Tampa to Amritsar Flights

  About Tampa

Nestled on Tampa Bay is the quaint and quintessential city of Tampa in Florida's Gulf Coast. Due to its proximity to Cuba, much of the culture, cuisine and lifestyle is Cuban-influenced. Tampa is a famous tourist destination which sees a huge crowd of travellers visiting during peak season.

Best time to visit Tampa

Tampa's busiest months are from May through August as the weather is hot, just the way some people like it. However, it is the months of September to December that you should root for as the weather is very pleasant and the hotel prices are also cheap and convenient. The temperatures range from 22 degree Celsius to 31 degree Celsius, which is quite ideal if you are travelling from India. The hotel reservations in Tampa during these months are also affordable as they have discounted rates, making the trip perfect. You might even end up getting rooms facing the water, which is quite the sight. Plus, the city also sees fun events such as Oktoberfest Tampa and Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. You should know though that summer is also a good time when it comes to hosting events in the city. They have some really amazing events such as Sunset Music Festival, BeeFest and Bolts Brew Fest. Basically, Floridians of Tampa like their beer chilled and crafted. It reflects perfectly with the way they celebrate beer several times in a year. Despite being hot, the city does manage to attract a lot of crowds and along with them, heavy hotel prices.

The winter and spring months at Tampa are exquisite. Even though the temperature falls to 11 degree Celsius sometimes in January, the season still sees a good amount of tourist activity. Due to this, the flight and hotel charges are also quite steep. In fact, it would be best for you to start looking for hotels and accommodations along with your flight tickets, well in advance. You might still get expensive rates for flights and hotels in Tampa, but it always seems like you can manage to get some online deals. It is recommended that you start three months in advance to book flights and hotels in Tampa for a lush vacation. There are some fun festivals too that take place in the city such as Tampa Pride, Taste @ the Straz, Tampa Bay Beer Week, Gasparilla Pirate Fest and Busch Gardens Food & Wine Festival. While the prices might be steep and even the streets might be full of crowded tourists, you should still opt for this time of the year for a trip to Tampa. The city's vibe is certainly something that would make you want to relax and have a good time.

Places to visit in Tampa

Tampa is ideal for a family vacation and especially for animal lovers. The place has a lot of tourist attractions that would keep anyone engaged. From the Florida Aquarium to the Lowry Park Zoo, Tampa continues to bustle with tourists as there are many natural locales to explore. You can start with the Riverwalk which is located along the Hillsborough River. You can walk it up or use a bike. The Florida Aquarium is recognised to be one of the best in the world and houses a colossal number of marine life with over 14, 000 residing within. It will take you a long time to complete your tour in the Florida Aquarium, but it will be quite an experience. You can also engage in some interesting shows at the Tampa Electric's Manatee Viewing Centre ZooTampa at Lowry Park is a fun expedition to explore with the family. The zoo has some beautiful animals, including African elephants, orangutans, tigers, koalas, penguins, to name a few species. You can also check out the Henry B Plant Museum, which is located on the campus of the University of Tampa.

Things to do in Tampa

Busch Gardens is a theme park which is sprawled across 297 acres of land. There are many live shows, roller coasters games and shops that would hold your attention. To enjoy the entertainment sphere of Tampa, you should try to get a ticket to watch a show at the Tampa Theatre. The theatre is recognised to be one of the most elaborate theatres in the world. The city also organises several boat tours, and all you have got to do is to pick a cruise or yacht trip and make the most of Tampa. Another fun amusement park is the Adventure Island where you can unwind with your family. Even though the beach is right there, you should visit the amusement park as your kids will definitely love the entertaining activities and rides present. Not to mention how you should indulge in some of the festivals and food tours.

Food and Restaurants in Tampa

Tampa's food is heavily Cuban-inspired. It is Cuban food and waterfront dining that the locals recommend and for all the right reasons. You can enjoy the lip-smacking seafood with Cuban flavours while watching the sunset. It is quite a sight and the ideal dining experience one can ask for. One of the best waterfront seats that you can find in Tamp is at the Oystercatchers, which is associated with Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay. The place has the freshest and best seafood that you'll find in Tampa. While Oystercatchers does have a great view of the water and the best waterfront in Tampa, you can also opt for Cafe Dufrain which is located in the Harbour Island. The establishment gives a fancy spin to locally sourced dishes. For some exquisite Cuban food, you should visit Ybor City and make reservations at Columbia Restaurant. The establishment is recognised as one of the top-notch in all of Florida for serving the best Cuban cuisine. Besides Cuban, you will also find Spanish and Caribbean meals from the respective kitchen. What's fascinating is how you'll find flamenco performances while you relish the food.

La Teresita Restaurant is another fun establishment that makes lip-smacking food and offers a great vibe. For special occasions, you should visit Bern's Steak House. The dining scene of the said restaurant is exquisite, and the food is divine. Far off to the other side of the spectrum is the Rooster & the Till, which basically has beautiful farm-to-table dishes to cater to the American tapas. Ulele is also a lovely joint which is perfectly nestled on the Tampa Riverwalk. They specialise in Native-inspired cuisine which includes charbroiled oysters with garlic butter and cheese. Tampa Riverwalk also has many other food joints that would get your attention. They favour Cuban food interspersed with wood-fired pizzas. Hillsborough River is another famous point where the foodies will have a good time indulging in classic to modern dishes.

How to reach Tampa

Flight connectivity to Tampa from India is quite good. Although there are no direct flights that fly to Tampa from India, a plethora of connecting flights and layover options are available. Thanks to a slew of flights that fly to Tampa from the US as well as some European cities, travelling to Tampa is not cumbersome. Instead, it is actually very convenient. Some of the airlines such as British Airways, Swiss, United Airlines, Air Canada, All Nippon Airways, Alitalia, Delta Air Lines, Qatar Airways, United Airways, American Airlines, Air France, Vistara, have impeccable flight connectivity to Tampa from India. The most convenient and popular route to reach Tampa from India is by flying to Miami and getting a connecting flight from there. As both the cities are in the Florida state, travelling via domestic routes becomes easier if Tampa is the destination. From India, there are various international routes to reach Tampa, such as from London, Zurich, Tokyo, Frankfurt, Rome, Toronto and Newark, to name a few. Some of the cities require a transit visa.

Specific countries have rules that require the travellers to hold a transit visa. If you have layovers or connecting flights from cities such as Zurich, Frankfurt, Toronto, Paris, London, Newark, to name a few, you will have to produce a transit visa. This visa cannot be used to step out of the airport as it is only to showcase that you are visiting the said city's airport to board a connecting flight. Flight tickets to Tampa are not cheap. Rather, they are quite expensive. One of the main reasons why travellers opt for Miami instead of flying to Tampa is because of the expensive flight tickets. However, if you have managed to save well and have enough in your bank account to make the trip happen, then you might be able to snag some flight ticket deals to Tampa online. It would be convenient if you also booked your hotels in Tampa while booking your flights. The accommodation in Tampa is just as expensive, which means you will have to make prior bookings, probably more than six months in advance. This way you will get amazing deals online plus you will get to save up for the same in the city.

  About Amritsar

Amritsar, in Punjab, has been a city of historical and mythological importance since a very long time. According to scriptures, the city housed Maharishi Valmiki, who wrote Ramayana. It is also said that Goddess Sita gave birth to Luv and Kush at the Ramtirth ashram in Amritsar. Amritsar is colloquially called Ambarsar and was initially called Ramdaspur. And how can you forget the Golden Temple! It's one of the most famous religious places of worship and has also been nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Golden Temple sees visitors from all over the world throughout the year. You cannot leave Amritsar without visiting the Golden Temple and embracing your spiritual side. The langar food will leave you satiated for a very long time. You can also volunteer in the kitchen and help the others serve. It is an experience of a lifetime.

Amritsar was founded by Guru Ram Das, who is the fourth Sikh guru who founded the holy city in the Sikh tradition. Guru Ram Das made a pool and a home next to it after which he named the town he founded, Ramdaspur. He then invited merchants and artisans to come to live in the town that was later called Amritsar. Sikhism is a widely practised religion in Amritsar, and the Sikhs have also been a very integral part of Indian history. Amritsar is also known for the tragic Jallianwala Bagh Massacre that saw the merciless killing of hundreds of Sikhs. It is one of the most visited tourist attractions, too, where you can see the bullet marks on the walls even now.

You can also visit the Bhagwan Valmiki Tiath Asthan, which is believed to be the birthplace of Luv and Kush. It is also where Maharishi Valmiki stayed and wrote the Ramayana. If you feel like going on a shopping spree, you will find lots of colourful clothes and souvenirs to take back home. All you women out there, make sure to buy the phulkari dupattas from the markets. Hall Market is one of the most popular lanes for a fun shopping spree. You can also indulge in some scrumptious local treats and try out the street food. Amritsari kulchas, Tandoori luchas, Keema naan, kulfis, phirni and some mouth-watering lassi at a Dhaba. Hungry yet?

The city is also visited a lot because of the Wagah Border. Witness the retreat ceremony at the border that divides India and Pakistan two hours before sunset every day. It will surely make you feel patriotic and can get quite overwhelming. You can also visit the Museums in the city to get to know more about its history. The Sikhs are also known to be very friendly and hospitable, which is another reason you must visit this city, at least once in your life. The city is well-connected, and if you are starting your trip from Delhi, a nice road trip will work just perfectly. The popular route from Amritsar to Delhi is often the most sought-after for an impromptu road trip.

Best Time to Visit Amritsar

Amritsar experiences winter from November to March, which is also the best time to visit the city. It's ideal to go sightseeing and plan other outdoor activities that can get quite difficult during summer and monsoon. The temperature can fall below 5 degree Celsius in January and evenings can get quite foggy. Summer starts from April and goes on till June. The summer gets really hot, and the maximum temperature is approximately 40 degrees Celsius. The heat will only make it more difficult for you to get out of your hotel rooms. The monsoons start from July and till October. The city experiences mild rains sometimes that can also get intense a lot of times. But the weather is mostly humid during monsoon and makes it unfavourable for you to step out or plan a trip during this time.

Places to Visit in Amritsar

The Golden Temple is one of the first things that you must visit when you reach Amritsar. The sheer aura of the temple is so positive, it will put you in a good mood instantly. Make sure to cover your head with a piece of cloth or dupatta, for women. The dome at the top of the temple is made of pure gold, and it even has a pond inside the complex. Do not leave without relishing the langar prasad. The Jallianwala Bagh is yet another place of historical importance that you must visit when you go to Amritsar. It was where hundreds of people were shot dead by Britishers, and the walls still have bullet marks. The spot was turned into a memorial after the independence to honour those who lost their lives on that fateful day.

Do make sure you also visit the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Museum which was actually the palace of the first King of the Sikh empire, Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The museum boasts of antiquities and personal belongings of the King. You'll also come across a lot of paintings as you take a tour of the palace. The Ram Tirth Ashram is yet another place that you can visit. It's an ancient pilgrimage where Luv and Kush were born. You'll also come across a hut in which Maharishi Valmiki stayed. The Gobindgarh Fort is another location that deserves your attention and is also of historical importance. The fort was built by Gujjar Singh Bhangi's army and was later reconstructed by Maharaja Ranjit Singh in the early 1800s.

Things to do in Amritsar

Be a part of Guru Ka Langar. You can volunteer in serving the langar food or in the kitchen to cook, chop vegetables or do the dishes. It is very fulfilling, and you'll surely enjoy it. You can also visit all the major attractions in the city like the Jallianwala Bagh, Gobindgarh Fort, Maharaja Ranjit Singh Museum and a couple of more places. Either you can hire a cab for an entire day to go sightseeing, or you can plan your own itinerary. You will easily find rickshaws and other modes of commuting quite easily. Make sure you try out Amritsari food and lassi at the dhabas after your shopping spree at the Hall Market. You can also go birdwatching at the Harike Wetlands. Your trip to Amritsar will be historical, educational, gastronomical and fun. Getting around the city won't be that difficult. To make things easier, you can hire a tour guide at the museums and historical locations if you wish to. You'll also find amusement parks in the city if you are travelling with your kids or a large family.

Foods and Restaurant in Amritsar

Whatever you do, do not miss the langar ka prasad. It's a simple meal consisting of dal, roti and kheer, but you will simply love it. It is advisable to go to the temple in the morning, offer your prayers and then wait to be served the best food in one of the biggest kitchens. You can also head to All India Famous for some Amritsari kulchas. Buzz is that they run out of kulchas by 2 pm so you might have to get there for breakfast or early lunch. Kesar Da Dhaba is one of the most popular dhabas and only serves vegetarian food. The dhaba was started way back in 1916, and the recipe has not changed since then. Pal Da Dhaba and Beera Chicken House are some of the other famous eateries if you want to binge on some mouth-watering butter chicken or lamb. Head over to Ahuja Milk Bhandaar for a delicious, tall glass of lassi. No meal in Amritsar is complete without a glass of lassi. You'll find a lot of vegetarian and non-vegetarian options in the city. It is also advisable to carry your own bottle of alcohol if at all, you wish to dine and drink at the same time. A lot of places that serve non-veg do not provide alcohol. The locals also carry their own bottle of liquor when they eat out.

How to reach Amritsar (Transportation)

By Air

The Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport is only a 15-20 minutes drive to and from the city. Domestic flights from Amritsar to major metropolitan cities run every day from here, and it also connects directly to a couple of international destinations. You can get pretty good flight deals online for Amritsar and can even book hotels in Amritsar along with it.

By Rail

The Amritsar railway station connects to Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Agra, Ahmedabad, Kolkata and Chandigarh. Delhi to Amritsar is a popular route that a lot of travellers prefer. It takes about 6 hours to reach Amritsar from Delhi. Paschim Express is the fastest train that you can board from Mumbai to reach Amritsar, and the journey takes about 30 hours approximately.

By Road

You'll find a lot of government and private bus services from Ambala, Patiala, Delhi, Chandigarh and Jammu. You can also hire a taxi from these cities to reach Amritsar. If you are travelling from afar, flights are the best options or trains, if you are on a budget.

  About Amritsar Airport

Sri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport serves as an international airport for Punjab and is located in the city of Amritsar. The airport is 11 km away from the city centre. The Amritsar Airport has been named after the fourth Sikh Guru, Guru Ram Das. The Sikh Guru is believed to be the founder of the Amritsar city. Sri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport is known to be the busiest airport in Punjab. The airport is also being acknowledged as a fastest-growing venture in India and is ranked as the sixth-best regional airport in the country as well as Central Asia. The airport, previously known as Amritsar Rajasansi Airport's Airstrip was established to cater to the British in the 1930s. It was specifically used for VVIP movements. After the independence though, the town's airport received good connection with Indian cities such as Srinagar and Delhi. The airport launched its first international flight in 1960. The flight was chartered to Kabul in Afghanistan. Later, in 1982, the Sri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport also started their direct international flight to connect Amritsar and Birmingham in the United Kingdom. The flight didn't last for long as it had to be stopped by Air India, following the controversial Operation Blue Star, which took place in 1984.

About Amritsar Airport Terminals

There is a single passenger terminal that has integrated international and domestic flight operations. Back in 2009, the Sri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport inaugurated an integrated terminal to bring forth a modernized program and enhance the airport's passenger capacity and functioning. An integrated terminal building has been built to accommodate passenger traffic. The terminal has been constructed with steel and glass and is perfectly equipped with world-class facilities such as inline X-ray baggage, conveyor system and various other amenities. They have incorporated Common Use Terminal Equipment (CUTE) as well as Flight Information Display System (FIDS), as part of their modern amenities. The new terminal holds 30 check-in counters, 26 immigration counters, 12 security check booths, four x-ray scanners and four conveyor belts, for arrivals. The new terminal also harbours more extensive apron to accommodate parking of more than 15 aircraft.

About airport authority

Sri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport is owned and operated by Airports Authority of India. AAI acquired the regional airport with a means to expand its functioning and to bolster its performance. The airport has witnessed a good surge of air traffic as well as passenger activities. Hence, the Airports Authority of India has worked on its expansions and developments. The statutory body has brought forth an integrated terminal to bring forth better facilities for the domestic as well as international terminal. Both the flight activities catering to international and domestic flights are handled from the new terminal. AAI has brought forth amazing modern amenities to enhance the airport's functions. From modern designs to newer installed equipment, the airport body has brought tremendous efficiency to the regional airport.

Facilities at the Amritsar Airport

WiFi: Amritsar airport has immaculate WiFi services available. The WiFi services at Amritsar airport is free for 30 minutes. However, if you need it for more than the allotted time, you will have to purchase the internet card. The card is available for INR 20 per hour. The connection is good and even required as often the connectivity for a mobile network in the airport is not excellent.

ATMs and Forex: As the airport does see a lot of crowd at the domestic as well as international terminals, there are many ATM kiosks and forex counters available. The foreign exchange counters are available at the departure as well as the arrival segments.

Child care rooms: Child care centres are also present at the Amritsar airport. Often new mothers need private spaces to feed their infants and to change their diapers. Not to mention how the environment also needs to be hygienic. Hence, it is essential that they get a dedicated space that would allow them for the same. The airport's child care room also has some toys and hygienic ambience to help soothe the child.

Restaurants and cafes: A majority of the food establishments and restaurants at the Amritsar airport have Punjabi cuisine. Since the place is predominantly rich in Punjabi cuisine, much of the restaurants prevalent in the airport are also inspired by the same. However, the airport also has global food joints such as Burger King, KFC, McDonald's, to name a few famous ones.

Prayer rooms: There is a hall dedicated to prayers. The place is open for multi-faith and can be used for meditation as well. It is expected that people of all faith maintain decorum in the hall and not intervene with other faiths' practices.

Medical services: As it is imperative that every airport have medical facilities to ensure that emergency cases are handled, the Amritsar airport also has a devoted emergency medical station. You can get more details of the same at the information desk as well. In fact, in times of emergency, a medical team is immediately dispatched for assistance to the scene.

VIP lounge: VIP lounge and business facilities are also available. However, these can be found outside of the terminal building. The VIP lounges are only accessible for travellers who have the first-class ticket or have premium memberships. Various airlines have provisions of membership that allow them to benefit from the lounge.

Information centre: The information counter is an essential desk that is available at regular intervals. For any kind of query ranging from flights, schedules to gates and terminals, you can get help at the information desk. You can even make special requests such as to ask for extra trolleys or boarding pass copies (in case you lose yours), lost and found details and more. You will be able to get all your answers. Plus, the desk also gives you tour guides to the city at the arrival segment.

Luggage: The luggage services at Amritsar airport is quite good as they have trolleys and portage options available. You need to pay for portage though. A portage basically enables you to receive services of a professional, who will escort your luggage to the check-in or even till the security.

Top airlines flying from the Amritsar Airport

Amritsar has a limited set of Indian airlines that operate from the city. In fact, airlines from Amritsar Airport cater majorly to a few of the cities in North India. These include Delhi, Srinagar, Jaipur, Patna and more. Interestingly, aside from the North cities that Amritsar caters to predominantly, the airport also has services to other metro cities such as Kolkata, Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Ahmedabad. Domestic airlines flying from Amritsar Airport are Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet and Vistara. The options are fewer as the connectivity is not spectacular. The airport doesn't connect to a lot of cities in Southern India. You will need to connect at New Delhi or Jaipur to get to the Southern cities of India.

Amritsar Airport does have good connectivity with cities in Central Asia. There are airlines that directly connect to the international cities of Central Asia, such as Ashgabat and Tashkent. Not many flights fly from Sri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport as a regional airport. However, it is still considered to be one of the fastest-growing. Amritsar Airport was considered to be one of the best airports with excellent international connectivity. There used to be a direct flight from Amritsar to Birmingham (United Kingdom) by Air India. A direct flight was also operational from Amritsar Airport to Kabul. However, these flights and airlines do not operate from the city anymore. Airlines flying from the Sri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport are AirAsia X, Air India Express, Malindo Air, Qatar Airways, Scoot, Turkmenistan Airlines and Uzbekistan Airways.

How to reach Amritsar Airport

Sri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport is perfectly connected to the National Highway 354. This route connects Amritsar and Ajnala. Through this route, you can take up car rentals and taxi cabs as a means to reach the Amritsar airport. Taxicab services such as Ola Cabs and Uber have good connectivity and services which help with the traversing. Since it is about 11 km away from the main city of Amritsar, it is essential that prebook the taxi cab services. Some taxi cab and prepaid taxi services are available at both the terminals. You can make prior bookings for an airport shuttle, or you can book them at the airport counter. One of the most convenient ways to reach Amritsar airport is the Amritsar MetroBus. It is also a favourable method to reach the airport as it is affordable and convenient. Some of the key features of the Amritsar MetroBus is that the bus is AC with automatic doors located at the metro stations. It is reserved for passengers only. The path has two diverse lanes which ensure the opposite movements of two buses traversing simultaneously. You will require a special Metro Smart Card to swipe and take advantage of the metro services. It works in the lines of Metro Rails where you need to recharge your cards and avail the services. The structures of the MetroBus stations are well-maintained and have modern infrastructure. You can make use of the Amritsar MetroBus with its scheduled buses to reach the Amritsar Airport.