Agra Tour and Travel Guide Tour and Travel Guide

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Brief Summary about Agra: Agra, City of Taj! Agra is one of the most visited cities in India. It is situated on the bank of Yamuna River, Northern part of India and one of the major cities of Uttar Pradesh State of India. Agra is most famous for one of the Seven Wonders of the World, called “Taj Mahal”.

Agra is the personification of the Mughal era, which is symbolized by many architectural and historical monuments. The epitome of royal decorum, impressive architecture and rich culture – this city excites each and every tourist coming here from different parts of the world. Agra is one of the prominent cities in India’s very famous tourist circuit Golden Triangle that also include Delhi and Jaipur. 

Agra has its history related with Lord Krishan (9th incarnation of Lord Vishnu one of the trinity God of Hindusim) and Mahabharat, the epic of India and Hindu. It was known as Agraban. The present Agra was reconstructed by Sikandra Lodi in 1505 B.C. Sikandra Lodi shifted his capital from Delhi to Agra. Then the city was captured by Babur, 01st Mughal Empror and founder of Mughal dynasty in India after defeating Sikandra Lodi in 1st battle of Panipat in 1526 B.C. Agra was then capital of Mughal dynasty till 1638, when 5th Mughal empror Shah Jahan (King who built the Taj Mahal) shifted the capital to Delhi. 

 

Popular Places to visit in Agra

Taj Mahal

This beautiful monument was constructed in between 1632-1654 A.D by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in the memory of wife Mumtaz Mahal. Made up of white marble, Taj Mahal is a wonderful representation of sheer elegance and purity. It is considered as one of the best examples of Mughal architecture and widely acknowledged as ‘The jewel of Muslim art in India’.

Important Note: Taj Mahal remains closed on every Fridays.

Entry Timing of Taj Mahal: Sunrise to Sunset

Entrance Charges of Taj Mahal:

  • For Indian Nationals with Bhutan & Maldives – INR 250

  • For Foreign Nationals: INR 1300

  • For SAARC & BIMSTEC Nations Citizens : INR 740

  • Entry Below (Children Below Age 15): Free

Red Fort / Agra Fort

Agra Fort is also known by many names, such as “Lal-Qila” or “Qila-i-Akbari”, which is one of the main highlights of Agra. It was constructed by Mughal emperor Akbar in 1565 A.D. and made up of red sandstone. Agra Fort is listed as a UNESCO world heritage site and houses many buildings, such as Musanman Burj, Moti Mahal and many others.

Entry Timing of Agra Fort: Sunrise to Sunset

Entrance Charges of Agra Fort:

  • For Indian Nationals with Bhutan & Maldives: INR 40

  • For Foreign Nationals: INR 600

  • For SAARC & BIMSTEC Nations Citizens: INR 60

  • Entry Below (Children Below Age 15): Free

Itimad-ud-Daulah (Baby Taj)

This monument is a Mughal mausoleum, which was commissioned by Nur Jahan, the wife of Jahangir, in the memory of her father Mirza Ghiyas Beg. This tomb was constructed between 1622 – 1628 and made up of red sandstone along with marble decorations. The walls of this monument are encrusted with semi-precious stone decorations, such as topaz, Onyx, Lazuli, Jasper and cornelian into pictures of wine bottles and cypress trees.

Entry Timing of Itmad-Ud-duallah: Sunrise to Sunset

Entrance ticket of Itmad-Ud-duallah:

  • For Indian Nationals:  INR 40

  • For Foreign Nationals: INR 310

  • For SAARC & BIMSTEC Nations Citizens: INR 210

  • Entry Below (Children Below Age 15): Free

Mehtab Bagh (Taj View Point)

Mehtab Bagh (Taj View Point): Mehtab Bagh which literally mean Moonlight Garden. It was last among the 11 gardens built by 1st Mughal King Babur in 1530. It was built on Charbagh (Four Garden) Pattern, Persian style of Garden. Mehtab bagh is situated on the opposite bank of the Yamuna river from the iconic Taj Mahal. Its lpcation makes the Mehtab Bagh a perfect place to admire the beauty of Taj Mahal. As it is less crowded and peaceful place to sit around and enjoy the view of Taj Mahal with sunrise or sunset. This is also very perfect place for Photographers and romantic couples.

In the 17th Century  a French Tarveller write about the Mehtab Bagh that 5th Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan (Kind who built Taj Mahal), wanted to build Black Taj Mahal, but before that he was imprisoned by his own son Aurangzeb.

Entry Timing of Mehtab Bagh: Sunrise to Sunset

Entrance ticket of Mahtab Bagh:

  • For Indian Nationals: INR 50

  • For Foreign Nationals: INR 300

  • For SAARC & BIMSTEC Nations Citizens: INR 50

  • Entry Below (Children Below Age 15): Free

Akbar's Tomb

Akbar’s Tomb, also known as Akbar’s Mausoleum, is a magnificent architectural masterpiece located in Sikandra, Agra, India. Akbar himself constructed the building. This is only mausoleum in Mughal Empire which was built by the King himself. It is built in Red Sand stone and in Persian, Mughal and Indian architecture style. The Tomb of Akbar is situated little outside of the city center with half an hour drive. It is one the way to Delhi from Agra.

Entry Timing of Akbar’s Tomb: Sunrise to Sunset

Entry Ticket for Tomb:   

  • For Indian Nationals: INR 30

  • For Foreign Nationals: INR 310

  • For SAARC & BIMSTEC Nations Citizens: INR 30

  • Entry Below (Children Below Age 15): Free

Things to do in Agra :

How to reach: Agra has good connectivity through Air, Train and Road with other cities if India.

Airport: Airport of Agra is called Kheria Airport. It was originally Indian Air force Station which is one of the major Air base of India. Later they started scheduled flight for some of Major Cities of India. Now Kheria Airport Agra has flight for Delhi, Ahmadabad, Mumbai and Bengaluru. Also have flight to Varanasi once in a week.

Railway Station: Agra is well connected with all part of India through rail network. Agra have majorly more than 6 railway station, but they major Railway Station is Agra Cantt. All the important train like Gatiman Express (Fastest Train of India), Shatabdi Express, Rajdhani Express is connected with this Agra Cantt railway station.

Road: Agra is well connected through Road as it is junction of many Highways and 2 major Expressways. It is connected with Delhi, capital city of India through Yamuna Expressway. Lucknow with Agra Lucknow Expressway. The Major cities near Agra as below with distance and approximate travel times.

  • Delhi: – 210kms // Approx2:30hrs
  • Jaipur: – 70kms // Approx4:30hrs     
  • Bharatpur: – 56kms // Approx1hr
  • Mathura: –  57kms // Approx1hrs
  • Vrindavan: – 70kms // Approx1:30hrs
  • Ranthambhore: – 280kms // Approx5hrs
  • Lucknow: – 335kms // Approx4:30hrs
  • Gwalior: – 120kms // Approx1:30hrs
  • Jhansi: – 230kms // Approx4:30hrs
  • Orchha: – 253kms // Approx4:45hrs
  • Fatehpur Sikri: – 40kms // 40mins

Best time to visit: If you are planning to visit Agra during your trip to India. Best time to visit to Agra is winter which is from October till March end. As it is very pleasant temperature with sunny days. Agra majorly has 3 seasons, winter, summer and Monsoon.

Winter (October to March): – winter is from October till March ends. The average temperature is from 08 to 25 degree Celsius with good sunny days. As Agra is situated on the bank of Yamuna river, thus during peak winter season, morning are every foggy.

Summer (April to June): – summer in Agra is from mid-April to June end. During this time temperature is from 25 to 48 degree Celsius. People coming out of India like European or Americans whom are not familiar with this hot temperature, are advised to avoid travelling to India during these months. As with high temperature people suffer from western heat waves.  If you have to travel to Agra during these months, you should carry enough of water, suns cream, sunglasses and umbrella while moving around.  Also wear the clothes that cover your full body.

Monsoon (July to September): – Agra experiences monsoon rains from July to September. While the rain brings relief from the scorching heat, but it can cause humidity. The Taj Mahal can look particularly beautiful after a rainfall, with the marble reflecting the rain-washed surroundings, but be prepared for some inconvenience due to wet conditions.

Places can visit during One day tour from Agra

    1. Fatehpur Sikri
    2. Ghana Bird Sanctuary Bharatpur
    3. Wildlife SOS and Elephant rescue Centre
    4. Gwalior
    5. Delhi
    6. Abhaneri Stepwells

Shopping:

  • Marble Handicrafts: Successive generations of original craftsmen of Taj Mahal are still living in the Agra and doing same art of inlay work with same technique and tools. As Taj Mahal is made of Marble and famous for its inlay work as precious and semi-precious stones are inlayed in marble. They made tabletops, show pieces, boxes etc. in all sizes from very small to very big are available with easy shipping to any country. So this is must visit places to shopping in Agra.
  • Leather Shoes and Bags: Agra is very famous for Leather Industries and specially Leather Shoes and Leather Bags. So if you are in Agra, you can also buy these items from there.
  • Carpets and rugs: As Agra was the capital of Mughals and they were known for their lavish and luxury lifestyle. As all the Mughal emperors were very fond of beautiful handmade carpets. Thus, keep the art alive so far there are many Carpet Industries in Agra. So you expect very beautiful Carpets from there.
  • Places to Eat and stay: As Agra is one of the most visited city by tourists from all over the globe, there are many options to Stay and eat in all category like from very cheap to very expensive. Below we are suggesting some places to stay in different categories.

 

Places to Stay in Agra:

5 Star Hotels 4 Star Hotels 3 Star Hotels Home Stay
Oberoi AmarvilasCrystal Sarovar PreimiereAtulya TajThe Coral Green
Taj View by IHCL SeleqtionsGrand ImperialTaj VillasSuperinn
Taj Hotel & Coventionla CentreHoliday InnThe AlleviateVillage Homestay
ITC MughalHoward Plaza by FernUtkarsh Vilas 
Trident by OberoiMansingh PalaceTaj Haveli 
Clarks ShirazRamada Plaza  
Double Tree by Hilton   
Courtyard by Mariott   
Jaypee Palace   

Places to eat in Agra: Agra is very famous for its food. As there are so many options of veg and non-veg. Mughlai food is special part of food in Agra. In order to help you to choose at right place for better experience. We are sharing name of some famous and best place to eat in Agra.

  • Peshawri (ITC Mughal, A Luxury Collection Hotel): Known for its authentic North-West Frontier cuisine, Peshawri offers a range of flavorful kebabs and Indian breads. From writer’s personal experience, Dal Bukhara (Veg) is most specially dish in their Menu.
  • Esphahan (The Oberoi Amarvilas): This is one of the best restaurants in Agra for its food and the locations. As this restaurant have view of Taj Mahal. This restaurant offers a fine dining experience with a focus on Mughalai and Indian cuisine.
  • Dasaprakash: Famous for its South Indian fare, Dasaprakash is a popular choice for vegetarian dishes like dosas, idlis, and vadas.
  • Pinch of Spice: This restaurant offers a blend of North Indian and Mughlai cuisine. It’s known for its quality ingredients and diverse menu.
  • Joney’s Place: A local favorite, this restaurant serves delicious North Indian and Mughlai dishes in a casual setting.
  • Shankara Vegis Restaurant: If you’re looking for vegetarian food, this restaurant is known for its variety of vegetarian Indian dishes.
  • The Grand Buffet: Located at Hotel Amar, this restaurant offers an extensive buffet with a mix of Indian and international cuisine.
  • Café Sheroes: This unique café is run by acid attack survivors and offers a welcoming atmosphere along with a diverse menu.
  • C’est Chine: If you’re craving Chinese cuisine, this restaurant serves a range of Chinese dishes in a comfortable setting.
  • Bellevue (Radisson Blu Hotel Agra Taj East Gate): This restaurant offers a blend of Indian and international cuisine along with a view of the Taj Mahal.
  • MoMo Café (Courtyard by Marriott Agra): A casual dining option with a variety of dishes from around the world.
  • Chapter 1 Café: A cozy café with a pleasant ambiance, serving a mix of Indian and Continental dishes.

Fairs & Festival in Agra: Agra is all known for Taj Mahal, that is totally worthy but Agra also have many more options to explore. Fairs and Festival of Agra are among that. Visiting Agra during these festivals really make you fall in the love for this city of Love. There are some festivals in Agra you can consider to explore.

  • Taj Mahotsav: This is one of the most famous events in Agra. It is organized by Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department in the month of February every year. It is fair of 10 days. This is excellent occasion to explore art and craft of Agra as well as Uttar Pradesh State. It is held in Shilpgram near Taj Mahal.
  • Bateshwar Fair: Bateshwar is actually name of a small town, which 70kms from Agra situated on the bank of Yamuna River. This town has 108 temples Hindu god and goddess and most prominent is Batehwar Mahadev Temple (Temple for one of the trinity, Lord Shiva). This fair is comes during month October or November as Hindu Lunar Calendar.

This is month long festival and devotees take dip into the Holy water of Yamuna River during this festival. Buying and selling of Livestock and cattle is also a important part of this and because of this, the fair is also famous as Cattle Fair of Agra. 

  • Ram Bharat: This is fair is based on the Ramleela, a dramatic performance based on the story of a Hindu God, Lord Ram. This event is happens on Dushera , a day when Lord Ram kills the Ravan. Dushera is celebrated 20 days before the Diwali, biggest festival of Hindu and India.
  • Kailash Fair: Kailash Fair is held around 12kms from Agra at Kailash temple. It is organized in around August or September as per Hindu Lunar Calendar. It is celebrated as Lord Shiva appeared as Stone Lingam.

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