Agra

Delhi might be the capital of India, but it's Agra - a mere 200km to the south - which holds the country's celebrated icon. With all the hype you could be forgiven for being suspicious of the Taj Mahal's reputation. Could anything really be so beautiful, so universally admired, without proving a little disappointing?

The Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, erected the Taj in memory of his wife, who died in childbirth in 1631. Since then, this symbol of enduring love has lost none of its potency, and Agra was purposely chosen as the location for the historic summit between India and Pakistan's leaders in 2001.

But aside from its near-mythical cachet, it really is the Taj Mahal's pure physical brilliance that staggers visitors. There are few man-made spectacles wielding the visual power to stamp themselves so profoundly onto memory at first glimpse.

The Taj Mahal's tale became more poignant when the Shah Jahan was imprisoned by his son in his own palace, the Red Fort, for the last seven years of his life. Leave time to explore the fort's secluded courtyards, gardens and hidden passageways, and gaze, as Shah Jahan must have done, at his shimmering marble creation on the opposite bank of the dry Yamuna River.

About 40km outside the city is Fatehpur Sikri, a 16th-century Mughal town which has stood deserted - and intact - pretty much since its creation. The many mosques and royal buildings are a showcase for the staggeringly meticulous and complex Islamic, Hindu and Jain ornamentation and plasterwork that hang from rooftops and cling to columns and arches.

Bringing you back to the present with a jolt is Agra's notorious community of touts and beggars. Although they diminish some of the romance of the city, the dusty red houses and shops of the lively old town are still worth making time for.