Uttar Pradesh is a state with a beautiful blend of Culture, art, music, food and traditions. It houses various places of cultural, architectural, historical and religious importance. Uttar Pradesh Tourism is also a very big industry. Many people including people from foreign come to visit different places in Uttar Pradesh. So, let’s have a look at the details of the best places to visit in Uttar Pradesh.

Lucknow

Lucknow, the capital city of Uttar Pradesh is often referred as the ‘Heart of Uttar Pradesh’ because of its Geographical position and the blend of culture and tradition that is found here. One finds the top schools and universities of UP, planned colonies, cultural and heritage monuments and parks, the famous ‘Chikankari’ clothes and delicious cuisines especially Kebabs and Biryani. Included in the Awadh region, this city is also called ‘The City of Nawabs’ as many rulers and kings of the Awadh province used to live here. Today also, this city has many tourist spots like the Bara Imambara. This Shrine was built by Nawab Asaf Ud Daula in 1784. The word Bara means big and the word Imambara means the complex of the Shrine. Going by the name Bara Imambara is one of the largest buildings in Lucknow. Bara Imambara houses the Asfi Mosque which contains the Tomb of Nawab Asaf Ud Daula. It also has the ‘Bhool Bhulaiya’ which is a labyrinth or a maze. This is surely one of the best places to visit in Lucknow due to the interesting facts associated with it. 

Another place to visit in Lucknow is Ambedkar Memorial Park. This is a Public park and memorial in Gomti Nagar is dedicated to the father of Indian Constitution- Dr. B.R. Ambedkar . The monument of the park was built in red sandstone and looks splendid in daylight as well as at night. It is spread across an area of 108 acres and also honors some other eminent personalities like. Kanshi Ram, Birsa Munda, Shahuji Maharaj, Jyotirao Phule. Some featuring sites of this park are Ambedkar Stupa, Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Samajik Parivartan Gallery, Pratibimb Sthal, Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Memorial Drashya Sthal and well maintained lawns. This is a must visit place in Lucknow due to its grandeur.

Hazratganj is the epicenter for shopping in Lucknow. It has a mix of Indian and Western Culture as it has Indian Traditional bazaars as well as it has shopping complexes, restaurants, theaters etc. One can find items like Handicrafts, jewelry, handlooms, electronics, clothes, cuisines in this age old market in Lucknow. A monthly carnival is organised on the second Sunday of every month where various types of entertainment programs are also organised in addition to special bazaars. Going to Hazratganj is definitely recommended if one goes to Lucknow.

Agra

Agra is home to one of the 7 wonders of the world – the Taj Mahal, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is considered to be the symbol of love and people from all over the world come to visit this magnificent white marble monument. Moreover, there are other historical monuments like the Agra Fort, Fatehpur Sikri, Itmad-Ud-Daula, Aram Bagh, khas mahal etc. Agra is one of the best places to visit in Uttar Pradesh because along with spectacular monuments with delicate architecture, it also offers delicious cuisines. Agra is famous for its ‘Petha’- a sweet dish which comes in various flavours.

Varanasi

This is one of the oldest cities in the whole world, situated on the banks of river Ganga. Culture, Tradition, Art, Food, History, Education – this aesthetic city has it all. It has visitors, tourists and pilgrims all around the year, coming for various purposes like to worship in Kashi Vishwanath Temple, taking a dip in Ganga river, witness the Ganga Aarti in the evening at the ghats, taking boat rides in the river, witnessing the Subah-e-Banaras etc. Varanasi is a must visit place even for its cuisines like Banarasi Pan, Sweets, Kachori-Jalebi etc. The Vishwanath Gali and nearby areas are a heaven for shopaholics. On the other side of the river Ganga there is Ramnagar Fort, which also has a museum of antique items. Sarnath, which is one of the most prominent Buddhist sites in India, is also situated in Varanasi. Lord Buddha gave his first sermon in Sarnath and this place has a museum, Temples and the Bodhi Stupa.

Mathura and Vrindavan

While Mathura is the birthplace of Lord Krishna, Vrindavan is the place where he spent most of his childhood. Both these aesthetic cities are famous for their age-old beautiful temples. Mathura has temples like Dwarkadhish Temple, Sri Krishna Janma Bhoomi and Vrindavan has temples like Banke Bihari temple, Prem mandir etc. The celebrations of festivals of Holi and Janmashtami in Mathura are famous all over the world and every year, many people come to witness these spectacular events.

Allahabad

Allahabad is popular for its magnificent Kumbh Mela held at the Sangam of Ganga and Yamuna. It also houses other historical and Mughal architecture buildings. Some of the famous places to visit in this city are Triveni Sangam, Khusro Bagh, Allahabad Museum, Allahabad Fort, Patalpuri Temple, Jawahar Planetarium, Anand Bhavan.

A trip to Agra can be a good experience for those interested in history and architecture. In addition to the huge monuments in Agra, there are other things to eat and drink, such as Agra Chaat, Lassi and especially the Petha of Agra is famous all over India.

In Agra, The Taj Mahal, the symbol of love is widely regarded as the most beautiful building in the world. It was built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan as a memorial to his third wife Mumtaz Mahal. It is considered to be the finest example of Mughal architecture and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The construction of the Taj Mahal took about 17 years to complete and was finally completed by 1653. The mausoleum is constructed in a rectangular shape. The entrance has water channels and fountains which make the monument even more spectacular.

Another spectacular place to visit near Agra is Fatehpur Sikri. At a distance of 36 km away from Agra, Fatehpur Sikri is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a famous tourist attraction mainly made of red sandstone. Fatehpur Sikri was founded in the 16th century by the Mughal Emperor Akbar. It is a classic example of Akbar’s architecture. Fatehpur Sikri is home to Jodha Bai’s palace, Jama Masjid, Buland Darwaza and Salim Chishti’s mausoleum.

Agra Fort, the other UNESCO world heritage site in Agra is a huge fort located on the right bank of the Yamuna River, just 2.5 kilometers from the world-famous Taj Mahal. This grand structure was built in the year 1573 by the Mughal emperor Akbar himself. Agra Fort is one of the most special monuments built by the Mughals and has quite a grand structure. It is a perfect example of Mughal-style art and architecture and is one of the most visited tourist destinations in Agra. The Pearl Mosque, Diwan-i -Khas, Diwan-i- aam, Moti Masjid, and Jahangiri Mahal are the best Mughal architecture within the fort complex.

Jama Masjid in Agra is one of the largest mosques built by the Mughals in India, is also known as the “Friday Mosque”.

The other tourist attraction places in Agra Include Itimad-Ud-Daulah tomb, Akbar Tomb, Mehtab Bagh, Chini Ka Rauza, Anguri Bagh, Taj Museum

An annual festival, Taj Mahotsav is the famous festival in Agra organized in the month of February for 10 days. To promote the art and craft of the region, the festival is organized. Apart from this, one gets to taste various dishes at this festival.

Agra is situated on the Golden Triangle of the Tourist Circuit. It is well connected to Delhi by road, rail and air transport. To visit Agra, the month of October to March is best to explore the place.