10 ESSENTIAL PLACES TO VISIT IN INDIA

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This list of essential places to visit in India, will help you organize a trip to this magical country, of great contrasts that we are sure, will leave you an indelible mark.

They say that India, or you love it or hate it. There is no middle ground. We had days in which the combination of feelings was so incredible that they changed in a matter of minutes. That is why we can say that India does not leave anyone indifferent, since every day in this unbeatable country, it will give you challenges and you will live some of the most difficult situations that you may have experienced, due to the extreme poverty of a large part of its population .
Despite these moments in the trip, in which you think that it is best to leave, in the end all the experiences that you will accumulate, will end up making you love India, above any other country you have visited.
In addition to living all these spiritual sensations and ways of life totally different from ours, this country in which Hinduists and Buddhists live, has great architectural gems such as forts, temples, mosques, castles and mausoleums such as the wonderful Taj Mahal, which were built during the time of the Mongol Empire.

If you do not have several months to visit the entire country, it is advisable to divide your trip to India at least two.
The first trip you can focus on the tourist region of Rajasthan, located in North India, making a route from Delhi to Varanasi.
The second one can focus on the less touristy area of South India, starting with Mumbai and ending in the beautiful Kerala region. If you have extra time you can spend the last days of the trip relaxing on the beaches of Goa or trekking through the Ladahk valley.
To do all these routes around the country you can hire a car with a driver and take long distances by plane or train.
If you have more time you can use public transport, especially the train, which will allow you to reach most important cities and from there take taxis to get closer to the points of interest further away. Finally, the most comfortable option is to book an organized trip at a trusted agency.

One of the best tips for traveling to India is to do it between the months of November and February, when you avoid high temperatures, extreme humidity and monsoons.

Based on the experience of our trip through North India and future trips to this huge country, we have made this list of what we think, are the 10 essential places to see in India. We start!

1. Agra

The city of Agra is famous for being the place where the Taj Mahal is located, one of the 7 wonders of the world and one of the essential places to visit in India.
This beautiful white marble mausoleum was built by Mongolian emperor Shah Jahan as a tribute to his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died during childbirth.

The best time to visit it is first thing, it opens at 6 in the morning, when organized groups have not yet arrived and you can enjoy it with fewer people, taking into account that Fridays are closed.
In addition to entering early and take thousands of photos, we recommend seeing the incredible sunset from the banks of the Yamuna River, located in front of the mausoleum.

Another of the most famous places in the city is the Agra Fort, a fortress known as Red Fort that has several palaces inside and fantastic views from its towers that include those of the Taj Mahal.

To get to Agra from Delhi you can take a fast train that takes about 2 and a half hours.
Another good option where you will learn more about the history of the city and the Taj Mahal is to book this excursion to Agra by high-speed train or this tour with private transport, both from Delhi and with a guide in Spanish.

Taj Mahal in Agra

2. Varanasi

Varanasi or Benares, the city where death and life meet around the Ganges River, is one of the places to see in India and the most shocking world.
In this sacred city for Hinduism, cremation of bodies is carried out on the banks of the Ganges, one of the fundamental rites of this religion. This belief is based on the belief that after burning the body you have to throw the ashes in this sacred river so that the soul will not reincarnate more and thus find peace, when reaching nirvana.
In addition to this fundamental rite, the Ganges water is also used to purify itself, something that you will see continuously, when you see a multitude of Hindus bathing.
The best way to see this part of the city is to take a boat trip at dawn on the Ganges, where you will see ancient palaces of colored facades and ghats, stairways that lead to the river, where different Hindu rituals are performed.
A good option is to book the boat trip in advance here.

In addition to the walk, we recommend getting lost in the old streets of the city, seeing some of its temples and walking along the riverbank.
A good way to not miss anything about the city and know its history is to book this private tour with a guide in Spanish.
We arrived in Varanasi with a night train from Khajuraho, although the most comfortable option is by plane, having an international airport, located 25 kilometers from the city.

Varanasi

3. Amritsar

Amritsar, the sacred city of the Sikhs located in the north of the country, is another of the most amazing places to visit in India.
Millions of Sikhs, easily recognizable by their spectacular turbans that hide large hair, travel thousands of kilometers to reach this city every year. The most important place in the city is the Golden Temple, an architectural marvel covered with gold foil and built on a small island of Lake Amrit.
In addition to seeing this beautiful temple, we recommend getting lost in the streets of the ancient city, approaching the memorial of Jallianwalla Bagh, one of the blackest episodes of the British colonization and above all, enjoying the hospitality and generosity of the Sikh community.

An interesting way to know the history of the city is to book this visit with a guide in Spanish.
To get to Amristar from Delhi you can take a plane that takes an hour or a train from Delhi that takes more than 6 hours.

Amritsar

4. Kerala, one of the places to visit in India

Kerala, land of landscapes of intense green populated with coconut trees and exotic nature, is another of the most beautiful regions to see in India.
This rich state, located in southern India, is perfect to begin to know the country without suffering the brutal impact of contrasts and poverty in the north.
In addition to enjoying the relaxed atmosphere and the friendliness of the people, one of the great jewels of Kerala are the traditional rice boat rides through the Backwaters, labyrinthine channels that link different lakes.
Other essential places in this area are the tea plantations around Munnar and the colonial houses of the beautiful city of Kochi, where you can see the fishermen at sunset collecting the nets of Chinese origin, one of the idyllic images of South India.
The best way to get to Kerala from Delhi or Bombay is by plane, landing at the international airports of Kochi or Trivandrum.

Kerala, one of the places to visit in India

5. Jaisalmer

Jaisalmer, known as the Golden City, is our favorite city of Rajasthan and another of the essential places to visit in India.
This city located on top of a rock, and crowned by an impressive fort, stands in the middle of the yellowish Thar desert, making it one of the most incredible views of northern India.
When entering through one of the access doors of the great wall that surrounds the city, you will enjoy alleys and corners full of charm, ancient palaces, havelis or traditional Indian mansions, Jain and Hindu temples, carefully decorated.
After seeing all these wonders you can complete your stay in the city by hiking through the dunes or seeing a totally starry sky in the great Thar desert.

If you want to know better the history of all the wonders that the Jaisalmer Fort hides you can book this private tour with a guide in Spanish.
To get to Jaisalmer we recommend making a route through northern India by car with a driver or by train, which would include cities such as Udaipur, Jodhpur and Pushkar, among others.

Jaisalmer

6. New Delhi

New Delhi, a chaotic city and the fifth most populous in the world, is the gateway and one of the places to see in India more special.
This city, which costs to catch the pulse for its large amount of traffic, noise and people, has several wonders in the form of temples and markets that we are sure, you will love.
Among the most essential places to see in New Delhi are the Jama Masjid mosque, the Main Bazaar and the Chandni Chowk market, the beautiful Humayun Tomb, the Sij Gurdwara Bangla Sahib Temple, the Red Fort and the Raj Ghat, the place where Gandhi was cremated.
If it is your first visit to the city, a good way to adapt and know your idiosyncrasy is to book this guided tour or this free tour of Delhi Free!, Both with a guide in Spanish, which will take you through some of the essential places to visit in India.

New Delhi

7. The Ellora and Ajanta Caves

The caves of Ajanta and Ellora, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are a set of temples and monasteries excavated and sculpted on the rock, which will leave you speechless and will become two essential to see in India.
These two archaeological complexes to visit in IndiaThey are surrounded by tropical landscapes in the center of the country and separated by more than 100 kilometers away.
In Ellora you will find 34 caves with Buddhist, Jain and Hindu temples built between the 6th and 11th centuries A.D. while in Ajanta there are 29 Buddhist caves, excavated between the 2nd centuries BC. and VI d.D ...

To visit the caves you can move to the town of Aurangabad that is well connected by train and air with Mumbai and Delhi. From this city you can take a bus or taxi to Ellora Caves, located 30 kilometers away and closed on Tuesdays, and another to Ajanta Caves, located 100 kilometers away and closed on Mondays.

Ellora Caves

8. Jaipur

Jaipur, the pink city and capital of Rajasthan, is one of the most interesting cities to visit in India thanks to its magnificent palaces, fortresses and temples.
A route through the city can not miss the impressive facade of the Palace of the Winds, the astronomical observatory Jantar Mantar, the City Palace and its bazaars such as Chandpole and Tripolia.
The tour can continue to get on a taxi and away from the center of Jaipur to reach the royal cenotaphs, then continue about 2 kilometers to one of our favorite places in the city, the Temple of the Sun.
You can complete the visit to Jaipur with a visit to one of the great jewels to see in India, Amber Fort, located just over 10 kilometers from Jaipur.
This fortress that mixes Muslim and Hindu architecture, is located at the top of a hill and inside you will find beautiful palaces, temples and gardens.

If you want to know the history of this palace and not miss any details you can book this tour with a guide in Spanish from Jaipur.
To get to Jaipur from Delhi you can take a national flight or take the Shatabdi Express train, which takes about two and a half hours.

Jaipur, one of the places to see in India

Recommended travel cards
Remember that in order not to pay commissions and always have the current change we recommend you use the N26 card to pay and the Bnext and Revolut cards to get money at the ATMs. They are the ones we use, They are free and will save you a lot.
You can find more information in this article about the best cards to travel without commissions.

9. Hampi

The lost city of Hampi, located in South India, is a World Heritage Site and one of the archaeological complexes more fascinating to see in India and in the world
In this ancient capital of 26 square kilometers, which reached its maximum splendor between 1510 and 1542, you can find more than 300 temples, fortifications, gardens, sculptures, palaces, surrounded by one of a fantastic landscape of palm trees and rice terraces.
Among the most beautiful temples is the Vittala, which has delicately carved pillars with representations of animals, plants and war themes.
To reach Hampi, which is off the tourist routes, you can take a train to Hosapete and from there a taxi or a local bus that will take about 40 minutes.

Hampi

How to have internet in India?
If you want to have internet in india a good option is to buy one Holafly SIM card, with which you will have internet from the moment you land, several GB of data, keeping your WhatsApp number and support service in Spanish.
You can buy your Holafly prepaid SIM card here with a 5% discount for being our reader.

10. Leh

Located over 3500 meters high in the Ladahk valley and surrounded by the huge Himalayan mountains is Leh, other of the Wonders to visit in India.
This mostly Buddhist city and known as the "Little Tibet", has in the ruins of the Palace of Leh, a small copy of the Potala Palace of Lhasa, its most prominent place.
In addition to visiting the Royal Palace and the ancient city, trekking routes such as the Markha valley, which can take 6 days, are common in this area.
Another of the wonders found between the lunar landscapes and hills of Ladahk are the Tibetan monasteries Thiksey, Matho, Spituk and Namgyal Tsemo Gompa that have become another of the places to visit in India.

To reach Leh you have a small airport located 8 kilometers away with commercial flights from Delhi and Mumbai. Another option is an endless road route, with steps over 5000 meters, and fantastic landscapes that can take more than two days.