The Agra Fort is a proper example in this regard. Built by the Mogul Emperor Akbar in the 16^th century as a military strategic point, the fort served as the seat of the government and the royal residence of the Mogul Dynasty.

It is said that over 4000 people have been working hard for almost 8 years, in order to complete the construction of this massive fort. Built in a semicircular shape and covering an area of about 2.5 kilometers, the Agra Fort is surrounded by double battlement massive walls.

The red sandstone walls of the fort hide Shah Jahan’s sad story. According to the legend the founder of the Taj Mahal died in one of the towers of this fort, while he was looking at his masterpiece. Shan Jahan was imprisoned in the Agra Fort by his son and because the fort was situated opposite the Taj Mahal, on the other bank of the Yamuna River, he had the privilege of admiring his masterpiece every day.

Nowadays, the Agra Fort shelters a few impressive palaces, mosques, halls and gardens made of red sandstone and white marble. The entire fort hides secret subterranean chambers, which are interconnected.

Exploring the lovely Agra Fort will definitely be an interesting experience. You don’t have to take my words for granted, but you can look at the following pictures.

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Situated almost 40 kilometers away from Agra, Fatehpur Sikri, a mysterious deserted red sandstone city, is one of the places which gave me the feeling that I traveled back in time.

Despite the fact that the vibe of this place is really special, the story it hides is even more interesting. According to the legend the Emperor Akbar visited the old village of Sikri to see the Sufi Saint Shaikh Salim Chishti, who had the gift of helping people fulfill their wishes. Akbar also wanted to have an heir to the throne and the saint predicted the birth of his son.

When the prophecy came true, Akbar rebuilt the village of Sikri and moved the political capital of the Mogul Empire here. Shortly after this reconstruction, the emperor changed the name of the new city in Fatehpur Sikri or the City of Victory, to mark a victorious campaign. This fortress was the capital of the empire for more than 10 years.

The reason why the city was abandoned is still a mystery today, but it is believed that after Akbar’s death, the lake which used to supply the city with water dried up. In this situation the population might have been forced to abandon the city.

Nowadays, Fatehpur Sikri shelters a few monuments, temples and palaces which are surrounded by beautiful gardens.  It is said that the emperor had three wives and that he built a palace for each of them. His wives were of different religions and this is why he built three edifices, a Hindu, a Muslim and a Christian one. The symbol of the entire city is the Jama Masjid, a beautiful mosque which is still used today.

There are a lot of other beautiful places in the city which really deserve to be visited, but you don’t have to take my words for granted. Take a look at the following pictures and convince yourself that this place is worth visiting.

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Built in the 18^th century by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the site consists of nineteen astronomical instruments which have the role of measuring time, tracking celestial bodies and observing the orbits of the planets around the sun.

All the instruments are made of stone, marble and bronze, materials specially chosen to have a higher resistance, taking into account the fact that the site is an outdoor space. The interesting shapes of these instruments have drawn the attention of a lot of architects, artists and historians, because a few of them are still a mystery nowadays.

The Jantar Mantar is not the only astronomical observatory built in India, a country shrouded in the mysteries of astronomy. There are quite a few astronomical observatories in India and five of them are built by the same architect, Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II. The Jantar Mantal is located in Jaipur, the capital and the largest city in the state of Rajasthan.

An interesting detail about this place is the fact that there is an Interpretation Center inside the site, where you can find out a lot of information about the principles and the history of astronomy. The icing on the cake is the fact that you will also have the chance to get your own astrological report, in case you want to pay a tax. I must confess that I wasn’t curious to find out what my future holds. In case you are not curious either, you should still give a chance to this place because it is very interesting.

In addition, it’s very easy to get there because it is situated in the center of the city, between the Hawa Mahal and the City Palace, two other important tourist attractions in Jaipur. If I haven’t convinced you yet to visit the Jantar Mantar, maybe the following pictures will do a better job.

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After I came back from India, a lot of people asked me if I liked this country and my answer was simple. India is both fascinating and shocking, but overall my trip there was a great experience. When you say India, you say fabulous tourist attractions, but also poverty and fraud.

Considered the seventh largest country in the world, India is home to more than a billion people. It is also a country defined by contrasts such as beauty and ugliness, wealth and poverty. I must confess that I discovered a dirty, chaotic and vibrant India, which was fascinating in terms of culture and traditions, but also disappointing when it comes to living conditions. The moment you realize how many people live in improper conditions, you start appreciating what you have even more.

India has a real problem when it comes to food and drinking water. It was a shock for me to see a lot of people gathered around a tanker who were trying to fill plastic containers with drinking water.

Water recycling is a common practice in India and I was very surprised to find out that even the water from the hotel showers was recycled and then used to water the gardens and the green areas.

Despite these aspects, they always smile and their attitude should be an example for the rest of us. Indians are very hospitable and annoyingly friendly, and they are really fascinated by the white tourists who cross their threshold. They believe that the whiter your skin is, the better you are. It is the only country I have visited so far, where the locals were desperate to take pictures of us.

Another interesting aspect about India is the fact that time seems to pass very slowly. You have the feeling that a day has more hours and an hour has more minutes. India reminded me of my grandmother who used to tell me that time was passing slowly in her youth.

India is the country of spices and even if I must confess that I didn’t like Indian food, it was interesting to taste different spices and flavors. Anise, butter chicken masala and tandoori chicken masala are among the ones which I really liked.

There are other interesting aspects which are worth mentioning about India, but I would like to start talking about the fascinating tourist attractions this country has to offer.

First of all, in case you decide to visit India, my advice is to choose an organized tour with a professional local guide who will be able to give you plenty of interesting information about their culture, history, traditions and tourist attractions. My trip itinerary was planned around the Golden Triangle and it included the most beautiful and interesting tourist attractions in this area.

I started my Indian adventure in Delhi, the capital of the country, where I have spent a few days. The city is really vibrant and crowded and it displays a strong contrast between the poor and the rich areas. Even if the sudden passing from a rich area to a poor one is really surprising and confusing, the city has a lot to offer when it comes to beautiful and interesting tourist attractions.

You should admire every corner of Qutub Complex, a beautiful complex which displays a few ruins and also the tallest tower in India.

Considered the symbol of the Baha’i Faith, the wonderful Lotus Temple is another beautiful place which should be visited.

Built in the Indo-Persian style, Humayun’s Tomb is an outstanding monument which reminds of the marvelous Taj Mahal.

You should feel the energy of Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, which is one of the most prominent Sikh houses of worship.

The imposing India Gate, the House of the Parliament, the impressive Rashtrapati Bhavan and the Red Fort are other beautiful attractions in Delhi which are worth visiting.

Mahatma Gandhi Complex which includes a museum and a memorial called Raj Ghat is another place which deserves your attention.

Displaying an impressive architecture, the Jama Masjid which is one of the largest mosques in Asia is one of my favorite places in Delhi.

Enjoying a rickshaw ride through the Old Delhi is indeed a mandatory experience in case you want to discover the authentic vibe of the city.

The narrow alleys of Chandni Chowk shelter a few markets where you can buy a variety of goods. The Spice Market is one of the most interesting in the area.

My favorite place in Delhi is the Swaminarayan Akshardham Complex, which shelters a unique and modern Hindu Temple.

As well as Delhi, Jaipur is equally vibrant and chaotic and it has a lot to offer. Any visit to Jaipur should start and end in the local bazaar, where you can find different goods at low prices, especially if you are a good negotiator. You should drive a hard bargain because Indians usually charge ten times more for every product.

During the few days spent in Jaipur, I had the chance to visit a few lovely tourist attractions which in my opinion should also be on your trip list.

One of them is the City Palace, which is a grandiose complex of exquisite palaces, gardens and courtyards.

A visit to the Astronomical Observatory (Jantar Mantar) will be an interesting experience.

You should also admire the outside of Hawa Mahal, which is another interesting building.

The beautiful Jal Mahal which floats in the middle of the Man Sagar Lake is indeed a great view to enjoy.

My favorite place in the area of Jaipur is the fabulous Amber Fort, which is a complex of ruins situated on the Aravalli Hills.

Reaching the top of the fortress on an elephant will perfectly complete the experience of discovering the beautiful courtyards, halls and walls.

My last days in India were dedicated to Agra, the most authentic Indian city. Agra shelters the imposing Taj Mahal which has fully conquered my heart.

Standing in front of this marvelous building and admiring its beauty and grandeur is indeed an unforgettable experience.

You can also admire the image of the Taj Mahal from Mehtab Bagh, which is a complex of gardens situated nearby.

Admiring Agra Fort, which is the seat and the stronghold of Mughal Empire will also be a great experience.

A visit to Itmad-Ud-Daula, which is the first tomb in India made entirely of white marble, will perfectly complete your experience in Agra. This place is also called Baby Taj Mahal because its architecture is quite similar to the marvelous Taj Mahal.

Situated close to Agra, Fatehpur Sikri is a deserted red sandstone city which will be a feast for your eyes in case you decide to visit it.

These are the most beautiful and interesting tourist attractions which can be admired in the Golden Triangle of India. Taking into account the good and the bad aspects, India is a country that deserves to be discovered because it offers a really unique blend of experiences.

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