Amritsar
Photo: Traveltoindia23 (CC BY-SA 4.0)Home of the Golden Temple, Jallianwala Bagh and the Partition Museum, 28 km from the Attari-Wagah border; also Punjab's food capital.
Spend at least one dawn and one evening at the Golden Temple, do the old city (Jallianwala Bagh, Partition Museum, Heritage Street) on foot, and give one afternoon to the Wagah retreat ceremony.
November: Pleasant; Guru Nanak Gurpurab
When to go
Things to do
- Visit the Golden Temple at dawn and after dark: Open day and night; walk the parikrama around the Amrit Sarovar.
- Eat and volunteer at the Golden Temple langar: Free vegetarian meals around the clock for everyone.
- Walk Heritage Street and the old city heritage walk: About 45 minutes from Town Hall to the Golden Temple.
- See Jallianwala Bagh and its light and sound show: Memorial open 6:30/7:00 to 18:00/19:00; show in Punjabi and Hindi in the evening.
- Tour the Partition Museum: 14 galleries in the Town Hall; closed Mondays.
- Evening shows at Gobindgarh Fort: 7D film, live performances and the Whispering Walls projection show.
- Kulcha, fish and lassi food trail: Try the classic dhabas near Town Hall, kulcha on Maqbool Road, fried fish on Majitha Road and lassi in Dhab Khatikan.
- Retreat ceremony at Attari-Wagah: About 28 km; arrive 45 minutes early with ID and no bags.
- Shop Hall Bazaar and Lawrence Road: Phulkari, juttis, papad and wadiyan.
- Visit Maharaja Ranjit Singh Museum: Maharaja Ranjit Singh's summer palace in Ram Bagh garden, a museum of arms, paintings, coins and manuscripts since 1977.
- Visit Partition Museum: The world's first museum devoted to the 1947 Partition, in Amritsar's old Town Hall near the Golden Temple.
- Visit Akal Takht: The highest seat of Sikh temporal authority, facing the Golden Temple sanctum across the causeway.
Top sights
Summer Palace of Maharaja Ranjit Singh
Maharaja Ranjit Singh's summer palace in Ram Bagh garden, a museum of arms, paintings, coins and manuscripts since 1977.
Partition Museum
The world's first museum devoted to the 1947 Partition, in Amritsar's old Town Hall near the Golden Temple.
Akal Takht
The highest seat of Sikh temporal authority, facing the Golden Temple sanctum across the causeway.
Harmandir Sahib
The Golden Temple: the holiest Sikh shrine, a gilded sanctum in the middle of the Amrit Sarovar pool, open day and night to people of all faiths.
Gurdwara Baba Atal
Nine-storey tower near the Golden Temple built in memory of Atal Rai, son of Guru Hargobind.
Durgiana Temple
Hindu temple near Lohgarh Gate rebuilt in 1921 in the style of the Golden Temple, set in its own sacred tank.
Jallianwala Bagh
National memorial garden marking the 13 April 1919 massacre, with bullet-marked walls and the Martyrs Well, steps from the Golden Temple.
Central Sikh Museum
Indian museum that holds rare handwritings of Sikh gurus and pictures of Sikh gurus, warriors, heroes of history, collection of old Sikh coins, old Sikh armaments etc.
Kanha Sweets
Lawrence Road sweet shop famous for puri-chole breakfasts and winter halwa.
Ahuja Milk Bhandar
Dhab Khatikan dairy shop known for thick lassi and hot malai milk.
Golden Temple Interpretation Centre
Underground multimedia centre in the Golden Temple complex explaining Sikh history, with free English headsets.
Heritage Street
Pedestrian boulevard from Town Hall to the Golden Temple with pink facades, statues and fountains, best in the evening.
Nature and outdoors
Ram Bagh
garden in Amritsar, Punjab, India
Gobindgarh Fort
18th-century fort rebuilt by Maharaja Ranjit Singh, now a living-history park with a coin museum, 7D film and evening projection show.
Harike Bird Sanctuary
The second largest bird sanctuary in India. Also a National Wetland & Wildlife Sanctuary. Hari-ke-Pattan is one of India's leading in-land sweet water fish market and home of varied wild life.
Park Paris Town
Kashmir Avenue Park
Park (Sant Avenue)
Litchi Park
Pathran Vali Park
Maharaja Ranjit Singh Garden
Company Bagh
Gobindgarh Fort
Rose Garden
Where to eat
Kesar Da Dhaba
Century-old vegetarian dhaba in the lanes of Chowk Passian, famous for dal, paranthas and phirni.
Bharawan Da Dhaba
Busy vegetarian dhaba by Town Hall, a short walk from the Golden Temple, known for saag, kulche and phirni.
Brothers Amritsari Dhaba
Vegetarian dhaba near Town Hall serving dal makhani, saag and gajar halwa.
Punjab Dhaba, Hall Bazar
Old-city non-vegetarian dhaba in Hall Bazar known for mutton and kadai chicken.
All India Famous Amritsari Kulcha
Morning kulcha joint on Maqbool Road serving crisp stuffed kulche with chole and lassi.
Kulcha Land
Kulcha specialist in Ranjit Avenue named by Punjab Tourism among Amritsar food points.
Pal Da Dhaba
Non-vegetarian dhaba at Hathi Gate known for mutton kharoda and keema naan.
Beera Chicken House
Majitha Road chicken specialist for tandoori and butter chicken.
Makhan Fish and Chicken Corner
Majitha Road institution for Amritsari fried fish and chicken.
Giani Tea Stall
Old tea stall for masala chai, bun maska and morning snacks.
Surjit Food Plaza
Lawrence Road non-vegetarian eatery known for mutton tikka and tawa chicken (no alcohol).
Golden Temple Langar
Free round-the-clock community kitchen of the Golden Temple, serving simple vegetarian meals to all.
Shopping
Clock tower (since 1930)
Mall of Amritsar
Shops of leading national, international and regional brands, five-screen cinema, hypermarket and one of Asia's largest food courts. Services: customer relation desks, wheelchairs, children's play area, ambulance and first aid, Hi-tech security with CCTV, Gift wrapping at Hyperci
Nearby
Other destinations close to Amritsar.