Explore Agra in 2022
Home to one of the seven wonders in the world, the symbol of love Taj Mahal makes Agra the love capital of India. We are exploring the vibes of Mughals, forts, colorful markets, delicious street food, and the locals.
Agra is a famous place in terms of a sweet named Petha, often referred to as ‘Agra ka Petha’. The area has many things for the tourists to explore, the Yamuna River and the Mughal architecture and a few things about the empire’s history.
Not only for the Taj Mahal, but you can also experience Agra Fort, a fort made with red sandstone and Fatehpur Sikri. The place is also a part of the Golden Trio circuit which has Jaipur & Delhi on the side. Agra also has a lot to depict about the Braj culture of India, something that is a significant part of Indian history.
So these are some of the best things that you must do in Agra to explore the beauty of the city which has a significant part in the tourism and history of India.
Sunset at Taj Mahal
You will not miss visiting the Taj Mahal if you are in the capital city of love, but you can experience one of the best views of the Taj Mahal during the sunset from the Yamuna River while boating.
The Taj Mahal is constructed on the side of the Yamuna River, so you get the opportunity to go on a boat ride and experience the marvellous view of the Taj Mahal at wide-angle.
Taj Mahal is a marvel in itself, and even when you see it from the front, you keep on looking at it as it is hard to believe that this is an artificial beauty that we have in our country with very delicate, detailed carving and craftsmanship.
The building is huge in itself, and it takes you to a different beauty; surrounding you will experience the royal vibes, forts, huge gates, and Mughal architecture.
The monument was commissioned in the year 1632 by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in the memory of his wife. The place remains open from 6 am to 6:30 pm & from 8:30 pm to 12:30 am and remains closed on Friday and you can visit it all year long.
Dinner with the Taj View
The view is one of the most exciting things you look for like even when you book any hotel you look for the view from the room and even sometimes you have to pay extra for iconic views and tourist love doing that so when you are in the city od Taj why not to have delicious & lip-smacking food with the thought of Taj Mahal.
Food is common, but you look at the places recognized for the taste or have the delicacy of authentic food, so the Hotel Amar Villa offers you whatever you need.
It has a wide range of international cuisines, and it is a joint place to the two finest restaurants named Esphahan and Bellevue. They have authentic Indian taste to offer along with the different cuisines and especially the view balance everything, so it is worth visiting the place.
The hotel is located in the Taj East Gate region, and you can quickly get the location on the maps.
Kalakriti Dance Drama
Enjoying the arts and appreciating is one of the best things to experience, it gives you the surrounding of the early times when people used to entertain themselves as there were no televisions, smartphones and all but they had different kinds of artists who performed.
So the Kalakriti Dance Drama is one of the best things to experience in Agra, and you can spend your evening driven into the saga of dance and stories. The place offers an 80 minutes dance-drama that portrays the story through the dance musical about the romantic couple Mughal emperor Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal and how the Taj Mahal became a reality.
The stage sets the surroundings in an atmosphere with the vibrant costumes, the stage art, multi-coloured lights thrown on the artists, fantastic replica of the Taj Mahal, so overall it is a unique experience and you should not miss it while you are in Agra.
The tickets cost around Rs 1200, and it is located in the Kalakriti Cultural and Convention Centre. The place is open from 10 am till 8:15 pm.
Agra Food Walk
Exploring the local foods and some famous cafes and restaurants every tourist does and when you are in Agra how can you not experience the authenticity of true Agra while walking on the streets and looking for the best foods on streets and cafes.
Visiting Agra is incomplete without experiencing one of the most delicate sweets that are the Agra ka Petha, it is so delicious that people eat & even take it for their friends and family members as we say speciality belongs to the place.
Apart from Agra ka Petha, it has many more lip-smacking foods to offer tourists, be it from street food or restaurants. They have the special Braj kulfi, delicious chaats, and many more.
You can experience the famous breakfast menu of Agra that is the Jalebi, Kachori, or Bedai. They also offer authentic Mughlai cuisine, which gives a hub for everyone. Be it a restaurant’s roadside cart, you can not ignore the aroma, and you will be pulled automatically.
Some of the best places you can visit are Pind Baluchi, Time to Eat, Pinch of Spice, and more you can explore on the street walk.
Flea Markets
We have seen that Agra has many things to offer to the foodies but if you are on a shopping spree, you won’t feel left out. Agra has many things to offer. Anyways doesn’t matter that you are on a shopping spree or not. Travel is incomplete without shopping in the locals.
Agra is a colourful city that offers flea markets and has unique products to offer. The place attracts the customers with its old charm and antique collection apart from that, it has a massive collection of leather products, shoes, silk sarees, spices, jewelry, and many more.
It is a good place if you are looking for handmade products and decorative items, but one thing that you need to practice is bargaining skills, and you have to protect yourself from the pocket cutters, especially if you roaming somewhere around the Taj Mahal.
Some of the best locations for the flea market are Subhash Bazar, Jama Masjid, Shahganj Bazar, and Kinari Bazar. The markets are a bit crowded, so you have to take proper care of safety and use a mask wherever you go.
Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary
Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary is also referred to as Keoladeo Ghana National Park. It is one of the best bird sanctuaries across the world that is home to various numbers of species.
The bird sanctuary got its name from an old temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. You can enjoy watching the natural beauty along with the bird watching in Agra. It has more than 230 species of bird, and it is a must-visit place in Agra.
You can enjoy watching cranes, egrets, pelicans, and apart from the birds, you can easily spot Sambar, Nilgai, Boar, and Chital. If you want to see the migratory birds, the best time to visit the bird sanctuary is from October to February.
If we talk about the location, the place is located in Bharatpur, Rajasthan, but that comes under Agra tourism. The bird sanctuary is open from 7 am till 5 pm, and this place is a gem for nature lovers.
Agra Fort
Not only the Taj Mahal but Agra Fort is also one of the essential places that reflects the history of India and the Mughal period. The fort was used as the primary residence by the Mughal emperors till 1638. At that time, the capital was shifted from Delhi to Agra.
The fort is often called the walled city and after Mughals, the fort was captured by the Maratha Emperor and later by the British Empire. At the same fort, Humayun was crowned.
You can visit the fort in the daylight, but it also offers exciting things at night. Light & sound shows are organized in the fort which tells about the history of the Mughal Empire and it is perfect for both adults and kids. The light show ticket costs Rs 70 for Indians and Rs 200 for foreign tourists. The fort is open from 8:30 am till 9:20 pm.
Night Life
If you want to experience nightlife in Agra and think that it does not have the service, you are wrong. Many clubs can give you an amazing place to party in the night and enjoy yourself with your squads.
So you can pack your glittering shoes, party dress and plan for a night out in the clubs of Agra. Dance on the beats with the hot pipping food and enjoy at your best.
The best locations that will serve you with the best facility are Club Rush, Liquid Lounge, Color Bar, and Amar Vilas Bar. The clubbing costs around Rs 2000.
Fatehpur Sikri
One of the architectural gems of India. The city was established as the capital city of the Mughal Empire by Emperor Akbar in 1571, and it served as the capital city from 1571 to 1585.
During the 12th century, the place was ruled by the Sikarwar Rajputs. After Akbar won the Gujrat campaign in the year 1573, the city was renamed Fatehpur Sikri which means the City of Victory earlier, it was known as Sikri.
Akbar rebuilt the land of Sikri as a tribute to the Sufi Saint Salim Chishti. The place is not too far from Agra and is connected to the area, and it lies in the western part of Agra.
Visit Mehtab Bagh
This is a special Persian-style garden built by the Mughal Emperor Babar, who was the first emperor of the Mughal dynasty. The garden is well-groomed in a crescent shape.
It is known for its airy pavilions, fountains, greenery, and it is a good place if you want to spend some time away from the crowd. The garden was built during the 16th century & it has got the tough of Mughal design that delights the tourists. Also, it is the best place to capture unique photographs of the Taj Mahal and the garden has earned the tag of ‘moonlit pleasure garden’. The Mehtab Bagh is open from 6 am till 6 pm.
Jahangiri Mahal
While visiting Agra Fort, you can also experience the Jahangiri Mahal which the Mughal Emperor Akbar built as a residence place for his Rajput wives and the Mariam-uz-Zamani.
Later, during Jahangir’s time, the palace was used by his wife Jagat Gosain, who was the princess of Marwar. The place is one of the best locations in the Agra Fort. Earlier during the time of Akbar, he did not take the credit for the construction of this place, but later Jahangir mentioned that the Mahal was built by his father Akbar.
In the Mahal, one of the attraction points is the Hauz- i – Jahangiri, which is constructed out of one block of stone that was used as a container for the rose water.
The Mahal has Islamic architecture, and the place remains open from 7 am till 6 pm.
Taj Museum
Agra is a place that has many facts related to the history of India and that you can either know from the guides are from research and there is one more place that you can visit which will tell many things about the past.
The Taj Museum is one of the famous museums in Agra, and another exciting thing about the museum is it is located on the ground floor of the Naubat Khana, which is renowned as Jal Mahal. It was established in the year 1982.
In the museum, you can see many things related to the construction of the Taj Mahal, miniature Mughal paintings, antiques, utensils, marble pillars, manuscripts, calligraphies, and many more.
The main hall in the Taj Museum comprises the paintings of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal that are encased in the wooden frame. They also have the manuscript of Chaihl Majlis and photographs from the Persian Shahnama of Firdausi. You can also see the sample of the farmans used by the rulers during their reign.
The museum is open from 10 am till 5 pm and remains closed on Friday.
The Water World
If you find a way to do some fun activity in the city, the Water World will give you the perfect place. The water park spread across four acres of land with fun rides for kids and adults.
It is a full-day place where you can enjoy thrilling rides, roller coasters, water slides, and many more. You can escape the heat of Agra at this place, and you will love the site.
The water park is located on National Highway 2, and it operates from 12 pm till 6 pm, all seven days.
Akbar’s Tomb
If you are in Agra, you must visit the Tomb of Akbar. It is the resting place of a great Emperor from the Mughal Empire. The tomb was built by the son of Akbar, Jahangir, across the 119 acres of land.
The place was selected by Akbar himself and after his death, his son completed the construction. Later during the time of Aurangzeb, Jats were into rebellion, and that affected Mughal prestige as they looted the jewels, gems from the tomb, and they even opened the tomb of Akbar where the bones of Late King Akbar were burnt.
Later it was restored by George Curzon and now it is one of the famous places to visit in Agra. The tomb is open from 6 am till 6 pm but remains closed on Friday.
So these are the places that you can explore in Agra and enjoy your trip to the capital city of love and the place will not fail to impress you with the beauty.
edited and proofread by nikita sharma
