Exploring Agra, India
Note: This post has been updated on May 10, 2022.
Time needed in this city: A day trip from Delhi or one night.
All over India, the natives make the joke, "90% of the crazy people are sent to Agra", or "Agra has the biggest insane asylum". If they are referring to the traffic, it's spot-on. Otherwise, Agra held two of the most beautiful sites in the world, along with some of the most prestigious hotels in the world (The Oberoi is right next door).
The below information is a complete guide of the best places to stay, the top rated places to dine and drink, and all there is to see and do. We’ve also included transportation tips, as well as a summary of the history of this incredible city!
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Where to Stay
Where to Dine & Drink
25 Hours Hangout Cafe
Multicuisine cafe walking distance from the Taj Mahal, with a bright, casual boho interior.
Bread n Mime Café
A top-rated bakery run by deaf staff!
Esphahan
Located in the Oberoi, Esphahan is an opulent hotel dining room, featuring elegant statues and a menu of classic Mughlai specialties.
Food Bungalow
Serving North Indian and Chinese cuisine.
Jhankar
Enjoy the delicious flavors of Indian cuisine with live dance and music performances. Jhankar is one of Agra’s favorite restaurants known for serving traditional North Indian food.
Joney’s Place
Korean, Japanese & North Indian specialties in a basic restaurant, walking distance from Taj Mahal.
Little Maggi Point
A top-rated Indian fast food establishment.
Masala Bistro
Serves North Indian and Chinese cuisine.
Masala Darbar Restaurant
Masala Darbar Restaurant is a family run Indian restaurant that has been serving it's customers with healthy, delicious, and mouth-savoring North Indian cuisine.
Qairo
A fine-dining rooftop restaurant.
Shivpen Ryouri
Serving Japanese and Indian cuisine.
Sour N Spicy
A fan favorite of North Indian cuisine - right near the Taj Mahal.
Taj Terrace
Candlelit global meals are served at this elegant rooftop hotel restaurant with live music.
The Salt Cafe
Spacious option with chic decor & a global menu, plus a Greek-themed roof terrace & Taj Mahal views.
Treat
A top-rated restaurant, they serve Indian and Korean dishes.
Two Saints Bar and Kitchen
A top-rated rooftop restaurant serving Italian, Chinese, Indian, Pizza, and Grill dishes.
Things to See & Do
The Agra Fort is a historical fort in the city of Agra, and also known as Agra's “Red Fort”. Mughal emperor, Humayun, was crowned at this fort. It was later renovated by the Mughal emperor, Akbar, from 1565 until 1573. It served as the main residence of the rulers of the Mughal dynasty until 1638, when the capital was shifted from Agra to Delhi.
Before being captured by the British, the last Indian rulers to have occupied it were the Marathas. In 1983, the Agra fort was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its importance during the Mughal Dynasty.
Shahjani Mahal
Built in 1628-1635, Shahjani Mahal is situated in between the white marble Khas Mahal and the red stone Jahangiri Mahal. It is the earliest attempt of the Mughal emperor Shahjahan to convert an existing red stone building in accordance with his taste and was his earliest palace in Agra Fort. It has a large hall, side rooms, and an octagonal tower on the riverside. The skeletal construction of brick and red stone was all redone with a thick white stucco plaster and colorfully painted in floral designs. The whole palace once glistened white like white marble. On the face towards the Khas Mahal, is a large spacious white marble dalan, composed of five arches, supported on double pillars and protected externally by a chhajja.
Khas Mahal
Built as a private residence for Emperor Shah Jahan, between 1631 to 1640, Khas Mahal is made entirely of white marble and overlooks the surging river Yamuna to its east and the Anguri Bagh to its west. The interior of this single story palace is intricately decorated with one of the finest examples of 'painting on marbles'. One can observe the use of gold in most of the paintings on the walls and ceilings of the palace, although much of it has faded over time. To the either side of Khas Mahal, lies Golden Pavilions, which were believed to be the residence of Shah Jahan's daughters Jahanara and Roshanara.
Ghaznin Gate
The Proclamation of the Ghazni Gates was an order issued in 1842 by Lord Ellenborough - the then Governor-General of Britain's territories in India, during the Battle of Kabul. In historic proclamation, he claimed that these were the sandalwood gates of Somnath, which Mahmud had taken to Ghazni in 1025, and the British had thus avenged an insult of 800 years back. This false claim was made just to win the goodwill of the Indian people. The gate is, in fact, made of local deodar wood of Ghazni and not of sandalwood. The style of decoration bears no resemblance to ancient Gujrati woodwork. There is also an Arabic inscription carved on the upper part. It mentions Mahmud with his epithets. Sir John Marshall had placed here a notice-board, which described the whole episode about this gate. It is 16.5 feet high and 13.5 feet broad, and its weight is about half a ton. It is made up of geometrical, hexagonal, and octagonal panels, which have been fixed, one with the help of the other, into the frame without rivets. The idea to restore it at Somnath was ultimately given up and the gate was abandoned. Since then, it is stored in a room.
TIP: It is viewed behind plexiglass, given it’s deteriorating nature.
The Muthamman Burj (Shah-Burj) & Jharokha
Originally built of red stone by Akbar, it was used for jharokha darshan, as well as for sun worship, every day at sunrise. Owing to its octagonal plan, it was called 'Muthamman Burj'. It was rebuilt with white marble by Shah Jahan around 1632–1640 AD. It consists of five external sides of which make a dalan overlooking the river. Each side has pillar and bracket openings, the easternmost side projects forward and accommodates a jharokha majestically. On the western side of this palace is a spacious dalan with Shah-Nasin (alcoves). A shallow water-basin (kunda) is sunk in its pavement. It is profusely inlaid.
This burj offers a full and majestic view of the Taj Mahal of which Shah Jahan spent eight years (1658–1666 AD) staring at it, during his imprisonment in this complex (he lavishly spent on the Taj Mahal for his wife and his son banished him for it when Mumtaz died). It is said that he died there and his body was taken by boat to the Taj Mahal and buried.
Evening Tour of Mohabbat the Taj Show
Want to see the story of Shah Jahan and his wife, Mumtaz Mahal come to life? Next to seeing the Taj Mahal, the Mohabbat the Taj Show was absolutely incredible. Performed in the beautiful theater of the Kalakriti Cultural and Convention Center, the show was all about the love story between Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal, and the temple he built for her. When you're in love, or have ever experienced intense love, it can be quite emotional!
To accommodate visitors from all over the world, you are given headphones that an assistant will set to your specific language. They also have servers who will take drink and food orders.
NOTE: I recommend getting Platinum level tickets - I was three rows back from the stage!
John Hessing Tomb
John Hessing was known as a traveler-turned Army officer who served the Scindia Marathas in Agra at the turn of the 19th-century. He was eventually in charge of defending Agra Fort and during a battle with the British in 1803, he was killed. Just as the original Taj Mahal was built as a symbol of love by emperor Shah Jahan for his wife, this monument was commissioned by Hessing’s widow, Ann, in his memory. It was appropriately nicknamed, “The Red Taj Mahal”.
This smaller version mirrors much of the same design as its predecessor. Visitors can see typical Mughal-style engravings, arches, domes, and symmetrical designs. Unlike the original, however, the structure is much tighter with a simple square layout. Hessing’s tomb was designed using red sandstone, rather than white marble. At the entrance to the tomb are two inscriptions in Persian: one expressing his wife’s grief and the other marking the year of his death.
Hessing’s tomb reflects the interactions of different cultures that occurred prior to British imperial rule. Hessing was incorporated into the local Hindu kingdom and given a high position of authority to defend the kingdom against European powers.
The monument, housed in a Catholic cemetery, incorporates common elements of Islamic tomb architecture.
NOTE: The cemetery is often closed with no official times listed. Since it’s so close to everything else in Agra, it’s not a feat to walk by and see if it’s open.
Taj Mahal (1500rs per foreign visitor)
The Taj Mahal (“Crown of the Palace”) is an ivory-white marble mausoleum on the right bank of the river Yamuna. It was commissioned in 1631 by the fifth Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, to house the tomb of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It also houses the tomb of Shah Jahan himself. The tomb is the centerpiece of a 42-acre complex, which includes a mosque and a guest house, and is set in formal gardens, bounded on three sides, by a crenellated wall.
Construction of the mausoleum was essentially completed in 1643, but work continued on other phases of the project for another 10 years. The first ceremony held at the mausoleum was an observance by Shah Jahan on February 6, 1643, of the 12th anniversary of the death of Mumtaz Mahal. The mausoleum was opened at that time to thousands of mourners.
The Taj Mahal complex is believed to have been completed, in its entirety, in 1653, at a cost estimated (at the time) to be around ₹32 million, which in 2023 would be approximately ₹35 billion (US$498 million). The construction project employed some 20,000 artisans under the guidance of a board of architects led by Ustad Ahmad Lahori, the emperor's court architect. Various types of symbolism have been employed in the Taj to reflect natural beauty and divinity.
The Taj Mahal was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 for being "the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage". It is regarded by many as the best example of Mughal architecture and a symbol of India's rich history.
The Main Gate (Drawaza –e – Rauza)
Literally translating to “the gate of the mausoleum”, the Main gateway of the Taj Mahal is one of the most impressive features of the monument complex of the Taj Mahal. The Main gateway was constructed in the year 1632-1638 and is said to be designed by the architect of the Taj Mahal himself - Ustad Ahmad Lahauri. The main gateway is a structure which is 93ft high and is 150ft wide and made with red sandstone. It is another example of how much Prince Shah Jahan was in love with symmetries and patterns throughout his life.
The gateway is marked by rooms with twists and branches leading to hallways created with the motif to confuse the person who is entering into the monument of the Taj Mahal. These rooms have never ever been used for anything, for over 300 years. The main gateway is built as such that it creates an optical trick that as you move closer to the gate, the Taj keeps getting smaller and as you walk away it seems to grow in size.
Once inside, you can’t help but notice the air shift to an overwhelming sense of peace and love.
Other Buildings
The Taj Mahal complex is bordered on three sides by crenellated red sandstone walls - the side facing the river is open. Outside the walls are several additional mausoleums, including those of Shah Jahan's other wives, and a larger tomb for Mumtaz's favorite servant. These structures, composed primarily of red sandstone, are typical of the smaller Mughal tombs of the era. The garden-facing inner sides of the wall are fronted by columned arcades, a feature typical of Hindu temples, which was later incorporated into Mughal mosques. The wall is interspersed with domed chattris and small buildings that may have been viewing areas or watch towers like the Music House, which is now used as a museum.
At the far end of the complex are two grand red sandstone buildings that mirror each other and face the sides of the tomb. The backs of the buildings are parallel to the western and eastern walls. The western building is a mosque and the other is the jawab (answer), thought to have been constructed for architectural balance, although it may have been used as a guesthouse. Distinctions between the two buildings include the jawab's lack of a mihrab (a niche in a mosque's wall facing Mecca), and its floors of geometric design, whereas the floor of the mosque is laid with outlines of 569 prayer rugs in black marble. The mosque's basic design of a long hall, surmounted by three domes, is similar to others built by Shah Jahan, particularly the Masjid-i Jahān-Numā, or Jama Masjid, Delhi. The Mughal mosques of this period divide the sanctuary hall into three areas, comprising of a main sanctuary and slightly smaller sanctuaries on either side. At the Taj Mahal, each sanctuary opens onto an expansive vaulting dome. The outlying buildings were completed in 1643.
TIPS ON VISITING
Getting there - To get to the Taj Mahal, you will drive to the visitor's center where you will need to take a battery car ride (suggested mode of transportation by me) to the path that goes to the gate.
Security - Security is VERY HEAVY there. No outside food and/or drinks are allowed. You will be searched in separate lines (per gender) and a guard will look through your bags, pulling out anything offensive. Once you are through, you will walk a short path to the gate.
Skip the line tickets - Depending on the time of year you go, it may be best to purchase tickets ahead of time to skip the line. Click here to purchase those.
Sunrise is the best time - If you’re looking for the best pictures of the Taj Mahal, sunrise is the best time to go. Click here to purchase those tickets.
Entering the mausoleum - When you get close to entering into the Taj Mahal, make sure to remove your shoes or snag some covers. If you choose to take them off, you may carry them in with you. Note that you are not allowed to take pictures inside the mausoleum.
Take lots of pictures and video - Take as many detail pictures of the outside façade as you can. Why? In the video below, you will notice some of the floral details have semi-precious and precious stones, and they were used over the ENTIRE building. It's one of the most expensive memorials/buildings ever built.
How to Get There
The easiest (and safest) way to get to Agra is by private driver. It sounds more expensive than it actually is. You can do an overnight package or take a day trip from Delhi. Click on those links to book!
On our way to Agra, we drove through Udaipur, which is nothing but farm land and more modern neighborhoods. As we got closer to Agra, the road became quite bumpy and we noticed that block by block, the living conditions were different. Some blocks were exquisite mansions and others were nothing but tents, rubble, and piles of trash. We saw makeshift huts, cows, and stray dogs everywhere, as well as more people than I had seen in any other part of India. It also has some of the worst begging (given that it's a high-traffic tourist area, it makes sense).
However, people only come here for one thing and that one thing can trump any bad experience you might have had otherwise.
For more information on New Delhi, click here.
A History Summary
1495 - The sultan founded the village of Sikandra in the northern suburbs of the city and built there a Baradari of red sandstone, which was converted into a tomb by Jahangir, and now stands as the Tomb of Mariam-uz-Zamani, Akbar's empress.
1504 - 1505 - The ancient city of Agra is on the left bank of the river Yamuna, going back so far as to be lost in the legends of Krishna and Mahabharata, and reestablished by Sikandar Lodhi. It grew into a large flourishing town with royal presence, officials, merchants, scholars, theologians, and artists. The city became one of the most important centres of Islamic learning in India.
1517 - 1526 - After the Sultan's death in 1517, the city was passed on to his son, Sultan Ibrahim Lodi. He ruled his sultanate from Agra until he was defeated and killed by Mughal Emperor Babur in the First battle of Panipat, fought in 1526.
1526 - 1530 - Babur, the founder of the Mughal dynasty, acquired Agra after defeating the Lodis and the Tomaras of Gwalior in the First Battle of Panipat in 1526. He sent his son, Humayun, who occupied the town without opposition. The Raja of Gwalior, slain at Panipat, had left his family and the heads of his clan at Agra. In gratitude to Humayun, who treated them magnanimously, and protected them from plunder, they presented to him a quantity of jewels and precious stones as a token of homage. Among these was the famous diamond Koh-i-nur.
1530 - 1556 - Babur was followed by his son Humayun, but he was completely defeated at Kanauj, in 1539, by Sher Shah Suri, an Afghan nobleman, who had submitted to Babur, but revolted against his son. In this brief interruption in Mughal rule, between 1540 and 1556, Sher Shah Suri, established the short-lived Sur Empire, and the region was eventually reconquered by Akbar in the Second Battle of Panipat in 1556.
1558 - 1605 - The modern city of Agra was founded by Akbar on the right bank of the river, which is associated with the Mughals, and known throughout the world as the city of the Taj. He also founded Fatehpur Sikri during this time.
1605 - 1627 - Akbar's successor, Jahangir, laid many gardens inside the Red Fort. Akbar's mausoleum at Sikandra was also completed during his reign. The Jahangiri Mahal in Agra fort and the tomb of Itmad-ud-daulah were also constructed during the reign of Jahangir.
1648 - Shah Jahan later shifted the capital to Shahjahanabad (now known as Delhi).
1653 - Shah Jahan gave Agra its most prized monument, the Taj Mahal. Built in loving memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The Jama Masjid and several other notable buildings, like the Diwan-i-Am, the Diwan-i-Khas, the Moti Masjid, etc., inside the fort, were planned and executed under his orders.
1658 - Shah Jahan’s son, Aurangzeb, shifted the entire court to Delhi.
Late 18th century - The control of the city fell successively to the Jats, the Marathas, the Mughals, the ruler of Gwalior, and finally, the British East India Company.
1834 - 1858 - Agra was the capital of the short-lived Presidency of Agra, administered by a Governor. It was then the capital of the North-Western Province from 1836 to 1858, governed by a Lieutenant-Governor. Agra was one of the centers of the Indian rebellion of 1857.
1983 - The Taj Mahal and Agra Fort received UNESCO World Heritage Sites status.