Amritsar is, without a doubt, one of our favourite cities in North India. It is located in the vibrant, state of Punjab, and is another India destination that is bursting with rich history, spirituality, mouth-watering food, and an incredibly welcoming local community. It is most famous for the Golden Temple, Harmandir Sahib. But there are lots of other cool things to do in Amritsar that should be on your itinerary too!
Having travelled across India many times now as a family with our boys, Harry and Oscar – who first visited when they were just 4 and 6, and are now 11 and 13 – I reckon we have experienced Amritsar from every angle. It is a city that is vibrant and bustling, friendly and moving for both adults and kids alike. I mean, it is pretty darn incredible to visit a community kitchen that feeds literally thousands of people for free every day!
Pulling from our personal family journals at Away with the Steiners, this is our guide to the top 10 things to do in Amritsar, the logistics of getting around, and how to make the most of this Punjabi adventure. Ready?
Getting to Amritsar & Navigating the City
First things first; a few logistics before getting onto the sights and things to do in Amritsar.
Getting There:
- By Train: Amritsar Junction (ASR) is tightly connected to Delhi by several fast, comfortable daily trains. I recommend booking the morning Shatabdi Express – it takes around 6 hours, includes meals served right to your seat, and is a good, stress-free way to watch the northern plains fly past your window.
- By Plane: Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport (ATQ) is just 11 kilometres outside the city centre, with domestic connections to Delhi and Mumbai, as well as a handful of direct international flights.
Getting Around in Amritsar:
The historic centre surrounding the Golden Temple is primarily a pedestrianized zone, which makes walking a total breeze (a rare luxury in India!).
For traveling longer distances – heading out to the Wagah Border or exploring the outer historic temples – you can easily wave down an auto-rickshaw or book an air-conditioned cab with Ola or Uber.
Why You Need a Guide (Meet Anil)
While the pedestrianised centre makes Amritsar easier to navigate than the frantic energy of Delhi, the city does have a complex history and deep spiritual traditions that make much more sense when you have a local expert by your side.
We wholeheartedly recommend our favourite local guide, Anil Sharma (with @FeelMyCityTours).
Anil is friendly, incredibly knowledgeable, and was fantastic at engaging our boys, breaking down the heavy historical context into interesting stories without ever being pushy.
- Anil Sharma
+91 97802 34705
Booking Anil for a guided walking tour through the old markets and historic monuments on your first day makes the city’s layout and history click into place, making independent exploring over the following days much easier.
10 Top Things to Do in Amritsar
Ready? These are the most famous things to do in Amritsar that we recommend locking in to a plan for your visit.
1. The Golden Temple (Sri Harmandir Sahib)
This is the undisputed spiritual heart of the Sikh faith and most popular of things to do in Amritsar. It is informally known as the Golden Temple, but Harmandir Sahib literally translates to “the abode of God.”
It is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and it is entirely free to enter, and anyone is welcome regardless of religion, caste, or gender.
2. Volunteer at Guru Ka Langar (The World’s Largest Community Kitchen)
Guru Ka Langar is the temples massive community kitchen. This legendary operation serves a staggering 100,000 free, hot vegetarian meals every single day to anyone who walks through the door. (That is hard to imagine!).
You can step inside and volunteer! Our family spent an unforgettable afternoon here, on Gavin’s birthday, and he got in to help out.
Definitely, if you get the chance to volunteer in the Langar, take it. 🙂
3. Heritage Street Walk
Heritage Street is a wide pedestrian open walkway connecting the historic City Hall directly to the main entrance of the Golden Temple.
It is a relatively new addition to the city, and is a like an architectural promenade. But it’s huge! It has over 170 uniform storefronts, impressive cultural statues, and historic memorials. It’s an interesting place to stroll without worrying about traffic. (Good for people-watching!).
4. Experience the High-Energy Attari-Wagah Border Ceremony
The Wagah Border is the international boundary line between India and Pakistan. Every evening at sunset, both nations’ militaries put on a theatrical, hyper-patriotic flag-lowering ceremony.
The atmosphere inside the massive grandstands is insane, packed with people, loud music, waving flags, and cheering. The soldiers, dressed in uniforms with huge fan-shaped headdresses, performing synchronised, high-kicking, chest-puffing march steps to outdo the other side before lowering the flags and slamming the border gates shut.
It is spectacular. Though hard to truly describe! (Odd; but incredible!).
Tip: Have Anil help arrange your transport around 3:00 PM in winter or 4:00 PM in summer to clear security and grab good seats early!
5. The Partition Museum
Inside the beautifully restored, 19th-century brick Town Hall, the Partition Museum is a moving testament to a tumultuous chapter of South Asian history. It chronicles the 1947 division of British India into India and Pakistan, which triggered one of the largest mass migrations in human history.
Note: Open 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM; closed Mondays.
6. Pay Respects at the Jallianwala Bagh Memorial Park
Jallianwala Bagh is the historic site of the devastating 1919 massacre where British colonial troops opened fire on a large, peaceful assembly of unarmed Indians. Today, it stands as a quiet memorial park just a short walk from the Golden Temple.
7. Get Lost in the Maze of Guru Bazar
Guru Bazar is just off Heritage Street near the Darshani Deori arch, and is a tightly packed, labyrinthine network of historic alleys and traditional covered lanes. (I love the bazar!).
It is the oldest market in the city and is world-famous for its glittering rows of gold and silver smiths, traditional Jadau jewellery, and vibrant Punjabi textiles.
8. See the Intricate Mata Lal Devi Temple (The Mirror Temple)
Mata Lal Devi Temple is something completely different, and slightly wacky, as far as things to do in Amritsar.
It is a Hindu temple dedicated to a 20th-century female saint, set out like a wild labyrinth of neon shrines, glittering mirror mosaics, and artificial caves. I mean this is the most respectful way possible. But it feels part sacred temple and part carnival funhouse!
9. The Silver Temple (Durgiana Temple)
The Durgiana Temple is a beautiful Hindu shrine dedicated to Goddess Durga. It is often called the Silver Temple because of its carved silver doors (and I suppose that it’s in the same city as the Golden Temple!).
10. Indulge in Authentic Amritsari Street Food & Lassi
Make a dedicated stop at Ahuja Milk Bhandar, one of the oldest and longest-running milk bars in the city.
Then for a sweet treat, hunt down the oldest Jalebi stall in town, Ram Das Jalebi Wale, to watch them fry up crisp, piping-hot, syrup-soaked jalebis right before your eyes. So good!
Where to Stay in Amritsar
For the best stay in the city, we recommend the Hyatt Regency Amritsar.
It offers a perfect escape from the city’s bustle with world-class amenities, a great pool, and a location that makes it easy to reach both the Golden Temple and all the above things to do in Amritsar.
Plus, their in-house restaurant, Punjab Province, serves up an exceptional nightly buffet and the best breakfast spread we’ve seen in India – including a live chef station where you can safely try the iconic, flaky Amritsari Kulcha (stuffed Punjabi flatbread) first thing in the morning!
Best Time to Visit Amritsar
The best window to plan your trip to Punjab is during the cool, dry winter months between October and March. The daytime weather is sunny, making long walking tours down Heritage Street and exploring the city more comfortable.
By contrast, the summer months (April to June) can be sticky hot, while the monsoon season (July to September) brings heavy downpours that make exploring the outdoor historic sites more of a damp challenge as travellers.
Final Thoughts: Things To Do in Amritsar
We really enjoyed the tours, exploring, the food and things to do in Amritsar. Plus of course the Golden Temple was a highlight!
Hire a great guide like Anil, roll up your sleeves to volunteer at the Langar, and get ready for an unforgettable journey into the heart of Punjab! 🙂
Planning a longer trip through India? Check out our guide to the best places to visit in India to help plan your next stop!
What is your favourite of the things to do in Amritsar? Let us know in the comments below!
Safe travels and happy exploring!
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Travel Planning for India & Beyond
These are the companies we use while traveling and that we would recommend to anyone planning and booking travel.
- Booking.com – The best all-around accommodation booking site. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation and it’s easy to filter and sort into price and availability with all the extras you are looking for personally.
- 12GoAsia – Book trains anywhere in Asia through 12Go.
- Skyscanner – Our favourite flight search engine. They can search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites often miss. We book all our flights through Skyscanner.
- GetYourGuide – A huge online marketplace for tours and excursions offered all around the world. Everything from walking tours to street-food tours, cooking classes, desert safari’s and more!
- SafetyWing – A global travel insurance that covers people from all over the world while outside their home country. You can buy short or longterm; and even if you are out of the country.
- World Nomads – Make sure you have travel insurance before further planning things to do in Amritsar!
Hi! I’m Sarah. I am the self-confessed dreamer, travel-schemer and the main editor behind this blog. I love to write, and it is a dream come true to share so many experiences together and inspire others in our stories.
