Most Famous Must-See Tourist Attractions in India

 India Travel Guide to Top Tourist Attractions

India is a lively land of surprising contrasts and where both modern and traditional worlds unite. As the world's 7th biggest country by area as well as the 2nd largest populated nation, India possesses a wealthy heritage resulting from centuries of various religions and cultures converging and making their enduring mark.

If you're looking for top-rated tourist attractions in India, you won't be disappointed--not once.

Activities to do in this country range from opportunities to experience a broad variety of spiritual encounters and holy sites, enjoy its verdant national parks, fun wildlife sanctuaries to sun-tanning on beautiful white sandy beaches.

From the sacred sites of Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar, the impressive Tag Mahal in Agra, to the Mecca Masjid mosque in Hyderabad, tourists arriving at this fascinating nation for the first time will discover an endless trove of historical, cultural, geographical, architectural, and spiritual treasures everywhere.

To assist you in mapping your next trip to make it the most memorable to this incredible country, refer to my India travel guide to find the top tourist attractions in India. 

1) The Taj Mahal.  Probably the most famous building ever made in India, the Taj Mahal in addition is the world's greatest testament to the might of pure love. Given the name Mumtaz Mahal, the Emperor Shah Jahar's favorite wife, this extremely lovely mausoleum was started after her demise in 1631, taking twenty thousand workers to complete in 1648.

Though incorporating several elements of Islamic style that includes from minarets, arches, black calligraphy inlaid surrounding the entry, and an onion-shaped dome, the building is mostly made of white marble. Adding to its beauty are elegant inlaid floral patterns and varying grades of precious stones like lapis, diamonds, mother of pearl, jade, and lazuli.

The most favorable time to tour is at sunrise or sunset when the atmosphere has brightly shifted due to the modification in lighting. If possible, attempt to catch a sight of the Taj Mahal's mirror-like reflection from the distant bank belonging to the Yamuna River, for it makes an unforgettable selfie.

2) The Holy City of Varanasi.  Dated to the eighth-century BC, Varanasi is a few of the world's oldest cities yet inhabited. As a chief Hindu pilgrimage center, Varanasi has long been connected with the great Ganges River, representing as one of the faith's most significant religious symbols.

The holy city offers several reasons to drop by, including exploring the Old Quarter, standing near the Ganges and where you'll locate the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, constructed in 1780. You may want to see the New Viswanath Temple boasting its 7 separate temples, a temple within a temple.

Since bathing in the Ganges amounts to great importance to Hindus, many sites called "ghats" now provide staircases that lead to the water for the devoted to bathe before actually praying. The biggest are Assi Ghat and Dasashvamedh. The former, at the convergence of the Asi and Ganges rivers, is regarded especially sacred.

In addition, worth visiting is Banaras Hindu University, being established by 1917 and reputed for its huge library sporting over a million books, and the excellent Bharat Kala Bhavan museum displaying great collections of sculptures, local history exhibits, miniature paintings, and palm-leaf manuscripts.

3) Harmandir Sahib.  Founding in 1577 by Ram Das, Amritsar is a significant spot of Sikh culture and history. The chief attraction here is Harmandir Sahib, opening in 1604 and yet frequently called the Golden Temple because of its exquisite gold decoration.

As the most sacred of India's several Sikh shrines, the temple was constructed incorporating Islamic and Hindu style. While its bottom marble section displays flourishes like decorative inlaid animal and floral motifs, the big golden dome symbolizes purity to Sikhs via a lotus flower.

Besides its superb design, tourists are equally awed with the temple's calming and spiritual aura, an effect procured by the prayers constantly chanted from sacred books and echoed throughout the complex.

Enhancing the overall visit is the opportunity to partake in one of the fifty thousand free meals that the attraction offers to everyone daily.

4) The Golden City of Jaisalmer.  Called this for the yellow sandstone utilized in the majority of its structures, this city is an oasis of stunning old architecture rising from the Thar Desert's sand dunes. Though a strategic outpost once, now the city is bursting with exquisite old mansions; the enormous Jaisalmer Fort, a dominating 12th-century structure that towers above the town; and the impressive gateways.

Besides its fine old homes, temples, and palaces, the fortress houses 99 bastions together with huge gates that lead to its chief courtyard and where you'll see the tall Maharaja's Palace. Successive rulers began in the 1500s, and then added to it until the nineteenth century. This palace offers areas to be available to the general public.

You may also want to visit a few Jain temples ranging from 12th to 16th centuries, and each decorated with superb sandstone and marble images, brightly painted ceilings, and palm-leaf manuscripts. Also see the well-preserved ancient library, Gyan Bhandar that sports several antiquities and 16th-century manuscripts.

5) The Red Fort.  Constructed in 1648 by Shah Jahan as the base of Mughal power, maintaining it until 1857, the magnificent crescent-shaped fort, located in New Delhi, and named after the striking red sandstone employed in its construction, encompasses a massive area of over two square kilometers, and a large moat surrounds it.

Don't miss its two biggest gates: the stunning Lahore Gate and the lavishly decorated Delhi Gate, which the emperor once used for ceremonial processions.

An exciting perk for a visit is to explore Chatta Chowk. It's a 17th-century shrouded bazaar that sells everything from silk clothes, jewelry, souvenirs, to food. Though you may explore the fort alone, guided tours are available for improving your overall experience with fascinating insight into the Shah's life and times, plus a glimpse into the charming Hall of Public Audiences, exactly where he customarily received and addressed his subjects.

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Most Famous Must-See Tourist Attractions in Russia

 Russia Travel Guide to Top Tourist Attractions

Home to the Soviet's most inspiring people in the world with a distinctive culture all of their own, Russia is where all great religions can pray as only one Europe. The world's largest country truly has it all--from valleys, warm lands, frozen terrains, glacier-covered mountains, earth's oldest lakes to steppes in Magnolia. Tourists here will find awe-inspiring attractions to last forever in their memories.

A few of Russia's oldest cities such as St. Petersburg and Moscow yet retain their royal splendor--conspicuous not just in their architecture but also obvious in their stunning parks, metro stations, and even shopping centers. 

With varying excellent accommodation options to satisfy all needs and tastes and convenient public transportation, Russia offers everything to guarantee an experience of a lifetime.

For unusually good ideas on what to visit and see, read my Russia travel guide to find the top tourist attractions in Russia.

1) Kremlin.  As Moscow's hands-down most recognizable landmark, the Kremlin is a fifteen-century fortified complex covering a vast area of no less than 275,000 square meters and surrounded by walls erected in the 1400s. The palace contains more than 700 rooms, though once Tsar family's home, today it's where the Russian Federation president resides, but the majority heads of state have chosen to live elsewhere.

Also, the huge complex consists of several other buildings, of which some are open to the general public. Besides three cathedrals and a few towers, the Kremlin houses the Armory structure, a museum which exhibits the royal crown, imperial carriages, Faberge' eggs, and Ivan the Terrible's ivory throne.

2) Bolshoi Theatre.  The largest and the world's oldest opera and ballet companies call the Bolshoi theater home. Though it has undergone many major renovations during the past 100 years like in 2011 for restoring imperial architectural details, it yet retains remarkably all of its original Neoclassical grandeur.

The Bolshoi Theater which you may see now opened back in 1824, but after many older versions have burned down. Inside, gilt moldings, red velvet, and a 3-tiered crystal chandelier grace the theater with a Byzantine-Renaissance grandeur feel.

Watching a performance from the opera troupes and the resident ballet is a sweet treat, for the theater frequently hosts a fair number of classical shows like Rachmaninoff's Francesca da Rimini and Tchaikovsky's Mazeppa, both of which first premiered here.

3) GUM.  As the oldest and most modern shopping center at the same time, GUM is an architectural wonder. GUM, short for "Main Universal Store," was constructed in the 1800s using a neo-Russian style for showcasing an exquisite combination comprising 20,000 glass-panels and a steel skeleton shaping an arched roof.

Back then this ambitious construction project the glass had to be sturdy enough to withstand the Russian snow-heavy winters. But the structure is just as extraordinary inside, with granite and marble covering all three levels.

Though GUM has lost that status of being Moscow's largest and longest shopping center, it's yet without doubt the most beautiful. Home to famous brands such as Manolo Blahnik and Gucci, this may not be the perfect stop for cash-strapped tourists, but for the splendor of this massive building justifies a visit here.

Climb to the 3rd floor and you'll find fine dining options such as a Soviet-style canteen serving traditional Russian dishes, and even a stand that sells hand-made ice cream utilizing a genuine 1954 recipe the Soviet government approved. 

4) Lenin's Mausoleum.  As Russian leader Vladimir Lenin's last and final place of rest, the mausoleum now occupies a main place in Red Square. The mausoleum has been not only holding but also remarkably preserving his body since his untimely demise in 1924, and despite the original plan was to bury him after a brief period of public showcase for mourning, this plan rapidly changed.

After receiving more than 100,000 visits over the course of six weeks, a decision took place for a new sarcophagus as well as a more lasting display space for preserving Lenin's body better, and his mausoleum got built. Since then, the mausoleum together with its marble stairs all became the central spot from where Russian leaders observed events and parades unfolding in Red Square.

Today, visitors can see Lenin's embalmed body, resting behind a bulletproof glass sarcophagus like he's only sleeping. Though a tour here was not the common thing to do for many in the past, it's now a must-do for history lovers wanting to comprehend how Lenin's heritage really impacted the country. But come prepared to wait, for lines generally form to enter. 

5) Red Square.  Since all main streets in Moscow begin at Red Square, it's easy to realize why this site is regarded as the city's beating heart. An enormous space of 70 meters by 330 meters, the square is bordered by the State Historical Museum, two cathedrals, the Kremlin, and Lenin's Mausoleum. In 1945, a mega Victory Parade occurred here to rejoice the defeat of the Nazis by the Russian soldiers.

St. Basil's Cathedral, a really recognizable building that stands on the square, got constructed in 1555. The Asian and Byzantine inspiring design reflects on the cathedral's unique architectural details. The church houses nine separate chapels, each boasting colorful mural art.

The Kremlin and the square are confirmed UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In particular, on weekends, stalls at times sell traditional items and souvenirs here like matryoshka at the square's entrance.

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