Agra Tour

Agra also called as the 'City of Taj' is situated in the state of Uttar Pradesh. The city situated on the bank of Yamuna river is home to two World Heritage Sites namely the Taj Mahal and the Agra Fort. Agra is considered hopelessly romantic, because of the romantic history of Taj Mahal. Agra was the major centre of Mughal Dynasty in the 16th century, the forts and palaces of the city speaks of the royal grandeur. Apart from the palaces and forts the city has many buildings of historical significance. Agra is popular for its delicacies, the most famous is Mughlai cuisine.

Climate

The climate of the city is extreme and tropical. Summers are extremely hot and the temperature may go up to 45°C, while the minimum temperature during summers is 30°C. Winters are cold and foggy, the maximum temperature is 28 °C, minimum temperature is 6 °C. The rainy season usually comes in between July and September. The rainy season is marked by heavy rains and high humidity. The ideal time to visit Agra is in winters between October to March.

Major Attractions

» Taj Mahal
Taj Mahal the main landmark of the Agra city, is situated on the banks of river Yamuna. The mausoleum was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, in the memory of his beloved queen Mumtaz Mahal. Built in between 1631 and 1654, Taj Mahal was declared a UNSECO World Heritage Site in 1983. The white marble monument is one of the seven wonders of the world. The Taj Complex houses beautiful gardens, mosques, fountains and several other mausoleum of Mughal period.

» Agra Fort
Agra Fort also called as Red Fort of Agra is situated at a distance of around 3 Kms from Taj Mahal. The fort made of red sandstone has been designated as the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The construction of the fort was begun by Mughal Emperor Akbar, further the other Mughal rulers added many things in the fort. The fort complex has Jehangir's Palace, Diwan-e-Am, Diwan-e-Khas, Pearl Mosque, Khaas Mahal, Sheesh Mahal (Mirrored Palace) and Musamman Burj etc.

» Itmad-Ud-Daulah's Tomb
The tomb is situated 4 Kms north of Taj Mahal on the left bank of the river Yamuna. The beautiful marble monument was built by empress Noor Jehan in memory of her father Ghiyasuddin Beg. This double storied marble tomb is famous for its garden layout, white marble, Pietra dura, inlay designs and lattice work.

» Sikandra
The small town situated at a distance of 4 Kms from Agra city is famous for Akbar's tomb. Akbar himself begun the construction of the tomb and it was completed by his son Jehangir. The tomb is similar to Taj Mahal in some of its design. The major attractions of the tomb are its large arched entrance and green lawns. The interior of the tomb's dome is decorated with figures of flowers, geometric designs and Islamic calligraphy.

» Taj Mahotsav
The 10 day festival of Taj Mahotsav held every year between 18 th - 27th February. Conducted by the Uttar Pradesh tourism department, the festival brings the finest arts, crafts and culture of the state together. The famous items of different regions of Uttar Pradesh state are on sale during the festival. During the festival the Mughal grandeur is recreated by bedecked elephants and camels, drum beaters, folk artist and master craftsmen. The dance festival and food festival is major attractions of Taj Mahotsav.

» Fatehpur Sikri
The town situated 35 Kms away from Agra is famous for buildings of Mughal period. Built predominantly in red Sandstone the city has been declared as World Heritage Site. The buildings of Fathepur Sikri are finest examples of Mughal architectural style. The major attractions of the town are Dargah of Sheikh Salim Chisti, Diwan-I-Am, Diwan-khana-I-khaas, Turkish Sultana's House, The Treasury, Palace of Jodha Bai, Hawa Mahal and Nagina Masjid etc.

Shopping

Agra is the perfect destination for shoppers, who wants to buy arts and crafts items. The famous items to shop are marble items inlaid with colored stones, similar to the Pietra dura work on Taj Mahal. Other items include variety of handicrafts, leather goods, jewellery, dhurrie (rug) weaving, brassware, carpets and embroidery work.

Accommodation

Agra is dotted with a large number of hotels, which offer plenty of accommodation choices. The hotel ranging from Luxury, Star to economic category cater to the needs of the visitors. The most famous hotels of the city are Welcome Hotel Mughal Sheraton, Jaypee Palace Hotel, Hotel Agra Ashok, Trident Hilton Agra, Taj View Hotel and Hotel Clarks Shiraz.

How To Reach

» Air
Kheria airport of Agra is 7 Kms from the city center and 3 km from Idgah bus stand. Indian airlines operate daily tourist shuttle flights to Agra, Khajuraho, Varanasi and back. The flight journey from Agra to Delhi is 40 minutes.

» Rail
Agra Cantt. Railway Station is the main rail head. Agra is well linked by rail to Delhi, Varanasi,cities of Rajasthan and other major cities of the country.

» Road
The city is connected to major cities of the country by good roads. Idgah bus stand is the main bus terminal of the city. The buses are available from Delhi, Jaipur, Mathura and Fatehpur Sikri etc.