritage, the Irani cafés that sell cutting chai and bun maska (bun-and-butter). Bandra’s graffiti strewn streets amidst old-style wooden Konkani bungalows, Ballard Estate, the old European business district, the colonial bungalows and heritage buildings such as the grand Victoria Terminus sum up Mumbai’s colonial importance. From the Kamala Nehru Park in Malabar Hill, one can spot the Queen’s Necklace, the quintessential image that lends the city all its beauty. But perhaps, the best thing to discover about Mumbai is the city’s spirit, and we do not mean the camaraderie in crisis, but the charm of everyday interactions — such as the kind outside Bhai’s (Salman Khan) building, the crowd in its dive bars, the juke box music collection in Leopold Cafe, or Mehboob Studios, where you can often discover the latest bands around town. Then there is the Mumbai of start-ups — the city has the most exciting co-working spaces if you are a budding entrepreneur. For instance, as a cat-friendly city, it has a co-working space for feline lovers called the Cat Café Studio in Versova, where you can spend time among creatures both human and feline, and even volunteer your services.

Inputs by Ritika Bhatia

Bengaluru

It doesn’t require much to be happy in Bengaluru if you love trees, even though the locals complain about depleting green cover. Nevertheless, it is still full of huge botanical gardens such as Lalbagh and Cubbon Park, which are the greenest spots in the city, and their motorable roads and chalked-out walking areas make them the perfect spots for some fresh air. If you’re into rock climbing, Lalbagh has a rock that is half as old as the planet. For ₹5, if you are an Indian national, you can take a tour of Tipu Sultan’s summer palace, an architectural marvel in wood. The Freedom Park, earlier a central jail for freedom fighters, has been converted into another park, a portion of which is earmarked for protests. This is where Anna Hazare held his protests against corruption.

If you are an art lover, the NGMA (National Gallery of Modern Art), housed in a restored mansion, is well worth a visit. The walkway near MG Road metro station has the Rangoli Metro Art Centre that hosts exhibitions by young artists. There is a public play area for children next to the galleries. Vasundhara Das, actor and singer, holds a drum jam here on Sundays, and anyone is free to participate.

If you are a skateboarding enthusiast, get your skateboard and visit the Indira Nagar metro station, which has an area dedicated to this. Bannerghatta Biological Park is also within the city limits.

Inputs by Akhila Seetharaman

Jaipur

Pink City is for those who don’t mind a slow pace of life. A haven for art enthusiasts, even the railway station here is covered in folk art murals. In summers take a trip to the old city to drink neera (palm extract before it becomes toddy) for a princely sum of ₹10, and walk around the Hawa Mahal and Johri Bazaar looking for trinkets. During monsoon, cycling enthusiasts can ride up to Samode Palace.

One can also visit the Jawahar Kala Kendra, where the State government has set up free galleries to encourage traditional art forms. Jaipur is also surprisingly good for street food, where the makhaniya lassi, a creamy orgasm-for-your-taste-buds, sets you back by ₹30. A pyaaz kachori at Rawat Mishthaan Bhandaar, Sindhi camp, costs ₹20, and is large enough to be a good lunch. At night, visit Amer Fort to admire the city lights going blink-and-miss, like a circle of stars across the ramparts.

Inputs by Smrithi Chatterjee

Kolkata

Kolkata is perhaps the ideal city if your pocket is empty, but your desire to see the world strong. The people of the city may invite you to a game of carom under the streetlight, but only if you can compete with them. If you are from Kolkata, you will probably scoff at the idea of spending anything to have a good time there, and order a nice laal cha (lemon tea) from the neighbourhood chaiwallah, who will also actively participate in your discussions. With photogenic buildings from the colonial era, jahanjbaaris (ship-shaped buildings) in many residential colonies, old buildings with spiral staircases, and wooden shutters, Kolkata is ideal for street photographers. Kumartuli, or the potters’ colony, where idols are made for Durga Puja, also has a collection of bizarre statues, if you are feeling adventurous about your art. You can visit Jorasanko Thakurbari, Rabindranath Tagore’s old house, which is also a museum. The many museums of Kolkata are not to be missed, and for evenings, there are always boat rides along the Hooghly, bound to excite even the most unromantic.