A travel Guide to Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh Tourism

Uttar Pradesh gives a good glimpse of the rich culture of India. Apart from being one of the largest states of India, it is also the most populated one in the country. Uttar Pradesh, India, consists of metropolitan cities as well as some rural areas. It has the city of nawabs, the religious capital of India and one of the seven wonders of the world.

The two rivers Ganga and Yamuna, flowing through the state, add to the natural spiritual beauty of the state. Many festivals are held in the state around the year, attracting tourists and pilgrims around the world.

Uttar Pradesh tourist places are diverse in nature. It has several heritage sites, historic sites, wildlife sanctuaries, temples and forts. An Uttar Pradesh tour is a good mix and match of serenity and disruption. It shows a lot about the food, history, art and architecture, and the vibes of the state.

Places to visit in Uttar Pradesh

1. Taj Mahal in Agra

Any Uttar Pradesh travel guide cannot be completed without mentioning the Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders of the world. Every year a large number of tourists come to see this white marble beauty. Taj Mahal is famous for its architecture as well as its historical and romantic background. The other two UNESCO world heritage sites, Fatehpur Sikri as well as Agra Fort, are located near Taj Mahal. Agra is famous for its sweets as well. The world-famous Pethas holds a special place in every visitor’s heart. Generally, tourists plan one or two days trip to Agra.

2. Ghats of Varanasi

Varanasi is known as the religious capital of India and it holds this position sincerely. There is a different spiritual vibe in this city. Situated on the Ganges river banks, this part of Uttar Pradesh attractions is considered the holy pilgrimage of Hindus. Kashi Vishwanath Temple is among the most famous temples in Varanasi. The city scattered through a maze of narrow galis. It has over 80 ghats consisting of the most famous Manikarnika Ghat, Man Mandir Ghat and Chaumsathi Ghat. This city of Ghats will appear chaotic in the daylight, but as the sun sets and Ganga Aarti begins, everything starts to sync together.

3. Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj

Prayagraj is one of the most famous sites of Uttar Pradesh tourism and a pilgrimage site for Hindus. You can witness the mesmerising confluence of the three holy rivers, Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswathi here. This place holds a special place in Hindu mythology as the Lord Brahma landed here. Earlier known as Allahabad, this city holds the biggest religious gathering during the Maha Kumbh Mela every twelve years. Allahabad Museum, Khusro Bagh and Jawaharlal Planetarium are some of the other places you can visit here.

4. Sarnath

Sarnath is a quiet and serene city from the otherwise densely populated Uttar Pradesh attractions. It is 10 km away from Varanasi. This is a pilgrimage place for the Buddhists as Gautam Buddha preached his first ever sermon from here. Several Buddhist museums, stupas, and gorgeous temples are a great source of amazement for the tourists. Numerous excavations can be spotted here that hold a great historical significance. Dharma stupa and Ashoka’s pillar are some of them. Kushinagar is also a good place to visit. Lord Buddha held his last sermon here.

Things to do in Uttar Pradesh

Being one of the largest states of India, Uttar Pradesh is a host for many significant activities. There are many things to do in Uttar Pradesh and here are some of them.

Celebrate Holi at Mathura and Vrindavan

Holi is the most fun festival celebrated in India. It is a festival of colours, food and a great way to spend time with close ones. The Holi celebration in Mathura and Vrindavan is considered the best in the whole country. They put fluorescent powder locally known as gulal on each other, eat the Holi delicacies like gujia, and worship Lord Krishna.

The legends say that Lord Krishna was born at Mathura and spent his life in Vrindavan. Both these cities are known as twin holy cities. They are the home for many temples belonging to different ages, like Iskcon Temple, Bankey Bihari Temple, Dwarkadhish Temple, Govardhan Hill, and Prem Mandir. All of these key attractions make these twin holy cities a must-have on any Uttar Pradesh travel guide.

Shop for Chikankari Embroidery and Eat Kebabs at Lucknow

Lucknow holds a place of great importance among the Uttar Pradesh tourist places. Lucknow is the city of nawabs and everything here reflects the same vibe. The major attractions of Lucknow are the royalty of Mughals in Bara Imambaras and Rumi Darwaza. Aminabad, Hazratganj, and Chowk offer famous delicacies. Tundey, karori and galouti kebabs with rumali roti and sheermal will give you the taste of Lucknow.

The most famous chikankari embroidery on kurtis, quirky nagra footwears, and ittars from Hazratganj would be great gifts to bring back home. Uttar Pradesh tourism

Attend The Grandeur of Kumbh Mela

Kumbh Mela is a religious gathering that happens in a circle of twelve years. The word ‘Kumbh’ is derived from the mythical elixir jar, but it is also the Hindi word for Aquarius, the zodiac sign in which Jupiter is located during the Haridwar Mela. This festival rotates among four pilgrimage sites located on the bank of four holy rivers. The four sites are Haridwar on the Ganga river, Ujjain on the Shipra, Nashik on the Godavari and Prayagraj on the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswathi. The celebrations at each location are focused on a specific collection of astrological positions for the Sun, Moon, and Jupiter, with the holiest time occurring when these positions are completely occupied.

This among the Uttar Pradesh attractions draws people from all walks of Hindu religious life. Individual ascetics and groups are joined by large numbers of followers, associates, and spectators.

Best time to visit Uttar Pradesh

Although tourists can visit here at any time of year, the best time to visit Uttar Pradesh is from October to March. Being in the plain region, the summer gets extremely hot and sightseeing would become hard. The best season to visit Uttar Pradesh is the winter season as the weather gets pleasant and one can enjoy the trip comfortably. To avoid the last-minute rush, it is suggested to book your flights and hotels beforehand.

How to reach Uttar Pradesh?

Uttar Pradesh is a well-connected state with the rest of India and the world by all modes of transport. Here is how to reach Uttar Pradesh using roadways, railways and airways:

By Roadways: The state has several national highways and expressways like NH 34, NH 30 and Yamuna ExpressWay that are well maintained. The Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation runs buses on all of the state's major routes.

By Railways: Uttar Pradesh is well connected through railways. There are over 430 functional railways operating in the city. Some major railway stations are located in Lucknow, Prayagraj, Agra, Meerut and Kanpur. Many hotels in Agra, hotels in Lucknow, hotels in Meerut, hotels in Kanpur and other cities are located near the stations.

By Airways: There are some domestic airports in Agra, Prayagraj and Meerut. Regular flights to Agra, Meerut and other cities are available. There are two international airports, Chaudhary Charan Singh Airport in Lucknow and Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport in Varanasi. International tourists can board on a flight and land at any of these airports.