In this travel guide, you will get acquainted with the 15 best tourist places in Uttar Pradesh that are worth visiting.
Uttar Pradesh or U.P is a state in North India that has a population of over 200 million. It is the most populated state in India as well as one of the most populous subdivisions of a country in the whole world. Uttar Pradesh was formed in 1950 when India became a republic. During British rule, it was known as the United Provinces which then changed the name to Uttar Pradesh. This state has 18 divisions and 75 districts. The formal capital of this state is Lucknow and the Judicial capital is Prayagraj (Allahabad).
There are many tourist attractions in Uttar Pradesh that attract tourists not only from all states of India but also from every corner of the world. Even one of seven wonders, The Taj Mahal is situated in Uttar Pradesh. A large number of local as well as foreign tourists visit Uttar Pradesh to explore its tourist sites per year. So, come and let’s explore the best tourist attractions in Uttar Pradesh.
Best Tourist Places to Visit in Uttar Pradesh
1. Taj Mahal
Taj Mahal is the most famous place in India as it is one of the seven wonders of the world and is well known for its architecture. It was built during the rule of Mughal leader Shah Jahan for her wife Mumtaz Mahal. It is the symbol of love that the emperor constructed for his wife when she died while giving birth to one of their children. It covers 17 hectares of area and has a height of 240 feet.
The architect of the Taj Mahal was Ustad Ahmad Lahauri it is a Mughal Architecture. Shah Jahan had the labors of all the laborers who made this so that no one can ever make a building more beautiful than this. The Taj is undoubtedly one of the best tourist places in Uttar Pradesh that you must visit.
Suggested Read: Want to explore more tourist spots in Agra? Read our travel guide on the top tourist attractions in Agra.
2. Varanasi
Varanasi is a city in north India on the holy Ganges River that really is significant in Hindu devotion, mortality, and grief. Although the title Varanasi was formally restored in 1947, the city is still usually recognized as Banaras and has also been supported by a syncretic history of Muslim artisanship. Varanasi is located on the left side of the riverbed in the mid-valley in the southeast region of Uttar Pradesh.
It lies 692 kilometers (430 miles) southeastern of Delhi, 320 km (200 miles) southern of Lucknow, the administrative center, and 121 km (75 miles) eastern of Prayagraj, a major Hindu pilgrimage place. I highly recommend you to visit this one of the best tourist sites in Uttar Pradesh.
3. Vrindavan
Vrindavan is one of the historical cities in Uttar Pradesh and is situated in Mathura District. It is considered one of the holiest sites in Uttar Pradesh. As per Hindu mythologies, Vrindavan is the city where Lord Krishna spent all his childhood and is therefore known as Braj Bhoomi. Mathura, the birthplace of Lord Krishna is 11 Km away from Agra-Delhi National Highway. There are several temples in Vrindavan that are devoted to Radha and Krishna.
There are many areas around Vrindavan such as Gokul, Banaras, Govardhana, Nandgaon, and Bhandrivan which are considered the places to worship the two Hindu gods Radha and Krishna. Millions of people visit Vrindavan to attend the festivals and worship them.
Suggested Read: Want to explore Vrindavan? Read our travel guide on the best and worth exploring places to visit in Vrindavan.
4. Imambara
Asaf-Ud-Daula, Awadh’s Nawab, erected the Bara Imambara, sometimes referred to as Asfi Imambara, in Lucknow, India, in 1784. Bara translates to “large.” Just after Nizamat Imambara, this is the 2nd biggest Imambara.
The huge Asfi masjid, and the labyrinth, a stair with gushing freshwater, are all part of the complex. The main hall is approached by two massive gates. According to legend, there seem to be 1024 methods to get to the rooftop, but there are only 2 alternative ways to get back: first gateway or last gateway. It’s an unintentional structure.
Suggested Read: Want to explore “Nawabon Ka Shahar” as a tourist? Read our travel guide on the best travel-worthy sites to visit in Lucknow.
5. Allahabad
Allahabad is a city in Uttar Pradesh, India, formally called Prayagraj. It serves as the judiciary center for Uttar Pradesh. Allahabad is the state’s highest populated region and India’s thirteenth most populated district.
There is an Allahabad High Court serving as the state’s top legal power. With a populace of 1.53 million people, Allahabad is the 7th most populated metropolitan area, 13th in North India, and 36 in India as of 2011. It was voted the 40th quickest city on earth in 2011. In 2016, Allahabad was recognized as the third most livable urban agglomeration within the province and the 16th in the nation.
6. Sarnath
Sarnath is a town in Uttar Pradesh, India, 10 kilometers north of Varanasi, headwaters of the Ganges as well as the Varuna streams. The Buddhist Academy was founded at the Deer Park in Sarnath, where Siddhartha Gautama initially preached the Dharma and where Kondanna means of acquiring. Shreyansanath, the 11th Tirthankara of Jainism, was born at Singhpur, a hamlet about 1 kilometer away from the monument. A shrine devoted to him is a major pilgrimage destination.
This city, also known as Isipatana, is among the 4 historic sites recommended by the Buddha for his faithful disciples. This was also the location of the Buddha’s Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, his 1st discourse following illumination, in which he taught the 4 great facts and the lessons linked with them.
Suggested Read: Are you wondering what to eat in Uttar Pradesh as a tourist? Read our blog post on must-try food in UP to know its answer.
7. Mathura
Mathura is a city in Uttar Pradesh, India. It’s around 57.6 kilometers (35.8 miles) north of Agra and 166 km (103 miles) south of Delhi, as well as 14.5 km (9.0 miles) from Vrindavan and twenty-two kilometers (14 miles) from Govardhan. Mathura was formerly a major economic center, situated at the crossroads of significant trade routes. Mathura’s inhabitants were expected to be 441,894 in the 2011 Indian Survey.
As per Hindu Mythology, Mathura is the birthplace of Lord Krishna, and the Krishna Janmasthan Temple is located there. The Kesava Deo Mandir was erected on the spot of Krishna’s birthplace in olden history. Mathura was indeed the headquarters of the Surasena empire, which was controlled by Kansa, Krishna’s maternal uncle. Annually, Janmashtami is lavishly held in Mathura.
8. Fatehpur Sikri
Fatehpur Sikri is a township in Uttar Pradesh, India, located in the Agra Division. Fatehpur Sikri, located 37 kilometers from the head office of Agra, was constructed as the Mughal Empire’s capital in 1571 by Jalal-Ud-din Muhammad Akbar and served in that capacity until 1585 when Akbar departed it owing to a battle in Punjab, and was subsequently fully destroyed in 1610.
The nearest city comes from a town called Sikri that once stood on the site. Before Mughal established his city, an investigation by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in 1999 and 2000 revealed settlement, mandir, and business areas. Sungas colonized the area during their invasion. It was ruled by Sikarwar Rajputs first from the seventh to the sixteenth centuries CE, until the War of Khanwa (1527).
Suggested Read: Does the history of India excites you? Read our travel guide on the best places to visit in Fatehpur Sikri to know more about the Mughal Empire.
9. Vindhyachal
Vindhyachal is a city in Mirzapur district, Uttar Pradesh. This city has various Hindu pilgrimages destination, including the mandir of Vindhyavasini, who incarnated to fight the monster Mahishasura, according to the Markandeya Purana. This city is 70 Km away from Varanasi and 85 Km away from Allahabad. This city is devoted to Goddess Vindhyansini.
Goddess Vindhyavasini is said to deliver blessings immediately. On the shores of the sacred river Ganga, Vindhyavasini Goddess Temple is built 8 kilometers from Mirzapur. This is one of the reigning goddesses Vindhyavasini goddess most respected Siddhapeeths. Every day, a big number of individuals attend the mandir.
10. Ayodhya
Ayodhya is a city in Uttar Pradesh, India located on the shore of the mythological river Saryu. It serves as the workplace of Uttar Pradesh’s Faizabad division. It has a municipality administration in common with Faizabad, its sibling city.
According to Hindu mythology, this is the birthplace of Lord Ram. He took birth in the home of Ayodhya’s ruler Raja Dasharatha. There are several temples of Lord Ram and Sita. Diwali, the festival of lights is celebrated in a great way in this city because on that day Lord Ram returned to Ayodhya after spending 14 years in the Forests.
11. Dudhwa National Park
The Dudhwa Park Is situated in north Uttar Pradesh, India, in the Terai area of swampy meadows. It covers 490.3 km^2 and is surrounded by a 190 km2 border zone (73 sq mi). In the regions of Kheri and Lakhimpur, it is a portion of the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve.
The park lies in the Lakhimpur Production District, on the India strategic border, with conserved forest tracts on the north and south borders. It is among the few surviving protected sites in the Terai ecosystem, which supports numerous threatened animals, obligatory organisms of tall wet meadows, and constrained dispersion species.
12. National Chambal Wildlife Sanctuary
The National Chambal Nature reserve, also known as the Federal Chambal Gharial Nature Reserve, is a 5,400-square-kilometer (2,100-square-mile) cyclic nature reserve in north India dedicated to the conservation of the Threatened Species gharial, the Threatened Ganges river dolphin, and the Nearly Extinct red-crowned ceiling turtle.
It was initially designated in Madhya Pradesh in 1978 and is today a long, shallow environment shared by the three states. It is positioned on the Chambal Pond near its tripoint of Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. The pure Chambal River runs through the reserve, cutting between labyrinths of canyons and hills with various sandy beaches.
13. Jhansi
Jhansi is an old city in India’s Uttar Pradesh state. It is located in the Bundelkhand area of Uttar Pradesh, along the shores of Pahuj Creek. Jhansi is indeed the national center of the Jhansi department and district. Jhansi, also known as the Entry point to Bundelkhand, is located at an average altitude of 285 meters near and across the rivers Pahuj as well as Betwa (935 ft). New Delhi is 420 km (261 miles) away, while Gwalior is 102 km (63 miles).
By roads and railways, Jhansi is well interconnected to all of Uttar Pradesh’s main cities. The city’s expansion has been aided by the Expressways Proposed Development. The NDA administration is also developing Jhansi as a defense gateway, which will strengthen the city’s and region’s economies at the same moment.
14. Hastinapur
Hastinapur is just a city in Uttar Pradesh, India, located in the Meerut division. Hastinapura is referenced in historical Jain literature as well as Hindu scriptures including the Mahabharata and Hindu scriptures as the headquarters of the Kuru Kingdom. On the main river of both the Ganga, Hastinapur is situated.
The Mahabharata claims that the 100 Kaurava siblings were born at this place to Empress Gandhari, King Dhritarashtra’s wife. Two locations in Hastinapur just on Budhi River mention Mahabharata characters.
15. Noida
Noida, also known as New Okhla Economic Development Corporation, is a sprawling metropolis in the Gautam Buddha Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh, India.
Noida is a component of India’s National Capital Region and is a subsidiary city of Delhi. Noida’s population in 2011 was 642,381, according to preliminary Census of India data. New Okhla Heavy Industry Authority is in charge of the city (NOIDA). The official offices of the region are in Greater Noida, a neighboring city. You should definitely explore this one of the best tourist attractions in Uttar Pradesh.
FAQ – Best Tourist Sites in Uttar Pradesh
What are the top places to visit in Uttar Pradesh?
Taj Mahal, Ayodhya, Varanasi, Vrindavan, Imambara, Allahabad, Sarnath, Mathura, Dudhwa National Park, and Noida are some of the best places to visit in Uttar Pradesh.
Who should visit Uttar Pradesh?
Everyone should visit Uttar Pradesh as there is something for everyone here. There are temples, parks, museums, monuments, mosques, rivers, forests, etc., which attract anyone spontaneously.
Which is famous in UP?
Uttar Pradesh is famous for many things but it is most famous for Ayodhya, the birthplace of Lord Rama, Mathura, the birthplace of Lord Krishna, and The Taj Mahal, one of the 7 wonders of the world.
Is Uttar Pradesh safe for tourists?
Yes, Uttar Pradesh is completely safe for tourists. The government works hard to maintain law and order. However, you must take care of your belongings on your own.
Which is the richest city in UP?
Noida is considered to be the richest city in Uttar Pradesh, so you must visit Noida on your trip to Uttar Pradesh.
Which food is famous in UP?
Chole Bhature, Biryani, Daal Makhani, Kadi Chawal, Palak Paneer, Rajma, and Poori are some of the most famous food in Uttar Pradesh.
Which sweet is famous in UP?
Balushahi and Jalebi are the two most famous sweets in Uttar Pradesh.
What is the dress of UP?
In Uttar Pradesh, the women usually wear a sari and a blouse or salwar kameez and the men put on dhoti kurta or kurta pyjama and also a pant shirt.
What is the language of Uttar Pradesh?
The official languages of Uttar Pradesh are Hindi and Urdu. Awadhi is a regional language in Uttar Pradesh that is used by the majority of rural.
Is English spoken in Uttar Pradesh?
Yes, English is preferred by many urban people. But, it is not used as much as compared to Hindi and Urdu.
Conclusion – Best Tourist Places in Uttar Pradesh
Have you enjoyed this travel guide? If you have, do share it with your friends so that they too can get acquainted with these best tourist places in Uttar Pradesh. There are also many tourist places in Uttar Pradesh that are worth visiting, so do not think that these are only Uttar Pradesh tourist places.
I’m going to wrap up this blog post, so, for your journey to Uttar Pradesh, “All the Best” in Advance.
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