Agra Travel Tips is a popular city of the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. This city is famous for the landmark of India which is the epitome of love ‘Taj Mahal’. This city is located on the banks of Yamuna River and was known to be the capital of Hindustan which is the Hindi name of India. This city is the host to three UNESCO world heritage sites,/ with Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri.
Every year millions of tourists come here to see the Taj Mahal and to experience its everlasting beauty which spell binds the spectator especially when it is seen in the Full moon. There are many sightseeing sin Agra which you will never forget after you come here and you want to come back again.
How to Get Around Agra
Walk – It’s convenient to stay in a hotel that’s near the Taj Mahal, that being Agra’s main attraction. That way, you can walk to the ticket sales office and then either walk or take the free shuttle to the gate of the Taj. However, other than that, Agra is not the most walker friendly city. To visit other attractions within Agra, it’s easiest to jump in an auto rickshaw as distances are long and roads are dusty. I did walk one day from the Agra Fort back to the Taj Mahal and it took about 45 minutes.
Auto Rickshaw – While I’m normally a huge walker, I barely even bothered in Agra, it was too sunny, hot and dusty. Auto rickshaws are widely available and will take you anywhere you request, as long as you agree to a price beforehand.
Horses, Camels, and other Animal Powered Rickshaws – Mostly around the Taj Mahal you’ll find a number of animal powered carts that you can hire to take you to the gate of the Taj Mahal. You could also ride them from the Taj Mahal to the Agra Fort, but not much longer than that.
Things To Do in Agra
Taj Mahal – I don’t think anyone comes to Agra without visiting the Taj Mahal, it’s THE reason people visit Agra; I’m not going to lie, it was almost completely the reason I visited the city. The good news is, the Taj Mahal really does live up to its fame (at least I thought so). It’s truly a marvelous display of white marble and I was impressed by its beauty and historical significance. At 750 INR for entrance, it’s not cheap, but I thought it was worth it. There’s a huge list of what you’re not allowed to bring in, so make sure you leave those things at your hotel. Here a Taj Mahal video I made.
Agra Fort – Another site, which I wasn’t expecting to be so impressive after visiting the Taj Mahal, is Agra’s Fort. It was yet another incredible piece of architecture history built by the Mughals. Agra Fort is really an entire red walled city, and you can easily spend a few hours browsing the different buildings and lookouts in the fortress. I really liked the fine details within the fort, carved into marble and stone. Entrance was 300 INR and I’d consider one of the things to do in Agra that you shouldn’t miss.
Baby Taj – The Tomb of I’timād-ud-Daulah, or better known more simply as the Baby Taj, is another great attraction to see in Agra. It’s not a big mausoleum, so it doesn’t take long to visit, but it’s another great example of Mughal construction and design with beautiful detail. It was 100 INR to enter and an auto rickshaw from the Taj Mahal should cost 100 – 150 INR (the Baby Taj is across the river).
Mehtab Bagh Gardens – Since I was at the Baby Taj, I decided to stop by the garden across the river from the Taj Mahal as well. It’s just an ordinary park designed as a garden, and while it does have a nice view of the Taj Mahal, I didn’t think it was worth a visit unless you’re really into photography and want to capture a shot of the Taj from across the river. It’s also 100 INR entrance.
Sadar Bazar – Sadar Bazar is a shopping area in Agra, and while it’s a little touristy, it’s also quite local. There is a strip of shops where you can find souvenirs and also convenience store items and food. It’s a good market to search for leather and marble goods, though I personally have no idea what prices might be. There are a number of restaurants and street food snack stalls in the area, including Mama Chicken House (more below), a place you should eat at just for its awesome name!
