A Must Share for all women! Men,it's time to share and then hide Amazing Agra: All that you need to know and all that you can do here

About Agra Tourism

State: Uttar Pradesh District: Agra
Famous for/as: Heritage Languages: Hindi
Best Season: Feb - Apr, Sep - Dec Weather: Summer 25 to 46°C,
Altitude: 171 m Winter 1 to 23°C
Pin Code: 282001 STD Code: 0562
Agra, the land of the Taj Mahal, which is one of the Seven Wonders of the World, is situated on the banks of River Yamuna in the state of Uttar Pradesh. It is bounded by Mathura district in the north, Dhaulpur district in the south, Firozabad in the east and Bharatpur in the west.

History of Agra
Agra is mentioned in the epic Mahabharata. Even before that, the city was referred to as Arya Griha or ‘home of the Aryans’. Sikandar Lodhi of the Delhi Sultanate is believed to have founded modern day Agra in 1504. After his death, his son Ibrahim Lodhi continued to rule, until his defeat in the first battle of Panipat at the hands of the Mughal Emperor Babur in 1526.

People & Culture of Agra
Agra owes a large part of its heritage and culture to Mughal rulers like Babur, Akbar, Jahangir and Shahjahan among others. Each of these emperors added not only to the architectural brilliance of the city but also to its history and culture. While Babur introduced the Persian-styled gardens, Akbar built the Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri. Shahjahan’s Taj Mahal, the eternal monument of love built in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal, marks the pinnacle of Mughal architecture.

The Department of Tourism organises the Taj Mahotsav in February every year, which attracts national and international tourists to the Agra. The festival celebrates Mughal art and culture and is a profusion of musical and dance performances, a food festival and crafts mela.

Things to do in Agra
Agra’s rich historical background is reflected through its numerous monuments. Apart from the Taj Mahal, the city is home to other UNESCO World Heritage Sites like Fatehpur Sikri and Agra Fort, and has carved a place for itself on the world tourism map. Other attractions of this historical city include Sikandra, Itmadud Daula, Soor Sarovar, Jama Masjid, Diwan-i-Am, Buland Darwaza, etc.

Travelling to Agra
Agra is well connected by air, rail and road. The nearest airport to reach Agra is Kheria Airport, located at a distance of 8 km from the city centre and is connected to various cities in the country including Delhi and Varanasi.

The city has four major railway stations – Agra Cantt, Raja ki Mandi, Agra Fort and Idgah Agra Junction. Agra can also be reached by road from Lucknow (over 300 km), Kanpur (over 70 km) and Delhi (200 km).

Tourist buses run by private operators as well as state run buses are available to reach Agra.

Travelling within Agra
Tourists can travel around the city of Agra using electric buses, Tongas, tempos, cycle rickshaws and auto rickshaws. All major areas are covered through Electric buses in Agra, but these are usually crowded. Tourists can also use Tongas; horse drawn carriages, to explore the city.  Tonga charges are around Rs 5 to 15 per person.

The city has a sub-tropical climate. The summer season, from April to September, can be hot with temperatures rising to 45° Celsius at times. The best time to visit Agra is from October to March.

Accommodation Options in Agra
Ranging from budget hotels to luxury hotels the accommodation options in Agra are plenty. Agra hotels offer accommodation options to suite all budgets.