Amritsar, India: travel guide
Spiritual heart of the Sikh faith — home to the breathtaking Golden Temple (Harmandir Sahib), the Jallianwala Bagh memorial, and the Wagah Border ceremony.
- Country
- India
- Currency
- INR
- Time zone
- Asia/Kolkata
- Nearest airport
- ATQ
Top places to visit in Amritsar
Golden Temple (Harmandir Sahib)
Gurudwara · 4.8 rating · about 2 h
The holiest gurdwara of Sikhism, a gold-domed sanctuary set in the sacred Amrit Sarovar, welcoming all faiths and serving the world's largest free community kitchen (langar).
Jallianwala Bagh
Heritage · 4.6 rating · about 0.8 h
Memorial garden marking the 1919 massacre where British troops fired on a peaceful gathering; preserved bullet marks and a martyrs' well make it deeply moving.
Wagah Border Ceremony
Cultural · 4.6 rating · about 2 h
The theatrical daily "Beating Retreat" flag-lowering ceremony at the India–Pakistan border, with high-kicking guards and roaring patriotic crowds at sunset.
Durgiana Temple
Temple · 4.5 rating · about 0.8 h
Silver-doored Hindu temple modelled on the Golden Temple, set in its own sacred tank and dedicated to goddess Durga and Lakshmi — sometimes called the "Silver Temple".
Gobindgarh Fort
Fort · 4.3 rating · about 2.5 h · entry INR 300
Restored 18th-century military fort, once Maharaja Ranjit Singh's stronghold, now a living-history complex with museums, a light show, food court and craft bazaar.
Mata Lal Devi Temple
Temple · 4.4 rating · about 0.8 h
Quirky cave-like Hindu temple honouring the female saint Lal Devi, with mirrored passages, water tunnels and grottoes that pilgrims crawl through for blessings.
Partition Museum
Museum · 4.6 rating · about 1.5 h · entry INR 250
The world's first museum dedicated to the 1947 Partition, housed in the historic Town Hall, telling the human story through oral histories, art and artefacts.
Hall Bazaar
Market · 4.3 rating · about 1.5 h
Amritsar's bustling old shopping street under the landmark Gandhi Gate, selling everything from Punjabi juttis and phulkari to electronics and street food.
Sadda Pind
Cultural · 4.4 rating · about 2.5 h · entry INR 600
Recreated traditional Punjabi village on the Wagah road where you experience rural crafts, folk dance (bhangra/giddha), and authentic Punjabi thalis.
Khalsa College
Heritage · 4.5 rating · about 0.5 h
Stately 1892 Indo-Saracenic campus on the Grand Trunk Road, one of India's most photogenic educational buildings, often used as a film location.
Ram Bagh Garden
Nature · 4.1 rating · about 0.8 h
Leafy historic garden laid out by Maharaja Ranjit Singh as a smaller echo of Lahore's Shalimar, with fountains, lawns and his summer palace at its centre.
Maharaja Ranjit Singh Museum
Museum · 4.2 rating · about 1 h · entry INR 10
Museum in the maharaja's former summer palace within Ram Bagh, displaying arms, paintings, coins and relics of the Sikh Empire and the "Lion of Punjab".
Things to do
- Wagah Border Ceremony Tour Sightseeing Tour · 4 h · from INR 800 per person
- Amritsar Full-Day City Tour Sightseeing Tour · 8 h · from INR 2,000 per person
- Golden Temple Heritage Walk Walking Tour · 2.5 h · from INR 700 per person
- Amritsar Street Food Walk Food Tour · 3 h · from INR 1,200 per person
- Sadda Pind Village Experience Cultural · 3 h · from INR 600 per person
- Langar Seva Experience Cultural · 2 h · from INR 500 per person
- Jallianwala Bagh & Partition Museum Tour Sightseeing Tour · 3 h · from INR 900 per person
- Punjabi Cooking Class Cooking Class · 3 h · from INR 1,800 per person
Day trips and tours
- Wagah Border Evening Tour 4 h · from INR 800
- Golden Temple & City Heritage Half-Day 5 h · from INR 1,200
- Amritsar Full-Day City Tour 9 h · from INR 2,000
Where to stay in Amritsar
- Golden Temple Area about INR 2,500 per night
Spiritual heart with temple-adjacent accommodations and pilgrimage vibe
- Lawrence Road about INR 3,000 per night
Commercial area with mid-range hotels and good dining options
Hotels
- Taj Swarna 5-star · INR 9,000 to INR 18,000 per night
- Hyatt Regency Amritsar 5-star · INR 7,000 to INR 13,000 per night
- Jugaadus Eco Hostel 2-star · INR 500 to INR 1,800 per night
- Hotel Rosewood Inn 3-star · INR 880 to INR 1,700 per night
- Madpackers Amritsar 2-star · INR 1,404 to INR 2,200 per night
- Hotel Kabir Residency 3-star · INR 1,439 to INR 2,200 per night
Where to eat
- Bharawan Da Dhaba North Indian, Punjabi, Vegetarian · about INR 350 per person
- Kesar Da Dhaba North Indian, Punjabi, Vegetarian · about INR 350 per person
- Kanha Sweets North Indian, Street Food, Desserts · about INR 250 per person
- Makhan Fish & Chicken Corner North Indian, Seafood, Punjabi · about INR 500 per person
- Beera Chicken House North Indian, Punjabi, Mughlai · about INR 500 per person
- Surjit Food Plaza North Indian, Punjabi, Mughlai · about INR 550 per person
- Gurdas Ram Jalebi Wala Street Food, Desserts · about INR 150 per person
- Crystal Restaurant North Indian, Mughlai, Chinese · about INR 700 per person
Getting around
- Auto Rickshaw main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Cycle Rickshaw main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Walking
Every city has walking. 2.5 km ceiling is a placeholder default, not a researched per-city figure -- Singapore is sheltered and air-conditioned, Bangkok often has no pavement.
Safety and scams to avoid
Pre-paid taxi "broken meter"
Airports, train stations, popular squares
Driver insists meter is broken, quotes ~3x the fair price; or detours via "shopping" stops earning commission.
How to avoid it: Use pre-paid taxi counter at airport, or Uber/Ola/Rapido apps. Insist on meter or agree price upfront.