Top 5 Places to Visit in Agra Beyond the Taj Mahal

No list of Agra attractions would be complete without the world's greatest monument to love. Built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan between 1631 and 1648 for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, the Taj Mahal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The sheer scale is breath-taking in person — 73 metres tall, clad entirely in white Makrana marble inlaid with 28 types of semi-precious stone. Arrive at first light and watch the dome shift from pale grey to gold as the sun rises over the Yamuna river. Come back at full moon for the rare Taj by Moonlight experience (ticketed separately). From VMP Villa, you can walk to the South Gate in under an hour or take a tuk-tuk for ₹100.

Two kilometres from the Taj Mahal, the great red-sandstone Agra Fort is often skipped by day-trippers — which is a massive mistake. This UNESCO-listed citadel was home to four Mughal emperors, and walking its walls is like stepping inside a history textbook. The fort covers 94 acres and took 4,000 builders eight years to construct under Akbar the Great. Inside are exquisite palaces — the Jahangiri Mahal, Khas Mahal, and the white marble Diwan-i-Khas where emperors received dignitaries. The fort is best explored over two hours with an audio guide (₹118 for Indians, ₹318 for foreigners) available at the Amar Singh Gate entrance.

Akbar built an entire imperial capital here between 1571 and 1585 — and then abandoned it. Today, Fatehpur Sikri is one of the best-preserved Mughal cities in India and arguably more impressive than the Taj in its architectural ambition. The complex blends Persian, Indian, and Islamic styles in stunning red sandstone. Don't miss the Buland Darwaza (Victory Gate) — at 54 metres, it's the highest gateway in the world. Inside, the Jama Masjid is one of India's finest mosques, and the tomb of Sufi saint Salim Chishti with its intricate marble lattice screens is otherworldly. Pair this with a stop at Sikandra (Akbar's mausoleum) on the drive back to Agra.

This is the local secret that most tourists miss completely. Mehtab Bagh ("Moonlight Garden") sits directly across the Yamuna river from the Taj Mahal and offers an unobstructed, crowd-free view of the monument at sunset. Shah Jahan originally planned to build a black marble Taj here as his own mausoleum — a mirror image facing the white Taj — but the project was halted when Aurangzeb imprisoned him. The garden has since been restored by the Archaeological Survey of India and the old octagonal pond, when still, perfectly reflects the Taj dome in its waters. Entry is a fraction of the Taj's price and visitor numbers are a fraction too. An absolute must-do.

Often called the 'Baby Taj', Itimad-ud-Daulah was actually built before the Taj Mahal and is considered the prototype for it. Commissioned by Empress Nur Jahan between 1622 and 1628 for her father (Ghiyas Beg, the Prime Minister of Emperor Jahangir), this exquisite white marble mausoleum is the first Mughal building made entirely of marble. What makes it special is the pietra dura inlay work — intricate mosaic patterns made from coloured gemstones set flush into the marble. The motifs cover virtually every surface: wine bottles, cypress trees, geometric stars. The surrounding garden with its formal Charbagh layout is beautifully maintained and almost always quiet. A two-hour visit here paired with Mehtab Bagh makes a perfect afternoon.