Agra Hotels - Hand In Hand With Heritage

By Author: Rashmiranjan Patil
Total Articles: 261
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Agra, the famous city where one of the seven wonders of the world, Taj Mahal is situated, is in the state of Uttar Pradesh, about two hundred kilometers from the capital of India, Delhi. Known for heritage tourism, Agra has three main tourist attractions namely Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri. The great Mughal emperors, who were also architecture connoisseurs, have built many buildings in Agra that made it a favorite heritage tourism site in the later years.

Emperor Babur built the famous Aram Bagh or the garden of relaxation, his son Akbar built the Agra Fort and the Fatehpur Sikr,i and the world famous Taj Mahal was built by his grandson Shah Jahan, the latter in the loving memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. Taj Mahal, the fame of Agra, is the most famous site here. Taj Mahal is a tomb built out of white marble and is one of the most well preserved architectural masterpieces in the world. There is an entry fee to enter this beautiful monument which is open from 6 am to 7.30 pm.

Fatehpur Sikri was the capital of the Mughal Empire for about 10 years. It has inside it the famous Jama Masjid of Agra along with ...
... well preserved palaces and courtyards. It was built in the 16th century and it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Swami Bagh, Ram Bagh and the Mehtab Bagh are the famous gardens in Agra frequented by tourists. Some of the main temples in Agra also attract a lot of tourists like Balkeshwar temple, Kailash temple, Mankameshwar temple, Prithvinath temple, Rajeshwar temple, Shyam Ji Maharaj temple, Mahakal and Mahakali temple and Rowli Maharaj temple. There are also a number of tombs built in reverence of many great personalities of the Mughal times which have now turned into tourist spots.

ITC Mughal, Trident Hilton and the Oberoi Amarvilas are the five star Agra hotels. The star hotels in Agra have pretty good value for money compared to the star hotels in other cities. Considered among the top hotels in Asia, these hotels provide a good view of the Taj from the pavilions on top.

Among the mid-range Agra Hotels, Hotel Priya, Hotel Mandakini Vilas, Laurie’s Hotel, Hotel Raj, Rajmahal Hotel and Hotel Taj Resorts are favored by many. The budget hotels in Agra are available on a daily rent of Rs. 700 to 900 per day. Hotel Sheetla, Hotel Amba Inn, Hotel Kamal, Hotel Neelkanth, Saniya Palace and Shanthi Lodge are the well known budget Agra Hotels.

About 20 trains connect Agra to Delhi everyday which is also easily accessible from Jaipur. Well connected with roads, rails and aeroplanes, Agra is a tourist’s paradise.