Gwalior is one of the popular cities of the State of Madhya Pradesh in India. Gwalior spread over 5214 Sq. Km and with a population of more than 1.60 million people is the 46th most populated city of India. Gwalior is said to be named after a sage called Gwaliap and is considered a historic city with many kings ruling this part of India .Raja Man Singh of Tomar dynasty built a fort in the heart of Gwalior. The city also has a mausoleum and tomb of Mian Tansen. Tansen was a singer of great repute in the Mughal Emperor Akbar's court. It is home to a lot of musical events, and boasts of some of the most impressive musical dynasties to have influenced India’s culture. It was an important city in the Mughal era and remains so even today.
Gwalior is just 120 Kms from Agra, where the popular Taj Mahal is located.
Gwalior gets very hot in summer. It is dusty as well. The temperature touches a maximum of 45 to 46 degree centigrade with a minimum of 21 degree centigrade. Hence April - June is not a period advisable for visiting Gwalior. July and August are humid. Winters are pleasant with minimum temperature being 6 degrees centigrade and a maximum of 22 degree centigrade.
Best time to visit Gwalior is between October and March. During this period visitors can also enjoy the festival of lights- Diwali as well as the festival of colors - Holi.
Currency to be used is Indian Rupees. Many shops and establishments accept credit cards. While you can pay through credit cards at many places, it is advisable to carry cash as you may have to pay the taxi and small shops in cash. There are some money exchangers too in Gwalior. Valid passport is required to change your currency to Indian rupees. Some currency conversion centers are Usha Kiran Palace in Jayendra ganj, State Bank of India of Jiwaji Chowk branch and Hotel Gwalior Regen on Link Road.
Any foreign national visiting India with valid Visa can move around freely in Gwalior. No special documents are required. However, as indicated earlier, for changing your foreign currency to Indian Rupees, you may be asked to produce your passport/Visa
By Air Gwalior Airport primarily connects Gwalior to Delhi.
By Road National Highway -NH3 passes through Gwalior. The Gwalior city is connected to Jhansi through Highway 75. Practically all major cities can be reached by road.
The visitors are recommended to visit the Fort. Once inside the fort, you may visit the Gujari Mahal, which is the monument of the love of Raja Mansingh for his Queen, Mrignayani. The interior of this Mahal has been converted into Archaeological Museum.
Next stop may be Man Mandir Palace, built by Raja Mansingh. Visitors are recommended to visit Gurudwara Data Bandhi Chhod built in the memory of 6th Sikh Guru,Guru Hargobind Saheb.
One can get all kinds of food in Gwalior like all kind of North Indian dishes, continental food and South Indian food. One can also try Madras Cafe on Sarafa Bazar, Bada. If you love fast food, you have Baba Hapinezz Fast Food on Railway station road or Nice Restaurant and Fast Food Center in City Bazaar Complex. Other good places for eating out are Kwality Restaurant, Cook?s Fast Food Joint and The Regency Square
Where To Stay:
Being an historic city, Gwalior attracts many tourists and therefore one can find many good hotels to suit every pocket.
Gwalior Regency is an excellent place to stay for the business travelers. This hotel offers good facilities like banquet halls, Conference rooms, Travel Assistance etc. This hotel even has the facility to arrange your foreign currency exchange.
120-year-old palace is now Usha Kiran Palace hotel, which is 14 km from the airport and 3 km from the railway station. This regal hotel is spread over 9 acres and has great landscape with lawn and artistic carvings.
Other good hotels are The Central Park, Hotel Shelter and Hotel Landmark. Hotel Landmark was the first three star hotel in Gwalior.
If you have visited all the forts and palaces within Gwalior city, one can visit few places, just outside Gwalior. Datia is 74 Kms away from Gwalior and is famous for Bundela palaces and paintings. Sonagiri is a sacred place of Digambar Jains. This place is 61 Kms from Gwalior.
Other place worth visiting are Tigra Dam constructed over Chambal river. A visit to Pawaya and Dhoomeshwar Mahadeo Temple are also recommended.
Moderately recommended for the people who love to visit places of historic importance. There are many places within Gwalior which can be covered in a day or two. It is close to Agra and can be combined with a trip to Agra, Jhansi and Orccha.
