Located in Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state in India, Agra is among the country’s most culturally-rich destinations and certainly acknowledged as one of the most aesthetically stimulating cities in the world. A total of three UNESCO World Heritage sites are responsible for drawing thousands of annual visitors from both domestic and international origins; while a plethora of other attractions can take credit for keeping them there.

The city’s history dates back over half a millennium, during which time it has seen its fair share of conflict and ownership changes before becoming the Indian-owned destination that it is today. Having enjoyed a period as capital of some empires, its regal ambience is undeniable and this remains one of its inherent charms and an integral part of its traditional character.

Visitors include a mix of average sightseers and those with greater historical curiosities. Backgrounds aside however, all are equally awestruck by the beauty and cultural greatness of sites such as the Taj Mahal, Fatehpur Sikri and Agra Fort. Indian visitors of the Muslim faith meanwhile, come to see the city’s mosques and key Islamic sights.

Food is also a big draw of Agra, with the local cuisine offering distinct Mughal influences and hence delivering rich, creamy curry dishes and meats and breads cooked in traditional clay ovens known as tandoors. With something of a consensus between lovers of Indian food that Mughal cuisine is one of its finest varieties, it’s no wonder that dining out is such a richly relished experience.

Shopping opportunities are plentiful in the city with markets such as the Sadar and Kinari bazaars offering the chance not only to buy some interesting goods, but also to see something of traditional life in Agra. These bustling retail centres capture the essence of local living and offer a real cultural experience beyond what you might expect to get from simply sightseeing and shifting between hotels and restaurants.

Agra is reached relatively easily, having its own domestic airport that maintains regular connections with Delhi, India’s capital city. Once in the city, getting around is care of the ubiquitous and environmentally friendly rickshaws or, away from the immediate centre, by motorbike-driven vehicles of a similar nature known as moto-rickshaws.

Agra is well equipped to receive visitors, with a good tourist infrastructure that includes a large number of accommodation options. Big names such as Hilton, Sheraton and Holiday Inn operate hotels in the city; while smaller, domestically-owned establishments are plentiful and come in everything from three-star to budget price ranges.

The general consensus among historians is that Agra was founded by Sultan Sikandar Lodi, the Ruler of Delhi Sultanate back in 1504; and that following the sultan’s death, it passed into the hands of his son, Sultan Ibrahim Lodi. The city remained under the ruling of his sultanate until it fell to Babur in the First Battle of Panipat in 1526.

Agra’s most significant period of development was under the Mughals, who made it the capital of their empire under Emperor Akbar and subsequently named it Akbarabad. It was later demoted from capital status in favour of Shahjahanabad, a shift which took place in 1649. Construction was seen on a large scale under the Mughals with many important buildings and sites created during this period including the Great Red Fort and the Aram Bagh Garden.

The reign of Shah Jahan also brought significant structural developments to the city with the building of the Taj Mahal occurring during this period. This magnificent and internationally famous building, which was completed in 1648, was erected as a memorial to Mumtaz Mahal, the Shah’s deceased wife.

It was Shah Jahan who was responsible for moving the capital of the country to Delhi but his son thought better of this move and later reinstated Akbarabad before throwing his father into the prison at the Great Red Fort. Capital status was safe in the early days of the reign of Aurangzeb; however later in 1653, he created and made a capital of Aurangabad in the Deccan. After the Mughal’s grip on the city weakened and the empire went into decline, Akbarabad fell to the Marathas and Jats who named it Agra and remained in control of it until the British Raj took over in 1803.

Agra is a city which experiences a varied climate and temperatures at both ends of the scale. Summers are exceptionally hot and in the months from April to June it’s not unusual to see temperatures in the mid 40’s (ºC). The monsoon season follows the summer and is still a fairly warm period and one which sees abundant volumes of precipitation with the greater part of the city’s 660-millimetre annual rainfall coming down between the end of June and September. Winter follows the monsoon season and can be a positively chilly affair by all accounts, with temperatures regularly falling below 5ºC.

From a visitor’s perspective, it can be tricky to choose the best time to take a trip to Agra as realistically it’s a choice between extreme heat, rain or significant cold. The summer heat probably precludes visiting for anyone not acclimatised to hot weather; while the monsoon season should not be ruled out entirely as it is a good deal cooler and rainfall is by no means incessant, generally falling in heavy spells that are later replaced by warm, dry weather. The winter can be cold, however, the tail-end of the season merging into the summer is definitely warmer and undoubtedly the most ideal time to plan an Agra holiday.

Whatever time of year you decide to visit, be sure to pack appropriate clothing. The hot weather might seem like a good opportunity to break out the skimpy clothing, however exposing skin to the extreme power of the sun is inadvisable and discreet wear is recommended so as to offend the devout religious locals. Pack at least one warm jacket for the wintertime and something waterproof but light for the monsoon season.