India is the land of many wonders and it will surprise you with its rich culture, architecture and festivals. The country is full of tourist attractions and there are some places that attract crowds of people from all around the world. In this article, we will be helping you narrow down your options by listing the top-rated tourist attractions in India. From spiritual spots to natural wonders, these places have something for everyone.
1. The Taj Mahal, Agra
The Taj Mahal is the most famous building in the world that shows how powerful love can be. It is also one of the most famous buildings in India. This beautiful tomb was started after Mumtaz Mahal died in 1631. She was the favorite wife of Emperor Shah Jahan. It took 20,000 workers until 1648 to finish.
The Taj Mahal is mostly made of white marble and has many Islamic design elements, such as arches, minarets, an onion-shaped dome, and black calligraphy inlaid around the entrance. Inlaid floral patterns and precious and semi-precious stones like jade, lapis lazuli, diamonds, and mother of pearl add to the beauty of this piece.
The best time to go is either at dawn or at dusk, when the light changes in a way that makes the atmosphere feel very different. Try to see the Taj Mahal’s reflection from the other side of the Yamuna River, if you can. This makes for a memorable (and safe) selfie.
2. The Holy City of Varanasi
Varanasi is one of the world’s oldest cities that people still live in. It was built in the 8th century BC. This holy city is a major place for Hindus to go on pilgrimage. For a long time, it has been linked to the mighty Ganges River, which is one of the most important religious symbols for Hindus.
There are many reasons to go to Varanasi, but one of the best is to see the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, which was built in 1780 and is in the Old Quarter next to the Ganges. Also interesting is the New Vishwanath Temple, which is made up of seven separate temples.
Hindus put a lot of value on bathing in the Ganges. Many places called “ghats” have stairs leading down to the water where the faithful bathe before going to pray. Dasashvamedh Ghat and Assi Ghat are the two biggest. This one is especially holy because it is where the Ganges and Asi rivers meet.
Banaras Hindu University, which was founded in 1917 and is known for its huge library with more than a million books, and the Bharat Kala Bhavan museum, which has great collections of miniature paintings, sculptures, palm-leaf manuscripts, and displays about local history, are also worth seeing.
3. Harmandir Sahib: The Golden Temple of Amritsar
Amritsar is an important place in Sikh history and culture. It was founded by Ram Das in 1577. Harmandir Sahib, which opened in 1604 and is still often called the Golden Temple because of how beautifully it is decorated with gold, is the main attraction here.
The temple was built in a mix of Hindu and Islamic styles. It is the holiest of India’s many Sikh shrines, but many Hindus and people of other faiths also visit it. Its lower part is made of marble and has intricately inlaid designs of flowers and animals. The large golden dome is shaped like a lotus flower, which is a symbol of purity for Sikhs.
Visitors are also impressed by the spiritual atmosphere of the temple, which is made stronger by the prayers that are constantly read from the Sikh holy book and broadcast throughout the complex.
Part of the overall experience is the chance to eat one of the 50,000 free meals the attraction serves to visitors every day. Visitors are welcome to take part.
4. The Golden City: Jaisalmer
Most of the buildings in the Golden City of Jaisalmer are made of yellow sandstone, which is how it got its name. It is an oasis of beautiful old architecture that rises from the sand dunes of the Thar Desert. Once a strategic outpost, the city is now full of beautiful old mansions, beautiful gateways, and the huge Jaisalmer Fort, also called the Golden Fort, which rises high above the town and dates back to the 12th century.
The fortress has palaces, temples, and beautiful old homes, as well as 99 bastions and huge gates that lead to its main courtyard, where the seven-story-tall Maharaja’s Palace is located. Starting in the early 1500s, different rulers kept adding to the palace until the 19th century. Parts of the palace are open to the public, including rooms with beautiful tiles from Italy and China and stone doors with intricate carvings.
There are also a number of Jain temples from the 12th to 16th centuries. Each one is decorated with beautiful marble and sandstone statues, palm-leaf manuscripts, and brightly painted ceilings. Gyan Bhandar, a library that is 1,000 years old and has many manuscripts and artifacts from the 16th century, is also a must-see.
5. The Red Fort, New Delhi
Shah Jahan built the Red Fort in New Delhi in 1648, and it was the center of Mughal power until 1857. It is shaped like a crescent moon and is named for the beautiful red sandstone that was used to build it. It is surrounded by a large moat and covers more than two square kilometers.
The impressive Lahore Gate, which is the main entrance to the fort, and the ornate Delhi Gate, which was once used by the emperor for ceremonial processions, are two of the fort’s most interesting parts.
Chatta Chowk, a covered bazaar from the 17th century, is a fun place to look around. It sells everything from jewelry to silk clothes, as well as souvenirs and food. You can explore the fort on your own, but there are also guided tours that give you interesting information about the Shah’s life and times. For example, you can see the beautiful white marble Hall of Public Audiences (Diwan-i-Am) where he met with his subjects.
6. Mumbai: The Gateway of India
The famous Gateway of India is a must-see in Mumbai. It is 26 meters tall and looks out over the Arabian Sea. This beautiful piece of architecture was built to honor the arrival of King George V and his wife, Queen Mary, in 1911. It was opened with a lot of pomp and ceremony in 1924, and for a while it was the tallest building in the city.
The Gateway of India is made of yellow basalt and concrete and is known for its Indo-Saracenic style. When India got its independence in 1948, British soldiers marched through the area in a less than happy way. Today, the huge archway makes a beautiful background that is loved by both locals and tourists.
7. Mecca Masjid, Hyderabad
The Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad is one of the largest mosques in the world and one of the oldest in India. It was started in 1614, when Mohammed Quli Qutub Shah was king, and it took almost 80 years to finish.
The 15 huge arches and pillars of this beautiful mosque were each made from a single piece of black granite. The slabs were reportedly pulled to the site by huge cattle trains made up of up to 1,400 bulls.
The name of this impressive complex comes from the fact that the bricks above the main gate were brought here from Mecca. Other highlights include the main gate, a huge plaza, and a large man-made pond. There is also a room with the Prophet Mohammed’s hair in it.
Other interesting things about the mosque are the Quranic verses that are written above many of the arches and doors, the beautiful roof of the main hall, and the cornices that surround the whole building. Keep an eye out for the beautiful flower patterns and friezes on the arches.
8. Amer Fort, Jaipur
Amer Fort, which is sometimes spelled “Amber,” was built as a fortified palace by Maharaja Man Singh I in 1592. It has been the capital of Jaipur for a long time. The fort is high up on a hill and can be reached by a steep climb or a shuttle from the town below (better still, let an elephant do the work).
Some of the best things to see are the many decorated elephants in Jaleb Chowk, the first courtyard, and the Shila Devi Temple, which is dedicated to the goddess of war. Also interesting is the nearby Hall of Public Audience (Diwan-i-Am), which has walls that are beautifully decorated and terraces where monkeys like to hang out.
The Hall of Pleasure (Sukh Niwas), with its many flowerbeds and a channel that used to carry water for cooling, and the Temple of Victory (Jai Mandir), with its many decorative panels, colorful ceilings, and great views of the palace and the lake below, are also great places to visit.
Just above Amer Fort is Jaigarh Fort, which was built by Jai Singh in 1726 and has the world’s largest wheeled cannon and tall lookout towers. Spend some time walking around the walled Old City of Jaipur, which has three fully restored gates and wonderful bazaars, as well as the charming City Palace, which is a huge complex of courtyards, gardens, and buildings.
9. The Beaches of Goa
Indians have known for a long time that Goa is the place to go for a great beach vacation, but tourists from other countries have only recently discovered its beautiful western coast, which looks out over the Arabian Sea. Goa has more than 60 miles of coastline, and some of the most beautiful beaches in the world can be found there.
If you want peace and quiet, Agonda Beach is a good choice. Calangute Beach, on the other hand, is by far the most popular and crowded. Rich people from both India and the West like to go to the beaches of Mandrem, Morjim, and Ashwem for posh resorts, yoga retreats, and spa vacations. Palolem is another beautiful beach in Goa that a lot of people like.
Visit the Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary while you’re in Goa. This great place to visit has dense forests and a lot of wildlife, like deer, monkeys, elephants, leopards, tigers, and black panthers, as well as the famous king cobras of India and about 200 species of birds.
Divar Island is also worth going to. You can take a ferry from Old Goa to get there. Piedade, a typical Goan village, and the Church of Our Lady of Compassion, with its interesting stucco work, Baroque plaster decorations, altars, and beautiful views of the surrounding countryside, are two of the highlights.
10. Periyar National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary, Madurai
The Periyar National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the most visited destinations in all of South India. It is located in the vicinity of a lake that was constructed in 1895 by British engineers for the purposes of irrigation and to supply water to the city of Madurai.
This gorgeous park was established in 1934, and it is home to a wide variety of mammalian species, such as a sizable population of free-roaming Indian elephants, wild pigs, otters, the lion-tailed macaque, and more than 20 Bengal tigers. Bird watching is a popular hobby that offers frequent sightings of species such as racket-tailed drongos, darters, storks, kingfishers, and hornbills, in addition to many intriguing variations of butterfly species.
Take a lake boat or go on a guided jungle walk to get the most out of the park’s spectacular mountain landscape. The latter gives guests the opportunity to get up close and personal with elephant herds and witness other species from watchtowers and viewing platforms.
11. Agra Fort
The magnificent Agra Fort, popularly known as Agra’s Red Fort, was initially constructed as a military fortification in 1565 by Emperor Akbar. Subsequent extensions were made to the fort by Shah Jahan, making it an interesting combination of both Hindu and Muslim influences.
The Amar Singh Gate, which is approximately a little over two kilometers away from the Taj Mahal, is the entrance to the fort. This gate was designed with a low outer wall and a dogleg design in order to confound potential attackers. Once you enter, you will discover two enormous sandstone buildings that are connected to one another called Akbari Mahal and Jahangiri Mahal. Together, these make up the largest private mansion in the compound.
Other attractions include the Anguri Bagh (Grape Garden), a jigsaw-patterned Mughal garden with numerous wonderful fountains and water channels as well as screens that once offered a private area for the emperor and his entourage. Other attractions include the Khas Mahal (Private Palace), with its splendid copper roof; and the Anguri Bagh (Private Palace). Another important structure is the octagonal Musamman Burj tower, which afterward became Shah Jahan’s prison till the time of his death.
12. The Ellora Caves, Aurangabad
The famed and magnificent Ellora Caves were constructed by Buddhist, Jain, and Hindu monks between the 5th and 10th centuries. They are located approximately 300 kilometers to the west of Mumbai and make for a wonderful day trip.
This remarkable collection of 34 carved monasteries, chapels, and temples – 12 of which are Buddhist, 17 of which are Hindu, and five of which belong to the Jain faith – were built in close proximity to each other as a reflection of the religious tolerance that existed during this period in Indian history. The site is now recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The beautiful Carpenter’s Cave, which is considered to be one of the finest in India, is one of the highlights of the Buddhist monastery caverns. Other attractions include a variety of shrines spanning from the 5th to 7th century and displaying sculptures of Buddha and saints.
Because of the Hindu caves’ greater complexity and the fact that they were carved from the top down, scaffolding was not required. The Kailasa Temple, which is a gigantic rock-cut temple that depicts Mount Kailasa and required the removal of 200,000 tons of rock, is the most impressive of these structures.
13. Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur
The enormous Mehrangarh Fort, which is one of the greatest fortresses in India and which dominates the old city of Jodhpur, was constructed in the 15th century with the intention of protecting the inhabitants of the well-known “Blue City.” This moniker, which originates from the city’s indigo-colored homes that were painted blue to deflect the heat, is still commonly used to refer to Jodhpur.
The incredible marvel of building that is Mehrangarh is that it was built on top of a towering crag, and its huge walls are nearly impossible to penetrate. Access can be gained through any one of the seven magnificent gates, such as Jaya Pol and Fateh Pol (the latter still bears scars from cannon attacks).
The interesting network of courtyards and palaces within the fort, as well as the museum within the fort that has a superb collection of relics related to the Maharajas, are both highlights of a visit to the fort. Be sure to spend some time in the ancient core of Jodhpur itself, which is known for its eight city gates, a gorgeous old clock tower, and various bazaars selling a wide variety of goods, from fruits and vegetables to sweets, spices, and artisanal goods.
14. The Ganges River
One of India’s most respected natural beauties for a very long time is the Ganges River, which is also known as “Ganga” after the Hindu goddess. It is also one of the top attractions in the country, attracting throngs of Indian citizens to participate in its religious rites as well as tourists to appreciate the magnificence of this powerful river.
Varanasi is the city that the majority of tourists will travel to in order to see the Ganges and the cultural attractions that have sprouted up along its banks. Although there are a number of cities dispersed along the river, the majority of tourists will journey to Varanasi. The city has a population of about 1.2 million people, which is considered to be on the lower end of the scale when compared to other Indian cities, but it is crammed full with temples and other significant religious sites, many of which are centered on worship of (or on) the Ganges.
The banks of the river are lined with a large number of platforms known as “ghats,” which make it simple for worshipers and tourists alike to approach the water. There are in total 88 of these access places to the Ganges, each of which is comprised of steps, some of which are rather steep, that lead directly into the river. The majority of them are several centuries old, but in the 1700s, they underwent substantial reconstruction and improvement. Because of the often lively and colorful festivities and celebrations that take place there, they are among of the most attractive spots in India to take photographs.
If you have the time, I highly recommend going on one of the tours of the Ganges that are offered in the city from any one of the ghats. The early morning sunrise cruises are the ones that stand out as the most remarkable. The experience can be made even more memorable by purchasing one of the many unique, floatable items that are for sale from a seller and then sending it down the river (camera at the ready, of course).
15. Mysore Palace
Mysore is a huge city that is a joy to explore due to the diverse combination of excellent old colonial architecture, regal Indian palaces, and lush, well-manicured gardens that it has. The beautiful Mysore Palace is the city’s most popular destination; however, the city’s well-known silk and sandalwood bazaars are also enjoyable places to visit for those with a penchant for retail therapy.
This magnificent three-story palace was completely reconstructed in 1897 after a devastating fire. Some of the highlights of the palace include its ornate ceilings and pillars in Durbar Hall, its elegant square towers, and its splendid Marriage Pavilion, which features glazed floor tiles, stunning stained glass, artworks, and displays of jewelry. The palace was completely destroyed in the fire. Additionally, on very exceptional occasions, the beautiful Golden Throne is displayed there for all to see.
More than 90,000 lights are used to brighten the palace at special occasions and on Sundays throughout the year. If you want to experience a true pleasure, you should make it a point to see one of the magnificent light shows that are put on during these times. A cycle tour, which can be taken for free once visitors are inside the palace, is a pleasant and active way to discover the expansive grounds and gardens of the palace.
