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.

Krishna Janam Bhoomi Mandir

The best and the important place to see in Mathura is Krishna Janam Bhoomi Mandir ” which is known as the birthplace of the Hindu deity Lord Krishna. Lord Krishna was the 8th incarnation of Vishnu, born in a prison cell in Mathura. Now there is a temple in the prison’s closet where lakhs of tourists and devotees visit every year. Krishna Janam Bhoomi Temple is one of the most prominent sightseeing places in Mathura, which attracts a large number of pilgrims every year during the Janmashtami (Krishna’s birth festival) and Holi festivals.

Dwarkadhish Temple

Dwarkadhish Temple Mathura was built about 150 years ago by a devotee of Lord Krishna. The idol of Lord Krishna in this temple is decorated as “King of Dwarka”. The beautiful architecture of the place is worth seeing.

Vishram Ghat

Vishram Ghat is a revered and sacred bathing ghat on the banks of the Yamuna River at approximately 4.5 kilometers from Mathura Junction. It is Mathura’s largest ghat and is connected to an additional 25 ghats. Vishram Ghat is visited by pilgrims from all over the world to bathe in its holy waters. The place is famous as Vishram because Lord Krishna rested here after killing Kansa, the evil king of the demon. That is why a pilgrimage to Mathura is incomplete without visiting the Vishram Ghat.

Kansa Qila

As the name indicates, Kansa Qila is dedicated to the Demon Kansa, the maternal uncle of Lord Krishna. The Kansa Qila is located on the bank of river Yamuna. The mighty fort is not in good condition nowadays but it is a popular place to visit among travelers.

Barsana is a historical city in the Mathura district of the state of Uttar Pradesh. Barsana is the birthplace of Mata or Devi Radha. Sri Radha Rani Temple is famously located in Barsana is visited by millions of devotees every year. Barsana is also famous for the festival like HOLI. Barsana ki Lathamar Holi is famous all over the world.

The other Tourist places to visit in Mathura are:

Gita Mandir is having incarnations of Gita verses on its walls. It is also known as Birla Mandir as it was built by Jugal Kishore Birla, a devotee of Laxmi Narayana.

Mathura is known for its sweets and Peda is a special thing here.

 Which is the best time to visit Mathura?

Months of October to March are the best to visit as at this time, winters get started in north India. Summers are very hot in Mathura that’s why it is not recommended to visit the place during these months. However, at the time of Holi and Janmashtami, (Krishna’s birthday) people flock to Mathura in a huge crowd.  If you want to join these festivities, then it is great to go to Mathura for a special experience of Holi and Janmashtami.

How to reach Mathura by Air Transport

 The nearest airport to Mathura is at Agra. The nearest international airport to Mathura is the Indira Gandhi International Airport located in Delhi. After this, you can reach Mathura from Delhi with the help of a bus, taxi or train.

How to reach Mathura by train – Mathura Junction connected by train to major cities of the country. Hence, tourists visiting Mathura can catch trains from Delhi, Mumbai, Bhopal, Agra, Lucknow, and Kolkata.

How to reach Mathura by road or car- Traveling to Mathura by road from your car or personal vehicle is a good option. It connects to cities like Delhi, Jaipur, Bikaner, Agra, Indore, Bhopal, Moradabad, Kolkata.