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Weekend Getaways from Delhi

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Planning a travel itinerary for a city as vast as Delhi (not area vise) can be overwhelming. Being a resident of Delhi, I know it’s not easy to cover everything in merely a few days because the city has a lot to see and do. Therefore, I’ve shortlisted some of the best-guided tours you can take in Delhi so that you don’t miss out on any of the best spots in the city. 

In early 2018, I tried Awadhi cuisine for the first time, and it was love at first bite. My friends had ordered kebabs from a restaurant named Tunday Kebabi. I tried their famous Tunday and Galouti kebabs which instantly melted in my mouth. Its divine taste ignited a fire within me, and I decided to visit the city of its origin, Lucknow.

It was in the year 2016 when I first came across Lansdowne in a travel magazine, a pristine hill station in the Pauri Garhwal district of Uttarakhand. Named after Lord Lansdowne, one of the viceroys of British India, it now serves as the residence of the Garhwal regiment.

Over the years, Lansdowne has become a popular destination amongst tourists because of its picturesque beauty and tranquil atmosphere. People visit this city to relax and detox their minds and souls. Moreover, due to its proximity to Delhi, it also serves as an ideal weekend getaway destination.

A sudden plan made on a Friday evening over a cup of tea with friends. Here we were staring at the seventh wonder of the world the next day! This wasn’t my first visit to Taj Mahal, yet the place seems new every time.

Here’s what we did with just 12 hours to spend in Agra.

5:00 a.m

agra-expressway

We started our journey from Dwarka (Delhi) early in the morning. We stopped for a quick breakfast right after crossing the expressway toll. After a 2-hour long drive through NH-24, we entered the bustling city of Uttar Pradesh, Agra. The streets were empty and quiet, which was an unusual sight for a heavily populated city like Agra.

8:15 a.m.

taj-mahal-complex

We parked our car at the Western Gate parking and bought the tickets from the nearest counter. As we approached the gate complex, we caught our first glance of the Taj Mahal. The only words that came out were “Wah Taj!”

8:45 a.m.

taj-mahal

We crossed the first gate to enter the main complex of Taj Mahal. It was a sunny day and the white marble was shining like a pearl. It was worth 100 clicks!

9:30 a.m.

yamuna-river-agra

Before entering the monument complex, we were given cloth pouch to cover our shoes. It’s a good initiative taken by the authorities to keep the white marble protected from dirt. We visited the grave inside the main tomb first. There was a bit rush and it took us a while to get a good inside view of the Taj. After which we took a 360-degree tour of the complex from the main gallery and sat there staring at the river for a while. The view was serene, with tiny boats floating and the flock of birds flying over the river.

12:30 p.m.

After all that walking, we were now struck by hunger and most of the breakfast places were shut. However, we were able to find a decent eatery on the Zomato app, Sheroes café. It is an unusual café where you can pay as you like, run by the acid attack victims. It was a nice and cosy place surrounded by beautiful paintings and a plethora of books. We had a good time here and this is where I introduced my friends to our favourite dish, Honey Chilly Potato. We then headed to our next stop, Agra Fort.

2:30 p.m.

agra-fort

Agra Fort is a Red stoned fort built by Emperor Akbar during his reign. This fort resembles greatly to Delhi’s Red Fort. The complex is huge, has many iconic structures like Diwan-e-aam, Diwan-e-Khas, sheesh mahal, etc., and is surrounded by lush green gardens. We explored the complex brick by brick and took us nearly 2.5 hours to see the entire place.

agra-fort-exterior

5:00 p.m.

On our way back to the parking, we decided to stop by the local shops. Few things that we brought back with us were handmade marble souvenirs, banana silk saree (a must-buy for a saree lover), Petha, the famous desert of Agra and loads of memories.

If you have more time to spare then do visit Tomb of Akbar in Sikandra and UNESCO world heritage Fatehpur Sikri. They are worth a visit 😉

The land of the royals is a brilliant amalgamation of the old and the modern times. The modern Jaipur offers beautiful sky rise towers and cafes. On the other hand, the old city wins our heart with its old charms. The city painted in shades of pink is hard to miss. The only way to experience the true essence of the city is to walk down the lanes and explore the place brick by brick.