How to Spend 2 Days in Agra

With two days in Agra, you’ll be able to hit up all the highlights, including the Taj Mahal and other UNESCO World Heritage sites, at a relaxed pace and still have time left over for some evening exploration. Here’s how to get the most out of 48 hours in Agra.

Day 1: The Taj and the Baby Taj

Morning: Start your morning bright and early with a sunrise visit to the Taj Mahal, Agra’s most important attraction. Try to get there right before it opens and book a skip-the-line ticket or ticket-and-tour combo so that you can get inside before the big crowds.

Afternoon: In the afternoon, head over to the Tomb of Itmad-ud-Daulah, commonly referred to as “Baby Taj” because of its compact size and beautiful white-marble edifice. From here, make your way to Mehtab Bagh, a pleasingly symmetrical Mughal garden that offers great views of the Taj Mahal from across the River Yamuna.

Night: Spend your first evening out on the town with a visit to the Kalakriti Cultural & Convention Center to watch Mohabbat the Taj, a musical theater production that tells the story behind the Taj Mahal. You’ll get the most for your money if you book a combo package that includes transportation and dinner.

Day 2: Fatehpur Sikri and the Agra Fort

Morning: On your second morning, take a half-day tour out to Fatehpur Sikri, a UNESCO World Heritage ghost town situated about a 25-mile (40-kilometer) drive from Agra. The capital of the Mughal empire for 14 years, it is among the best-preserved examples of Mughal architecture on Earth.

Afternoon: In the afternoon, return to Agra for lunch followed by a visit to the Agra Fort UNESCO World Heritage Site, a sprawling fortified complex that generations of Mughal emperors called home. Shahjahan, who commissioned the Taj Mahal, was held captive here by his grandson in a chamber with direct Taj Mahal views.

Night: After visiting Agra Fort, stick around for an educational sound-and-light show. Alternatively, if you happen to be visiting during the five days around the full moon, you can prearrange a night visit to the Taj Mahal complex, where you can see the marble monument under the light of the moon.