General information about Agra

There is really only one reason that people come to Agra and that of course is to visit the Taj Mahal, there really is not a great deal else to see in the city apart from the Red Fort. There are two main stations Agra Fort and Agra Cant, make sure you know which one you want if you are arriving or leaving by train. Hotels will arrange pick ups and as everywhere there are loads of tuk tuks. Most hotels will also arrange cars and guides for the Taj Mahal and the Red Fort.

Hotels in Agra

Check out the usual booking sites such as www.booking.com or www.venere.com, we stayed at the Gateway Hotel, Fatehabad Road, it was called the Taj View, and yes they have half of their rooms with a view, it is just that it is not a very good view. The problem is very bad double glazing. It is a shame as the rooms are good, the staff are very pleasant, I just think that if I was to go back I would not stay there just for the view. They arranged a great driver and guide when needed at what was a very reasonable price.

The Oberoi Amar Villas, if you can afford it, is the place to stay, with the views and top notch facilities as you would expect. We were fortunate enough to be able to lunch there but apparently in high season it is for guests only.

Restaurants, Bars & Cafes

Restaurants

Oberoi Amar Villas is not always open to non-residents but it is worth checking if you can get a reservation for a meal.

ITC Mughal Hotel has an excellent buffet at lunch time and an a la carte restaurant in the evening, worth checking that it can be booked by non-residents.

Gateway Hotel, Jhankar Restaurant, a la carte Indian restaurant open for dinner only, we did not try it but it looks very smart and gets good reports.

Drink

Beer and wine is available in most middle to upper range restaurants and in some of the more basic places a beer can usually be sourced. The most common beer is Kingfisher which is a pleasant lager type beer. Indian wine is becoming more and more common and Sula is one of the most often seen brands. They produce red, rose, white and sparkling and are perfectly drinkable, the price varies from state to state as there are local taxes included in the price.

Culture

The main attraction will not disappoint, it does not matter how many times you have seen it in photographs and on film, the Taj Mahal is truly wonderful and your first view will take your breath away. Try and get your hotel to get tickets the day before to save having to queue, the best times are sunrise or sunset and it is so worth it to be there at sunrise. You cannot fail to be staggered by the beauty of the building.

Also go and visit the Red Fort which is the other major site in Agra.