There are some 23 million Christians in India and Christianity ranks third in terms of religious affiliation after Hinduism and Islam. There are Christian congregations in all the major towns of India.

Christians probably arrived in India during the 1st century after the birth of Christ. There is evidence that one of Christ's Apostles, Thomas, reached India in 52 AD, only 20 years after Christ was crucified. He settled in Malabar and then expanded is missionary work to China. It is widely believed that he was martyred in Tamil Nadu on his return to India in 72 AD, and is buried in Mylapore, in the suburbs of modern Chennai.

Kerala was linked directly with the Middle East, when Syrian Christians embarked on a major missionary movement in the 6th century AD. The Thomas Christians have forms of worship that show every strong influence of the Syrian church and they still retain a Syriac order of service.

The third major development took place with the arrival of the Portuguese. The Jesuit St Francis Xavier landed in Goa in 1542 and in 1557 Goa was made an Archbishopic.

Day 1: Arrive Delhi

Arrive Delhi in the late evening. After you have cleared immigration and customs formalities, you are met outside the International Arrivals Hall and transferred to the hotel Overnight at the hotel.

Day 2: In Delhi

After breakfast visit New Delhi. India Gate was built in memory of Indian soldiers killed during the First World War. Rashtrapati Bhawan, built in the early 20th century as the Imperial residence of the Viceroy is today the official residence of the President of India and Parliament House, an unique circular building with huge colonnades, houses the Upper and Lower Houses of Parliament. Close by are the Cathedral Church of the Redemption (1927-35) and the Italianate Roman Catholic Church of the Sacred Heart. One of Delhi’s most striking monuments is the 70-meter high Qutb Minar, which looms majestically across the wide plains of Delhi.

In the afternoon take a tour of Old Delhi which includes a visit to the Red Fort, built in 1648 during the reign of Shah Jehan in red sandstone, which gave the fort its name. Jama Masjid is India's largest mosque, built of red sandstone and white marble in the middle of the 17th century. Chandni Chowk (Silver Street), once the imperial avenue down which Shah Jehan rode at the head of lavish cavalcades, is today bustling with shops, stalls and silversmiths' ateliers. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 3: Delhi To Agra

After breakfast depart on the 4-hour drive to Agra. On arrival in Agra, check in the hotel. In the afternoon visit the red sandstone Agra Fort, which stands like a crescent on the banks of the Jamuna river, enclosed by forbidding 20-meter high walls, with a 12- meter moat between them. Three successive Mughal emperors - Akbar, Jehangir and Shah Jehan - helped create this massive structure which contains both Hindu and Muslim architecture.

The highlight of your trip will be a visit to the Taj Mahal, the greatest monument to love and one of the wonders of the modern world. Completed in 1652, skilled craftsmen from Persia, Turkey, France and Italy and some 20,000 labourers worked for 17 years to build this edifice, constructed by emperor Shah Jehan as a mausoleum for his beloved queen Mumtaz Mahal. Marble was brought from Makrana, near Jodhpur and precious stones of onyx, amethyst, malachite, lapis lazuli, turquoise, jade, crystal and mother of pearl were carried from Persia, Russia, Afghanistan, Tibet, China and the Indian Ocean. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 4: Agra To Delhi, Fly To Chennai

After breakfast depart on the 1-hour drive to Fatehpur Sikri, the deserted sandstone city, which was the glorious but short-lived imperial capital of Akbar, the greatest of Mughal emperors. Lying on a rocky ridge, it is today a haunting complex of empty palaces, forts and mosques. Continue on the 5-hour drive to Delhi airport to board flight IC 801 (1645/1915 hours) to Chennai. You are met on arrival and transferred to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 5: In Chennai

After breakfast visit some of the churches in Chennai. St Thomas was martyred on St. Thomas' Mount and his remains are enshrined in San Thome Church. St. Mary's Church, consecrated in 1680, is the earliest English building surviving intact in India and also the earliest Anglican Church in the East. Two beautiful churches that still have regular services are St. George's Cathedral and St. Andrew's Kirk. The latter is said to resemble St. Martin-in-the-Fields in London and its towering steeples and the strength of the pillars of the facade make it a city landmark. The Armenian Church of the Holy Virgin Mary was built in 1772, though the oldest tombstone in the courtyard dates from 1663. The present church has a separate white belfry with six bells, the largest in Chennai. The Roman Catholic Cathedral St Mary of the Angels was built in 1675. The date 1642 inscribed at the entrance to the church is when the Capuchin monks built their first church in Madras. The Luz Church (1547-82) is probably the oldest church in Chennai. It was built by the Portuguese in honour of Our Lady of Light.

Time permitting, you could explore some of the other parts of the city. The British East India Company established one of its earliest seats of power in India in Madras. The construction of Fort St. George was begun around 1650. Today the old buildings in the fort house the Tamil Nadu Government Secretariat and the Legislative Assembly. The Fort St. George Museum contains some fascinating items belonging to the early days of the East India Company and the colonial period - coins, weapons, pictures and books form part of the collection. One of the most important localities of Madras is the unified complex of Mylapore where the Kapaleswara Shiva temple, the tank, market area and old Brahmin residential houses are situated. Another ancient and important place of worship is the Krishna Patrathasarathy temple. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 6: Chennai To Pondicherry

After breakfast depart on the 166-km (4-hour) drive to Pondicherry. On arrival check in at the hotel. In the afternoon take a tour of Pondicherry. The French Catholic influence is evident in a number of churches. The Jesuit Cathedral Notre Dame de la Conception dates back to 1691. The Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Gothic in style and serene in atmosphere, has three large stained-glass panels that tell the life of Jesus. The Church of Notre Dame des Anges, built around 1865, is a striking structure with twin square towers and houses a rare oil painting gifted by Napoleon III. One of the oldest Christian shrines, the 17th century Chapel of Our Sisters of Cluny, is situated 4 km south at Ariyaankuppam.

Other places of interest include the Raj Nivas, residence of the Lieutenant Governor of Pondicherry, a handsome 200-year old building that was once the residence of the redoubtable Marquis Joseph-Francois Dupleix, the builder of Pondicherry. The Romain Rolland Library has over 60,000 volumes of rare French and English books on its shelves. The Pondicherry Museum has an outstanding collection of artefacts, especially relating to all aspects of the French Indian past and retains a French ambience. The Institute of Indology was established in the mid-1950s and is today an internationally renowned research organisation providing an abiding link between France and India. Ananda Ranga Pillai’s House, architecturally a fusion of the French and Indian styles, is a graceful building, lavishly furnished and decorated, which has been converted into a museum. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 7: Pondicherry To Chennai, Fly To Cochin

After an early breakfast return to Chennai in time to board flight IC 967 (1500/1715 hours) to Cochin. You are met on arrival and transferred to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 8: In Cochin

After breakfast take a tour of the city. Cochin comprising of a cluster of islands and towns, is a living museum. Fort Cochin is believed to be the oldest European settlement in India, with the Portuguese flag first hoisted here in 1500. St Francis Church, built in 1510 by friars brought to India by Vasco da Gama, is the first European church built in India and is the site where da Gama was buried. While the remains were later taken back to Lisbon, the gravestone can still be seen here. The Jewish Synagogue was built in 1568 and considerably embellished in the mid 18th century by Ezekiel Rahabi, who built a clock tower and paved the floor of the synagogue with hand- painted tiles brought all the way from Canton in China. The "Dutch Palace" was built in the 1550s by the Portuguese and taken over by the Dutch, who later presented it to the Rajas of Cochin. The palace contains excellent mythological murals and a rare example of traditional Keralite flooring - a subtle mix of burnt coconut shells, lime, plant juices and eggwhites - which gives the effect of polished marble. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 9: Cochin To Goa

After breakfast the morning is at leisure. Afternoon transfer to the airport for flight IC 575 (1505/1600 hours) to Goa (NOTE: the flight only operates on Mondays and Fridays). You are met on arrival and transferred to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 10: In Goa

After breakfast explore Panaji (Panjim), a former fishing village, which was made the capital of Goa by a decree from Lisbon. It is spread around Altinho, a residential area with Portuguese style bungalows. The dominant structure is the Patriarch's Palace with the statue of Christ the King on its lawns. The Idalcao (Adil Shah's palace), built in 1490, is the oldest monument in Panjim. The Church of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception offers some of the best views of the city. Old Goa, the heartland of Asian Christianity, was once a bustling metropolis but is now in ruins. The beautiful Basilica of Bom Jesus is where the incorruptible body of St Francis Xavier is enshrined in a silver casket. The majestic Se Cathedral, with its booming Golden Bell, is the largest church in Goa. The Chapel of Our Lady of the Rosary (1526) belongs to the earliest period of church building. The Royal Chapel of St Anthony (1543) is dedicated to the national saint of Portugal. The Convent of St Monica (1607-27) is the biggest in Asia. The Church and Convent of St John of God was built in 1685 and abandoned in 1835. The afternoon is at leisure to relax on the beach. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 11: In Goa

After breakfast the full day is at leisure to relax on the beach. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 12: Goa To Mumbai

After breakfast the morning is at leisure. Midday transfer to the airport for flight IC 164 (1415/1515 hours) to Mumbai. You are met on arrival and transferred to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 13: In Mumbai

After breakfast take a tour of the city. From humble obscure beginnings as a set of seven small islands, Bombay (now called Mumbai) has today risen to the eminence of India's most important commercial and industrial centre. The Gateway of India was conceived as a triumphal arch to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary for the Delhi Durbar in 1911. The Prince of Wales Museum, built of blue-grey basalt and yellow sandstone, contains some excellent examples of Indian miniature paintings of the Mughal and Rajasthan Schools, as well as collections of jade and chinaware artefacts. The city has several fine examples of colonial architecture. The Afghan Memorial Church of St John the Baptist was established in 1847 and has Gothic arches and stained-glass windows. The Cathedral Church of St Thomas (1672-1718) has a number of monuments forming a heroic who's who of India. The Clock Tower - now called Rajabai Tower, was based on Giotto's campanile in Florence. The School of Art, built in the late 1800s, is where Rudyard Kipling was born. Crawford Market has bas-reliefs designed by Kipling's father;. The massive Victoria Terminus was built of yellow sandstone and granite combined with polychromatic stones and blue-grey basalt.. Also of interest are the Hanging Gardens on Malabar Hill, from where you get a magnificent panoramic view of the metropolis and the Arabian Sea. Nearby is the All Saints' Church of North India. Another imposing edifice is Christ Church at Byculla and Gloria Church. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 14: Depart Mumbai

After breakfast take a motorboat cruise to Elephanta Island, which lies 10 km across the harbour. It contains a fine cluster of 6th to 8th century rock-cut caves, carved during the Golden Age of the Guptas and inspired by the worship of Lord Shiva. The most outstanding of the beautiful sculptures is the Maheshmurthy or Trimurthi, a 5-meter high three-headed bust hewn from a single rock, representing the three aspects of Shiva - the Creator, the Preserver and the Destroyer.

Check out of the hotel at noon transfer to airport to board flight for your home country.