Planning a short trip to Amritsar and looking out for the places to visit here to make the most of your holidays? Well, you are on the right page. We at City On Pedals make sure that our guests to our Holy city should be fully contented and satisfied with their tours. To make this happens we have given our tours a 360-degree approach that will help you visit each and every important place of this Heritage City. Starting from the much revered Golden Temple to a very important political and patriotic place – Wagah Border, from street food of the town to the famous shopping markets, we have all in our tours.
- Golden Temple
- Langar Hall
- A Visit To Real Village of Punjab
- Ram Bagh Palace
- Shopping in Local Bazaars
Day 1
To know the city properly, let’s start with exploring the Heritage of that city which would give us a sneak-peak to the actual cultures and traditions related to its people and the city itself.
A Walk To The Heritage City – Morning 7 am to 9 am
Start your day with some exercise with the Heritage Tour on a bicycle at 7 am. Take a Bicycle and tour the narrow lanes of the old city to witness a glimpse of the age-old markets, temples, Gurudwaras, and gates with a sneak peek into the age-old buildings. The city echoes its heroic and elegant past during the rule of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the tragedy of Partition of 1947 and then the Sikh massacre of 1984 in its every alley. The true stories can be heard from the local city vendors who have actually witnessed all this and can also share their experiences. The knowledge over the research about our history and the importance of places will also be shared by our expert guides who will be there with you all the time. A 2 hours tour to the Heritage city will be concluded by tempting “Aloo Kulchas” in the breakfast along with the much loved authentic and traditional drink of the city – “Lassi” at one of the finest kulcha places to give you the authentic flavor of Punjab.
Jallianwala Bagh – 9 am to 11 am
Another memorial of national importance can be visited here where the Amritsar massacre took place after the orders of acting Brigadier of 1919 – General Reginald Dyer – to the troops of the British Indian Army to fire a crowd of unarmed civilians on the day of Baisakhi 13th April 1919. It is not certain how many died in the bloodbath, but, according to one official report, an estimated 379 people were killed, and about 1,200 more were wounded. This 7-acres of historical garden depicts the predicament of all those people and houses a museum, gallery and a number of memorial structures. The Jallianwala Bagh site in Amritsar is now a national monument. We can have a session of approx. an hour here amidst the greenery of the park and then a team leader would probably make us familiar about the place and its importance by taking us through the pictures of our leaders and the people who sacrificed their lives thereat.
Partition Museum – 11 am – 1 pm
Then we can probably move on to the near-by place to know about the events of the past. One of the biggest events that happened in the history of not only Punjab but the whole of India was the Partition of India and Pakistan.
Organized in chronological order of events that took place during India’s partition, it is a museum that depicts the gestures, emotions, and the plight of people during that phase. People were forced to migrate from one place to another. Being the largest mass migration in history, apart from losing their wealth and homes, many lost their families and separated from them. So the World’s first memorial in remembrance of all those families was constructed at Town Hall in Amritsar and is open for public viewing. Since then, it continues to build its collections and archives and welcomes support in its continued quest to document and remember the history of the millions impacted at the time of the Partition.
Wagah Bus Tour – 1:30 pm onwards
To make the most of our visit to the city, we would then probably take a bus ride to reach Wagah Border with the Hop On Hop Off Buses from the Heritage Street of Golden Temple.
Experiencing the valor of India’s First Line of Defence, the open border between India and Pakistan which is an avid example of patriotism combined with entertainment. Every day of the year, just before sunset, a flag-lowering ceremony takes place there as the border is closed for the day. The spectators shout the Slogans of Jai Hind during the ceremony. The ceremony aims to evoke patriotic fervor among the crowd. Some Indians wave the Tricolour, while others dance to Bollywood songs that blare through speakers. This side trip from Amritsar in Punjab has always been a favorite tourist attraction be it National or global. On the way to Wagah Border, you can have a view of the most amazing sites of Amritsar that make the way more interesting and fun-filled.
Amritsar Street Food – 7 pm onwards
Considering that you will be brought back to the same position from where you started, we can catch up at 7 pm again to enjoy the Amritsar Street Food Walking Tour. Considered as the Culinary Capital of Punjab, the city has various aromatic, authentic and traditional food items that have its peculiar taste. Enjoy some evening snacks at our generations-old street vendors and dhabas, who present some never-to-be-missed things.” When in Punjab, Eat as a Punjabi do”. Enjoy this food to your heart’s content to know about the intrinsic flavor of the land.
This way we can end our trip for Day-1, with some relaxation in our respective stays to meet again with fresh enthusiasm the next morning.
Day 2
Visit the Golden Temple – 4 am
A tour to Golden Temple will take approx. 3 hours’ time. In the midst of the lights under the dawn sky, the beauty of Temple is worth-watching. Gathering together at the Saragarhi Gurudwara, the Walk to the Heritage Street will be covered from where you will be taken inside the holy shrine to experience the Holy Book Opening ceremony at the right time. You will get to see various rituals and customs before entering a Gurdwara like to remove and submit shoes, wash your hands and feet, cover your head, etc. Then after watching this our expert guide will also make you familiar with the importance of all these rituals about each and every sign of the temple like Nishaan Sahib, Khanda Sahib, etc. You will also get to visit the Biggest Communal Kitchen of the World – The Langar Hall which serves food to approx. 100,000 people daily. The zeal and enthusiasm of volunteers will also be seen that work tirelessly and happily inside the Communal kitchen.
Langar Hall
You will also get to visit the Biggest Communal Kitchen of the World – The Langar Hall which serves food to approx. 100,000 people daily. The zeal and enthusiasm of volunteers will also be seen that work tirelessly and happily inside the Communal kitchen. Lastly, as the first meal of Day 2, you can enjoy this Satvik meal in this Common Langar Hall and can move ahead to your respective places of little rest taking the light of divinity in your mind and soul.
A Visit To The Real Village Of Punjab
Then we can move ahead to explore the real village of Punjab, where we will further be familiar with the rich culture and tradition of the village life. If you are in Amritsar, a city which is probably called the Heart of Punjab, and you have not tasted the rich and age-old heritage of the land, you would probably miss out on something. These old customs and traditions are well observed in the older areas of a city. So for this, we can visit a real village where we can surround ourselves amidst greenery and fresh atmosphere. Next, we can take up certain activities like roti making, observe the farming and other village activities. Collectively, we can take part in the traditional folk dances of Punjab like Gidha and Bhangra wearing a Punjabi attire. This will be a nice idea to mingle in the culture of the land and rejuvenate your spirits at the same time.
Ram Bagh Palace – 2 pm onwards
Used as the summer palace by Ranjit Singh, the founder of Sikh religion, the palace is situated in the center of a garden popularly known as Ram Bagh. The palace was constructed with a deep interest in Maharaja to develop and beautify various areas of the city under his rule. Being the central hub of spiritual and cultural activities of the Sikh Empire, the Holy City was frequently visited by Maharaja on the occasion of Vaisakhi, Vijayadashami, and Diwali, etc. Therefore, he made a beautiful garden on the Mughal pattern of Shalimar Gardens in Lahore.
After the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, to protect the buildings and monuments, the state Government of Punjab has declared the whole complex as ‘protected’ area to be maintained as one of the ancient and historic places. So witness this age-old heritage and to experience the times of the past, we can have a glimpse of the place.
Amritsar Bazaar Tour – 5 pm onwards
To further explore the famous Bazaars – Markets – of Amritsar, we can assemble at the Partition Museum to take a guided tour to the old and famous bazaars of Amritsar. From here we can collect some of the things to take back with us as the rich souvenirs of the land. These could include exquisite jewelry, clothes, utensils, and spices that brings a unique taste to the dishes.
Before ending the tour on Day 2, you may once again visit Golden Temple during night time to enjoy the Closing Ceremony of Holy Book and once again fill your mind and soul with the divinity of His blessings. Or else you may proceed towards your resting place and can jot down the things you liked the most about the city.
These are the best-seen places of Amritsar. On the way, you’ll get to see certain historic mansions, traditional trades and crafts, and captivating architecture with intricately carved wooden facades. This way we can make the best of our visit to this land of Golden Temple.