The Dhammek Stupa is a giant cylindrical Buddhist stupa situated in Sarnath, near Varanasi. This huge structure was built on the site where the Buddha was said to have given his first sermon to his disciples after attaining enlightenment, and is one of India’s most important Buddhist pilgrimage sites.
The 19th-century Banke Bihari Temple (Banke Bihari Mandir)—one of India’s most famous temples—in Vrindavan houses an idol of Lord Krishna that devotees believe will cause them to faint if they look into its eyes. As such, the idol is kept behind a curtain that’s swiftly opened and closed, allowing worshipers to catch quick glimpses of the god safely.
One of five locally sacred ghats—steps down to a river—Kedar Ghat is among Varanasi's oldest and most visited ghats. With distinct red and white steps and a picturesque location on the banks of the Ganges River, Kedar is also home to the Kedarnath Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, the presiding deity of Varanasi.
The Chaukhandi Stupa is an important Buddhist stupa originally built as a terraced temple to mark the place where the Buddha and his first disciples met when traveling from Bodhgaya to Sarnath. The stupa stands amid beautifully maintained gardens and serves as the gateway to the Buddhist city of Sarnath.
The pièce de résistance of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Fatehpur Sikri, a carefully preserved former Mughal capital established by emperor Akbar in 1570, Diwan-I-Khas (which translates to the "Hall of Private Audiences") is a beautiful red sandstone structure. It was once adorned with murals and Persian poetry, but today only traces remain.
Emperor Ashoka, the last major emperor of India's Mauryan dynasty, created the Pillars of Ashoka in the third century BC and scattered them across northern India and Nepal. These tall sandstone pillars celebrate tenets of Buddhism. The lion-topped Sarnath Pillar is the most famous. It is the national emblem of India, and you can see it at Sarnath Museum, near Varanasi.
Lucknow’s British Residency is an enduring reminder of British colonial presence in India and a must-visit attraction in the city. British officials and their families sheltered here during the 5-month Siege of Lucknow in 1857. Now, visitors can learn about this history in the museum and by strolling the ruins and the grounds.
The former summer home of Jat rulers of the kingdom of Bharatpur, Deeg Palace is a beautiful palace dating back to 1772. It was commissioned by the ruler Maharaja Suraj Mal, a notoriously brave ruler known for plundering sites such as the Red Fort in Delhi and the Taj Mahal. In fact, much of the granite and marble used in the palace’s construction is believed to have come from the Red Fort itself.
Just outside of Fatehpur Sikri, Korai is a small, traditional village that's largely populated by members of the Qalandar community. In recent years, travel companies and village residents have made efforts to bring in tourists, making Korai a great place to learn about life in rural North India while supporting the local economy.
Anand Bhavan, which means house of bliss, is the grand 1930s ancestral home of the Nehru family. Located in Prayagraj (Allahabad), it produced India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, and two more: Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. Nehru’s daughter, Indira, gifted the mansion to India in 1970. Now, it's a museum chronicling the family and India’s independence movement.
Travelers in North India will probably have seen a few of Akbar the Great’s grand designs before they reach Prayagraj (Allahabad), including Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri. If you’re passing through Prayagraj, add 16th-century Allahabad Fort to your list. Although largely dismantled now, the solid riverside walls hint at its past as the largest of Akbar’s constructions.
Although Prayagraj (Allahabad) is better known these days as a major Hindu pilgrimage city, it has a rich Islamic history. This can be seen in the beautiful Khusro Bagh, a walled garden containing the early 17th-century tombs of Khusro Mirza, the eldest son of Mughal Emperor Jehangir, and others. Anyone who’s seen Agra’s Taj Mahal or Delhi’s Humayun’s Tomb will recognize the architectural continuity.
Situated in Noida, a suburb of Delhi, Worlds of Wonder is a popular spot for families looking for some theme park fun. It consists of a ride-filled amusement park with more than 20 rides, a water park full of slides and pools, and plenty of special attractions geared toward even the smallest of guests.
The Hindu Patalpuri Temple stands within—or, rather, beneath—the grounds of the 16th-century Mughal Allahabad Fort, and is one of the only parts of the fort that’s always accessible, as the rest is controlled by the Indian Army. Prayagraj (Allahabad) is a major Hindu pilgrimage destination and the Patalpuri Temple is one of the holiest places in the city.
