Places to visit in Agra in one day?

I am from Vancouver and will be going to India. My first trip to India will be in Punjab, after that before leaving for home I would be going to Agra for one day. I would like to know what places to visit in Agra in one day.
Of course we would be visiting the Taj Mahal, which I say would not take more than two hours to see. After that, we would have the whole day, so please suggest.

 

From top of my head, you can visit Agra fort which is minutes drive away. You can also visit Guru Ka Taal which is a famous gurudwara.

 

In a single day you can visit the following places:

After Breakfast
Taj Mahal
Agra Fort
Baby Taj
After lunch visit
Fatehpur Sikri

Basically, if you stick to a schedule, you'll be able to manage all of these.

 

Hello, @Aashi! Welcome to the forum!

Aside from the Taj Mahal, Agra also has other attractions that are worth visiting. Did you know that it is the only city in the country with three UNESCO World Heritage Sites? The first one is the Taj Mahal, the second one is the Agra Fort and the third one is the Fatehpur Sikri. Thus, with this alone, the city is proof of the rich heritage of the country. Along with these three attractions, there are plenty more places that you can explore in the city. However, I'd keep this list short as you don't have much time in your hands while you're in Agra.

Top Five Places to Visit in Agra (One-Day Trip)

Attraction in Agra	Distance
1. Taj Mahal	About 2.4 kilometres from city centre of Agra
2. Agra Fort	About 6.9 kilometres from Taj Mahal
3. Tomb of Itimad-ud-Daulah	About 4.3 kilometres from Agra Fort
4. Mehtab Bagh	About 2.5 kilometres away from Tomb of Itimad-ud-Daulah
5. Fatehpur Sikri	About 41.5 kilometres away from Mehtab Bagh

You can visit the first four places during the morning. The last attraction can be visited after you had a quick lunch. Since the four places are located close by each other, you won't have an issue with visiting them. You can easily hire an auto rickshaw to take you from one place to another. With the last attraction though, you need to hire a taxi to take you there as it can take about an hour or so to reach it. Here's a brief description of each attraction:

Top Five Places to Visit in Agra (One-Day Trip)

• Taj Mahal - First on our list is the majestic Taj Mahal which is also listed as an UNESCO World Heritage Site. It's not difficult to realise why though as the beauty of the Taj Mahal is quite enthralling. As you enter the gate to reach it, the red sandstone structure of the entryway would greet you. It's a nice contrast from the pure milky white structure that's going to greet you. The expansive and well-manicured gardens are added attractions and it's so huge that it can accommodate the throngs of tourists visiting the place. Built around the 17th century by Shah Jahan for his third wife Mumtaz Mahal, who died while giving birth to their offspring, but I'm sure you know this story already, it stands as one of the best attractions in the country. As soon as you reach the mausoleum, the grandeur of the structure is apparent. With the use of white marbles, it gleams in the city and more so at night time, when the moon reflects unto its white facade. On the other hand, the Taj Mahal also reflects a different beauty when visited during sunset or early morning.

• Agra Fort - Next is another UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Agra Fort, located quite close to the Taj Mahal. Exploring the fort and the structures within it can easily take two hours or even more. A fort with a long history, having been conquered by different rulers, but was originally built around the 10th century by a Rajput ruler. However, it was Akbar who renovated the fort into its present structure. All the other structures inside the fort can be attributed to Shah Jahan though. Once you enter the Amar Singh Gate of the fort, you'd be greeted by the Jahangiri Palace. It is one of the biggest palaces in the fort and the exquisite wall carvings are worth exploring here. There are also plenty more of palaces within the fort like the Shah Jahani Mahal, Khas Mahal, Sheesh Mahal and Akbari Mahal. There are also two halls here, one is the public hall called the Diwan-I-Am and the other is a private hall called the Diwan-I-Khas. There are also some mosques and pavilions here that you can visit. As you can see, there are plenty of places to visit in Agra Fort that it can take you a few hours in this attraction. So you need to keep track of your time or else you might not have time left for visiting other places.

• Tomb of Itimad-ud-Daulah - Although this attraction is not as well-known as the Taj Mahal, it actually was built even before the iconic attraction of the city. Smaller in size but its captivating beauty would mesmerise you. It was built by Noor Jahan, wife of Jahangir, for her father, Mirza Ghiyas Beg (known as Itimad-ud-Daulah). Even at first glance, the resemblance of the Tomb of Itimad-ud-Daulah to the Taj Mahal is very apparent. Often tagged as the Baby Taj, the main distinction of this mausoleum from the Taj Mahal is its intricate interiors. So whereas the Taj Mahal has a grand facade, the Tomb of Itimad-ud-Daulah has grand interiors. Made from white marble as well, the main mausoleum itself has geometric designs. Its ceilings has beautiful patterns with earthy colours. The floor also has inlaid geometric shapes. The paintings surrounding the walls are also unique. Thus, if somehow, the Taj Mahal hasn't satisfied your artistic side, a visit to the Tomb of Itimad-ud-Daulah will certainly do.

• Mehtab Bagh - This is where you'd end your half day and as a bonus, you can view the majestic Taj Mahal from this garden. This garden is positioned exactly adjacent to the Taj Mahal and is one of the hidden gems of the city. Whereas the Taj Mahal can get very crowded and touristy, the Mehtab Bagh is relatively hidden and unknown. It's a photographer's haven as you can get the perfect shot of the Taj Mahal from here. This garden was built around the 15th century by Emperor Babur but for a long time, it had stayed hidden and fell into disuse. It was then renovated by the government and now provides the best view of the Taj Mahal. It's the perfect place to end your half day after a tiring tour around the city.

• Fatehpur Sikri - This is your last destination for the day, which is about an hour or so away from the city centre of Agra. It is also the third UNESCO World Heritage Site in the list. The city is now a ghost town although for a short while, it was the capital of Akbar during the 15th century. Due to the water shortage in the city, it was later abandoned and since then has remained uninhabited. The city basically has three sections: the Tomb of Salim Chishti, the Palace Complex and the Public Complex. It can take more than a few hours to explore the city though so it's better to arrive here by early morning so you can fully see the city. The Jama Mosque is also located here, one of the largest mosques in the world. A visit to Fatehpur Sikri can take you back to glorious Mughal era and it's the best way to end your trip in Agra.

So there you go, I hope this little guide/itinerary helps you. Enjoy your trip to Agra!