Amritsar

Most visits naturally begin at the Golden Temple, but do not treat it as a box to tick. Go once in daylight and, if time allows, return after dark when the marble complex takes on a quieter glow. The community kitchen is part of the experience, whether you eat there or volunteer for a simple task. Jallianwala Bagh sits close by and asks for a very different mood. Give it proper attention before entering the surrounding market streets. The Partition Museum adds the wider human story and is worth more than a hurried half-hour. Amritsar is compact around the historic centre. Stay within walking distance if these places are your priority, and treat the Wagah–Attari ceremony as a separate excursion with security and traffic time built in.