Agra in 2 days: what to see, in what order

The white marble tomb Shah Jahan built for Mumtaz Mahal in the 1630s and 1640s, on the bank of the Yamuna. Walk the long garden from the main gate, then up onto the plinth to see the inlaid stone flowers and the calligraphy around the arches up close.

Tip: Closed every Friday. Cars cannot go right up to the gates: the cab drops you at the East or West Gate parking, and a battery bus or a short walk takes you on. Large bags, food and tripods are not allowed in.

The red sandstone fort of the Mughal emperors, about 2 km up the river from the Taj. Inside are the halls of public and private audience, the white marble Khas Mahal, and the Musamman Burj, the tower where Shah Jahan spent his last years looking out at the Taj.

Tip: Visitors enter by the Amar Singh Gate on the south side; the cab drops you at the parking there.

The great mosque built in 1648 by Jahanara, Shah Jahan's daughter, facing Agra Fort across the railway. Its red sandstone domes have white zigzag stripes, and the courtyard is calm after the fort crowds.

Tip: Cover your legs and shoulders and take off your shoes. Women should carry a scarf for their head.

The old city's main bazaar, a tangle of narrow lanes behind Jama Masjid selling wedding trim, saris, bangles, shoes and spices. It is the place to try Agra's petha sweets and street snacks.

Tip: The lanes are too narrow for cars. The cab waits near Jama Masjid and you walk in.

Called the Baby Taj: a small white marble tomb built by Nur Jahan for her father between 1622 and 1628, on the east bank of the Yamuna. Its walls are covered in inlaid stone patterns, the first Mughal building done this way, before the Taj.

Tip: It is much quieter than the Taj. Walk round to the river side of the garden for the view up the Yamuna.

The tomb of Afzal Khan, Shah Jahan's prime minister, built in the 1630s. What is left of its glazed tile work, in blue, green and yellow, is a rare Persian style in Agra.

Tip: It is small and often empty, so twenty minutes is plenty.

A Mughal garden on the far bank of the Yamuna, directly opposite the Taj Mahal. From the riverside path you see the Taj side on, with no crowds, and the river in front of it.

Tip: It closes at sunset. In winter that is about 17:30, so arrive by 16:45 if you want the low light.

The red sandstone city Akbar built in the 1570s and left after about fourteen years, about 38 km west of Agra. Walk through the Diwan-i-Khas with its carved central pillar, the five-storey Panch Mahal, and the courtyards of the royal palaces.

Tip: Cabs stop at the parking below the hill, and a shuttle bus runs up to the gate. Agree with your driver where to meet before you go up.

The great mosque of Fatehpur Sikri, entered by the 54 m Buland Darwaza gate. In its courtyard is the white marble tomb of the Sufi saint Salim Chishti, with carved stone screens where visitors tie threads to make a wish.

Tip: Shoes come off at the gate and the courtyard stone gets hot by the afternoon, so do not leave it late. On a Friday the mosque fills for midday prayers, so go before about 12:30. Unofficial guides crowd the entrance; a polite no is enough.

The tomb of the emperor Akbar, finished in 1613, about 10 km north-west of the city. A huge gateway with four white minarets opens onto gardens where deer and monkeys graze, and the tomb itself rises in five storeys of red sandstone and marble.

Tip: Look up at the painted ceiling in the entrance hall, restored in gold and blue.

The tomb of Mariam-uz-Zamani, Akbar's wife and Jahangir's mother, a low square building of red sandstone with carved panels. It is quiet and rarely visited.

Tip: There is rarely anyone else here. Twenty minutes is enough.

A Sikh gurdwara on the Mathura road, built where Guru Tegh Bahadur is said to have been arrested in 1675. The large red sandstone complex has a langar that serves free meals to everyone.

Tip: Cover your head (scarves are lent at the gate) and take off your shoes.