Mathura travel guide

Mathura, India

By the Travel Wiki editorial team

Mathura

Introduction

Mathura is a city and the administrative headquarters of Mathura district in Uttar Pradesh, India. It sits roughly 162 kilometres south-east of Delhi and about 15 kilometres from the town of Vrindavan, making the two easy to pair in a single trip.

In ancient times the city was an economic hub, positioned at the junction of important caravan routes. That history of movement and trade still shapes it as a place where routes meet.

Before you go

Mathura is a city in Uttar Pradesh with deep significance in Hindu tradition, and knowing a little about that context before you arrive will shape how you experience it. The source material for this guide is limited, so treat what follows as a starting point rather than a complete picture.

Getting there

Mathura sits roughly halfway between Delhi and Agra, so reaching it is straightforward by several modes. The nearest airport is Agra (AGR), about 50 km away, but most international and domestic flights land at Delhi's IGI Airport (DEL), some 150 km from the city. An upcoming international airport will also be accessible via the Taj Expressway, about 1½ hours from Mathura.

By rail, Mathura Junction is the main stop: most trains between Delhi and Agra halt here, with the journey from Delhi taking 2–3 hours depending on the train type and about an hour from Agra. Most south-bound and west-bound trains stop at Mathura, though Vande Bharat trains do not. Many state transport buses run through Mathura, and ISBT services from Delhi Sarai Kale Khan operate at a frequency of about 25 minutes. By road, the city lies on NH 44 between Delhi and Agra, with the Yamuna Expressway to the east, and it is well connected to Delhi, Lucknow and other major Indian cities. Taxis are another option from either Delhi or Agra, since Mathura is roughly equidistant between them.

Getting around

Mathura is compact enough that you can cover much of it on foot, especially in the older, denser quarters where the streets around the temple and market areas are best experienced walking. Be prepared for busy, narrow and often congested lanes: walking is pleasant for sightseeing but slow for covering distance, so for anything beyond the immediate centre, plan to combine walking with a short auto-rickshaw or cycle-rickshaw ride. Shared auto-rickshaws and cycle-rickshaws fill the role a city bus network might elsewhere; for auto-rickshaws, agree the fare before you set off. Ride-hailing apps are worth checking on arrival, but do not assume the same coverage and pickup speed you would find in a large metro.

Where to stay

Mathura's accommodation is spread between the city itself and the highway approaches, so your choice depends on whether you want to be near the temples or simply breaking a journey. Along NH-2 you'll find Country Inn in Kosi and Hotel Dwaper Resorts, while Hotel Goverdhan Palace sits opposite Narholi Thana on the Agra-Delhi highway, a three-star business hotel with landscaped grounds, garden-facing rooms and space for large weddings. Closer in, options include Hotel Brijwasi Royal, Hotel Madhuvan, Hotel Mansarovar Palace, Hotel Mukund Palace and the ITDC-run Hotel Rahi.

For a quieter stay, Shri Radha Brij Vasundhara Resort at Aanyor on Parikrama Marg offers a peaceful, scenic setting, with detached cottages that each have a bedroom, lounge and small kitchenette, set among extensive gardens. If you want to be within easy reach of the main pilgrimage sites, the International Guest House at Krishna Janm Bhoomi puts you right by the heart of the city.

Food & drink

Mathura's food scene is built on milk. Sweets made from milk and milk products are the city's speciality, above all the peda, a sweet of milk and sugar. Brijwasi Mithai Wala is the best-known shop for them, with branches opposite Janmbhumi, in Holigate, in Chowk Bazaar and at the New Roadways bus stand; other reliable sweet shops include Gosai Pede Wala, Radhika Sweets, Shankar Mithai Wala and Bharatpuria. Shankar Mithai Wala, in the Holi Gate area at Tilak Dwar, is known not only for sweets but for puri, kachori and chole bhaturi served upstairs, where you can sit and sip chilled lassi in small pots; its halwas and dahi bhallas under thick cream are worth trying too.

For breakfast, join the morning rush for kachori and jalebi. Kachori comes with alloo ki subji, a spicy potato curry, and jalebi is the sweet to eat alongside it; Oma Pahalwan Kachori Wala, in Holigate opposite Brijwasi Mithai Wala, is the most famous of the kachori shops. Chaat is another thing to seek out, especially gol-gappey (pani-puri), from the vendors lined up between Holi Gate and Chowk Bazaar. Street-food stalls worth knowing include Bhagvan Das ka Bhalla in Ghiya Mandi chowk bazaar, Brijwasi Chat Wala near Khadi Ashram at Tilak Dwar, and Suresh ke Mangode in Ghiya Mandi opposite Bhargava Street, most of them opening after 5PM. For a sit-down meal, Agrawal Dhaba on NH-2 is a solid choice, and the canteen run by the temple trust at Sri Krishna Janma Bhoomi serves limited and unlimited thalis that are clean and budget-friendly. Radha Ashok Restaurant, Pizza Hut and Café Coffee Day are among the options along NH-2 and at Highway Plaza, while Loft Cafe near Mandi Chouraha and Cafe Two Twenty One near Highway Plaza Mall serve global and multi-cuisine menus in modern surroundings.

To drink, try jaljeera, a digestive drink; lassi or sweetened hot milk served in a clay glass; milk badam, chilled milk with minced almonds and other dry fruits; or thandai. Brijwasi Mithai Wala in Holi Gate keeps late hours and sells sweets, namkeens, pastries and puddings at economical rates.

What to see and do

Mathura's sights cluster around Krishna's life story and the river. At Krishna Janmabhoomi, visit the prison cell where Vasudev and Devaki were held and where Krishna is said to have been born, then the temple with its idols of Krishna and Radha and painted walls and ceiling depicting scenes from Krishna's life. The Dwarkadheesh Temple, built in 1814, is the town's main temple and is decorated on a grand scale for Holi, Janmashtami and Diwali; a separate 400-year-old Shri Dwarika Dheesh Temple stands near the Yamuna. Other temples worth seeking out include the white-marble Jai Gurudev Temple, which resembles the Taj Mahal, the Gita Mandir with its carving and painting, the Shri Ganesh Temple at Ganesh Tila, and the Gayatri TapoBhumi on Vrindavan Road. The Jama Masjid, built in 1661, has four lofty minarets with traces of coloured plaster mosaic, while the Mathura Jain Chorasi on NH-2 holds a large seated statue of Jambu Swami carved from a single piece of granite. The Government Museum on Museum Road is the place to see Mathura and Gandhara sculpture, with rare pieces from the Gupta and Kushan periods. History of another kind appears at the Old Fort, or Kans Quila, near Swami Ghat, built to shield the city from the Yamuna, and at Basantar Park, a memorial to a 1971 war victory.

Down by the river, Vishram Ghat is the sacred spot where Krishna is believed to have rested after slaying the tyrant Kansa; come in the evening for the Yamuna aarti and to watch the river and its large turtles. Boating on the Yamuna takes you across to the Durvasa Rishi Temple and to Hansiya Rani ghat, built of red stone in the time of Rani Hansiya. Time a visit around the festivals if you can: Janmashtami, and the Ramleela performances of September and October, whose Ram Barat features sword fighting and other martial displays in the akhadas.

Three days in Mathura

Day one: Arrive in Mathura, in Uttar Pradesh, India. It is close to Delhi, so you can reach it by road or rail. Check the Taj Expressway, the Yamuna Expressway, or NH routes if you are driving. By train, Mathura Junction is the main stop; many Vande Bharat services and other Indian Railways trains connect it with Delhi and Agra. Many buses run from ISBT Delhi Sarai Kale Khan and Sarai Kale Khan. Taxis and shared rides are available. Expect a warm and humid day for much of the year, with a cooler winter. Be aware that Mathura is a Hindu pilgrimage city in the Braj region, so dress modestly and remove your shoes at temples.

Day two: Go to Vrindavan, a short ride from Mathura. It is a Hindu pilgrimage town with many temples and ashrams. Walk through its lanes, visit the temples, and join the evening kirtan and aarti. Expect crowds on festival days. Eat local vegetarian food and sweets. Be respectful of worshippers. Return to Mathura for the night.

Day three: Spend the morning in Mathura's old quarters along the Yamuna. Visit the ghats and temples, then try local sweets and snacks. In the afternoon, take a day trip to Agra via the Yamuna Expressway or by train from Mathura Junction; the Taj Expressway also links the region. If you are flying out, AGR is the nearest airport, while DEL, IGI Airport, serves Delhi. Along NH routes you will find dhabas and hotels, including Country Inn near Kosi. Check your onward train or bus times before you leave.

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