India GOPlaces to visit near Agra
Mathura
On the banks of the Yamuna, the birthplace of Krishna: a warren of temples, ghats and bell-bright lanes that erupt into colour at Holi. The devotional heart of the Braj country, and one of India's most joyful Holi celebrations.
~50 km as the crow flies
Vrindavan
Krishna's boyhood country: some five thousand temples in a town of 85,000, the crush at Banke Bihari, the marble and light of Prem Mandir, quiet courtyards like Radha Raman where the ritual has not changed in centuries. Come in the cool months, and keep a hand on your glasses; the monkeys here are famous for taking them.
~55 km as the crow flies
Govardhan
A low sandstone ridge nobody climbs, because the hill itself is what is worshipped: Krishna is said to have lifted it to shelter Braj, and the way to honour it is the 21 km walk around it. Tanks, sandstone pavilions and prasad stalls line the route; most people come over from Vrindavan or Mathura for the day.
~60 km as the crow flies
Delhi
Eight capitals stacked on one plain, and you can walk between them: a 12th-century victory tower, the Mughal tomb that taught the Taj its shape, colonial New Delhi's avenues, and the spice lanes of Chandni Chowk. Most trips to North India start here. Give it two days and it stops being just an airport.
~180 km as the crow flies
Jaipur
India at its most royal: hilltop forts, honey-stone palaces, the lace-like Hawa Mahal, and bazaars piled with block-print, gemstones and sweets. Rajasthan's classic first stop: maharaja grandeur and the best shopping in the north.
~220 km as the crow flies
The full catalogue, hidden spots and districts on the map, plus “nearby” mode.
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