Taj Mahal is the most well known monument from India. Probably many know India only because of Taj Mahal. This marble wonder is a symbol of love built by Shah Jehan for his wife Mumtaz Begum in the 16th century. You can see Mughal architecture coming to life in the grandest way possible
Agra is 3.5 hours, 230 km away from Delhi by road. Most people hire a car for day trip to Taj Mahal and Fatehpur Sikhri. which is an hour away from Agra
Fatehpur Sikhri, is a red sandstone wonder relatively less known compared to Taj Mahal. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage site
Around Agra, you can see many monuments in Sikandra like tombs of Akbar and his wife Mariam
How to visit Taj Mahal
I took a train from Delhi to Agra. It was during peak fog days in February, so had a lot of delay in reaching Agra. I left at 7 AM, was supposed to reach at 10 AM, but reached around 1:30 PM. I hired a taxi from Agra to cover nearby places
I had to skip Fatehpur Sikri due to this delay, but managed to cover Sikandra. We went to Fatehpur Sikiri separately later on after a few years
Vande Bharat train has started now departing at 6 AM from Delhi and taking only 2 hours to reach Agra. You can take the 9 PM train back to Delhi
There is an airport at Agra which has flights from Mumbai, Bengaluru, Jaipur, Lucknow in case you want to fly in directly
Places to visit in Agra
The Taj Mahal first of course! Once you get in, you can admire the beautiful, colorful carvings on marble. The overall complex had a serene feeling adorned with white, despite the crowds
Latest ticket prices are available here
Foreigners have a separate line, so it is much faster to complete your visit. On full moon days, go to Taj Mahal at night to see the wonder in night light
Agra fort: Another red stone wonder like the Red fort in Delhi
Sikandra is 10 kms from Taj Mahal, housing tomb of Akbar, Miriam and the Jama Masjid. The carvings here are also as ornate, with a red colored touch
What to try
Agra is famous for its sweet-dish Peta, made from ash gourd and sugar. You can buy marble souvenirs like jewelry box, ornaments here