Agra was, during the 16th an 17th centuries, the capital of the Mughal Empire and has many superb monuments including the Agra fort, the tomb of Itmad - ud - Daulah and the wondrously incomparable Taj Mahal.

It is also one of the the major cities of the northern state of Uttar Pradesh and one of the leading leather goods production centres.

Your tour of Agra city starts with a visit to the Agra fort , a massive sandstone fortress started by Emperor Akbar in 1565 and completed by his grandson Emperor Shah Jehan.

Proceed on to Itmad-ud-Daulah ,the tomb of Mirza Ghiyas Beg, the chief minister and later father in law of emperor Jehangir. This tomb resembles the Taj in terms of architectural style and is also known as the baby Taj.

Proceed on to the stunningly beautiful Taj Mahal , built by Emperor shah Jehan in memory of his beloved queen Mumtaz Mahal . The construction of this building was started in 1631 and was completed in 1653.

Enroute from Agra to Jaipur or vice versa , you will stop at the deserted capital of the Mughal Empire , Fatehpur Sikri.The city was built by Emperor Akbar between 1570 and 1585 and suddenly abandoned 15 years later due to a severe water shortage.

The main entrance is through the 54m high Bulund Darwaza or the Tower of Victory built to commemorate Akbar`s victory in Gujarat..

You will also see among other monuments Jodha Bai`s Palace, Panch mahal,the Diwan-I-Khas and the diwan-I-Am.