Things to Do in India

The landmarks and experiences travelers rate highest — with photos, ratings, and where to find them.

Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple)

Amritsar · Punjab · place of worship · ★ 4.9 · 206,067 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

The Golden Temple is a gurdwara located in Amritsar, Punjab, India. It is the pre-eminent spiritual site of Sikhism and is one of its holiest sites, alongside the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur and the Gurdwara Janam Asthan in Nankana Sahib, both in Punjab, Pakistan.

Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple)
Shagil Kannur (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Gateway of India

Mumbai · Maharashtra · historical landmark · ★ 4.6 · 386,168 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

The Gateway of India is an arch-monument, completed in 1924, on the waterfront of Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. It was erected to commemorate the landing of King George V of the United Kingdom for his coronation as the Emperor of India in December 1911 at Strand Road near Wellington Fountain. He was the first British monarch to visit India.

Gateway of India
A.Savin (FAL)

Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati Temple

Pune · Maharashtra · hindu temple · ★ 4.8 · 186,181 reviews

The Dagadusheth Halwai Ganapati Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the Hindu god Ganesha (Ganapati) in the city of Pune, India. The temple is visited by over one hundred thousand devotees every year. A large number of devotees visit the temple during the annual ten-day public Ganeshotsav festival. The main Ganesha idol is insured for a sum of ₹10 million (US$100,000). It celebrated 132 years of its Ganeshotsav festival in 2024.

Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati Temple

Mysore Palace

Mysore · Karnataka · historical place · ★ 4.6 · 300,884 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

Mysore Palace, also known as Amba Vilas Palace, is a historic palace and royal residence located in Mysore, Karnataka, India. It served as the official residence of the Wadiyar dynasty and the seat of the Kingdom of Mysore, and was commissioned by Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV in August 1897 following the destruction of the previous structure in a fire. The design of the palace is attributed to Henry Irwin, a British architect who had earlier designed the Madras High Court, and Edwin Wolleston Fritchley, who would later design the Lalitha Mahal. Construction of the current structure began in 1897 and lasted until 1912. It is the largest of the seven palaces in the city of Mysore and is a prominent example of Indo-Saracenic architecture, combining Indo-Islamic, Rajput, Hoysala and Gothic architectural styles.

Mysore Palace
Muhammad Mahdi Karim (GFDL 1.2

India Gate

Delhi · Delhi · monument · ★ 4.6 · 286,277 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

India Gate, formerly known as the All India War Memorial, is a prominent war memorial situated on the eastern edge of the ceremonial axis of New Delhi, India, officially known as Kartavya Path. It stands as a memorial commemorating 74,187 soldiers of the Indian Army who died between 1914 and 1921 in the First World War, in France, Flanders, Mesopotamia, Persia, East Africa, Gallipoli and the Third Anglo-Afghan War. Around 13,300 servicemen’s names, including those of some British soldiers and officers, are inscribed on the gate. Designed by Edwin Lutyens, the memorial draws inspiration from ancient Roman triumphal arches such as the Arch of Constantine and is frequently compared to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

India Gate
A.Savin (FAL

Shri Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga Temple

Ujjain · Madhya Pradesh · hindu temple · ★ 4.8 · 164,317 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

Shri (; Sanskrit: श्री, romanized: Śrī, pronounced [ɕriː]) is a Sanskrit term denoting resplendence, wealth and prosperity, primarily used as an honorific. The word is widely used in South and Southeast Asian languages such as Hindi, and also among Philippine languages. It is usually transliterated as Sri, Sree, Shri, Shiri, Shree, Si, or Seri based on the local convention for transliteration. While Sri is also used in Tamil, the true equivalent honorific is Tiru. The term is used in Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia as a polite form of address equivalent to the English "Mr." in written and spoken language. "Shri" is also used as a title of veneration for deities or as honorific title for individuals. "Shri" is also an epithet for Hindu goddess Lakshmi, while a yantra or a mystical diagram popularly used to worship her is called Shri Yantra.

Shri Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga Temple

Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple (Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams)

Tirupati · Andhra Pradesh · hindu temple · ★ 4.8 · 154,420 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗
Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple (Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams)
iMahesh (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Taj Mahal

Agra · Uttar Pradesh · monument · ★ 4.6 · 251,205 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

The Taj Mahal is an ivory-white marble mausoleum on the right bank of the river Yamuna in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India. It was commissioned in 1631 by the fifth Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, to house the tomb of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal; it also houses the tomb of Shah Jahan himself. The tomb is the centrepiece of a 17-hectare (42-acre) complex, which includes a mosque and a guest house, and is set in formal gardens bounded on three sides by a crenellated wall.

Taj Mahal
Yann; edited by Jim Carter (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Siddhivinayak Temple

Mumbai · Maharashtra · hindu temple · ★ 4.8 · 135,064 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

The Shri Siddhivinayak Ganapati Mandir is a Hindu temple dedicated to Ganesha. It is located in Prabhadevi neighbourhood of Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. It was originally built by Laxman Vithu and Deubai Patil on 19 November 1801. It is one of the most popular Hindu temples in Mumbai.

Siddhivinayak Temple
Rakesh from Bangalore (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Charminar

Hyderabad · Telangana · monument · ★ 4.5 · 268,132 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

The Charminar is a monument located in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. Constructed in 1591, the landmark is a symbol of Hyderabad and officially incorporated in the emblem of Telangana. The Charminar's long history includes the existence of a mosque on its top floor for more than 434 years. While both historically and religiously significant, it is also known for its popular and busy local markets surrounding the structure, and has become one of the most frequented tourist attractions in Hyderabad. Charminar is also a site of numerous festival celebrations, such as Eid-ul-adha and Eid al-Fitr, as it is adjacent to the city's main mosque, the Makkah Masjid.

Charminar

Gurudwara Bangla Sahib

Delhi · Delhi · place of worship · ★ 4.8 · 116,620 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

Gurdwara Bangla Sahib is one of the most prominent Sikh gurdwaras, or Sikh house of worship, in Delhi, India, and known for its association with the eighth Sikh Guru, Guru Har Krishan, as well as the holy pond inside its complex, known as the "Sarovar." Originally a bungalow of Raja Jai Singh I of Amber, it was rebuilt as a small shrine by Sikh General Sardar Baghel Singh in 1783. In the same year, there was reconstruction of nine Sikh shrines in Delhi.

Gurudwara Bangla Sahib
Slyronit (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Amber Fort

Amer · Rajasthan · castle · ★ 4.6 · 172,135 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

Amer Fort or Amber Fort is a fort located in Amer, Rajasthan, India. Amer is a town with an area of 4 square kilometres (1.5 sq mi) located 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) from Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan. Located high on a hill, it is the principal tourist attraction in Jaipur. Amer Fort is known for its artistic style elements. With its large ramparts and series of gates and cobbled paths, the fort overlooks Maota Lake, which is the main source of water for the Amer Palace.

Amber Fort
Skmalladi (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Red Fort

Delhi · Delhi · ★ 4.5 · 181,924 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

The Red Fort is a historic Mughal fort located in the Old Delhi area of Delhi, India. Serving as the main residence of the Mughal emperors, it was commissioned by Emperor Shah Jahan on the 12th of May 1639; the fort was constructed following his decision to shift the Mughal capital from Agra to Delhi. Originally adorned in red and white, the fort's design is attributed to Ustad Ahmad Lahori, the architect of the Taj Mahal. The Red Fort is a prominent example of Mughal architecture from Shah Jahan's reign, combining Persian and Indian architectural styles.

Red Fort

Agra Fort

Agra · Uttar Pradesh · ★ 4.5 · 149,962 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

The Agra Fort is a historical Mughal fort in the city of Agra, also known as Agra's Red Fort. Mughal emperor Humayun was crowned at this fort in 1530. It was later renovated by the Mughal emperor Akbar from 1565 and the present-day structure was completed in 1573. It served as the main residence of the rulers of the Mughal dynasty until 1638, when the capital was shifted from Agra to Delhi. It was also known as the "Lal-Qila" or "Qila-i-Akbari". Before being captured by the British, the last Indian rulers to have occupied it were the Marathas. In 1983, the Agra fort was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its importance during Mughal rule. It is about 2.5 kilometers (1.6 mi) northwest of its more famous sister monument, the Taj Mahal. The fort can be more accurately described as a walled city. It was later renovated by Shah Jahan.

Agra Fort
A.Savin (FAL

Lalbagh Botanical Garden

Bangalore · Karnataka · botanical garden · ★ 4.4 · 176,129 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

Lalbagh Botanical Garden or simply Lalbagh, is a botanical garden in Bengaluru, India. It was originally built by Hyder Ali in 1760, during the Sultanate of Mysore. The garden was later managed under numerous British superintendents before Indian Independence. It was responsible for the introduction and propagation of numerous ornamental plants as well as those of economic value. It also served a social function as a park and recreational space, with a central glass house dating from 1890 which was used for flower shows. In modern times, it hosts two flower shows coinciding with the week of Republic Day and Independence Day. As an urban green space along with Cubbon Park, it is also home to numerous wild species of birds and other wildlife. The garden also has a lake adjoining a large rock on which a watchtower had been constructed during the reign of Kempegowda II.

Lalbagh Botanical Garden

Jallianwala Bagh

Amritsar · Punjab · park · ★ 4.6 · 103,648 reviews

Jallianwala Bagh is a historic garden and memorial of national importance close to the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar, Punjab, India, preserved in the memory of those wounded and killed in the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre that took place on the site on the festival of Baisakhi Day, 13 April 1919. The 7-acre (28,000 m2) site houses a museum, gallery and several memorial structures. It is managed by the Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial Trust, and will be renovated between 2025 and 2027.

Jallianwala Bagh
Public domain

Victoria Memorial

Kolkata · West Bengal · museum · ★ 4.6 · 89,582 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

The Victoria Memorial is a large marble monument in the Maidan in Central Kolkata (Calcutta), having its entrance on the Queen's Way. It was built between 1906 and 1921 by the British Raj. It is dedicated to the memory of Queen Victoria, the Empress of India from 1876 to 1901. The work of construction was entrusted to Martin & Co. of Calcutta founded by Rajendranath Mukherjee and Thomas Acquin Martin, and work on the superstructure began in 1910. It is the largest monument to a monarch anywhere in the world. It stands at 26 hectares of gardens and is now a museum under the control of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. Possessing prominent features of the Indo-Saracenic architecture, it has evolved into one of the most popular attractions in the city.

Victoria Memorial
Subhrajyoti07 (CC BY-SA 4.0

Imagica Theme Park

Lonavla · amusement center · ★ 4.4 · 104,771 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

Imagicaa is a 130-acre (53 ha) theme park in Khopoli, Raigad District, Maharashtra, India. It is owned by Imagicaa World Entertainment Ltd. Imagicaa is listed on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE). Imagicaa has a hotel, water park, and snow park. It is India's largest snow park with edible snow. The parks have an estimated daily capacity of 15,000 visitors. The park has hosted over 10.5 million visitors..

Imagica Theme Park

Alipore Zoological Garden

Kolkata · West Bengal · zoo · ★ 4.3 · 75,077 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

The Zoological Garden, Alipore is India's oldest formally stated zoological park and a big tourist attraction in Kolkata, West Bengal. It has been open as a zoo since 1876, and covers 18.811 ha. It is probably best known as the home of the Aldabra giant tortoise Adwaita, who was reputed to have been over 250 years old when he died in 2006. It is also home to one of the few captive breeding projects involving the Manipur brow-antlered deer. One of the most popular tourist attractions in Kolkata, it draws huge crowds during the winter season, especially during December and January. The highest attendance till date was on January 1, 2018 with 110,000 visitors.

Alipore Zoological Garden
Biswarup Ganguly (CC BY 3.0

Marina Beach

Chennai · Tamil Nadu · beach · ★ 4.3 · 66,115 reviews

Marina Beach, or simply the Marina, is a natural urban beach in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, along the Bay of Bengal. The beach runs from near Fort St. George in the north to Foreshore Estate in the south, a distance of 6.0 km (3.7 mi), It is a prominent landmark in Chennai.

Marina Beach

Photos from Wikimedia Commons, used under Creative Commons licenses. Individual credits shown on each photo where available.