Sarod Ghar
Music enthusiasts can visit the Sarod Ghar which is a museum of music, and it treasures all sorts of musical instruments. However, the best part about the museum is that, it is set up in the ancestral house of Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan, the legendary musician. While here, you can see the collection of age-old photographs as well as ancient musical instruments.Â
Padmavati Pawaya
There are a melange places to travel to near Gwalior, and one such pilgrimage destination is Padmavati Pawaya. This historically rich place is filled with tall mansions and temples filled with several Sanskrit texts. Also while here, you can see rare antiquities, and among the many found here, the image of Yaksha Manibhadra is a popular one. Besides that, another must see thing here is the collection of their terracotta. It beautifully symbolizes the art of Naga and Gupta, and in order to see different kinds of terracotta, you can visit the Gujari Mahal in Padmavati Pawaya, which is located around 60 km from Gwalior and it is open all day from 7:00am to 6:00pm.
Tighra Dam
Amongst the top places to visit, Tighra Dam is one riveting site that offers visitors a sense of freedom and the best place to indulge in a boating activity. This dam is located 23 km from the city of Gwalior and it has gained a lot of popularity. While the surrounding of the dam also offers an excellent place for family picnic trips it also has a boating club here. You can partake in adventure activities like speed boating, paddle boating, jalpari boat and water scooty rides. Besides, how can one resist the serenity and the picturesque sight of the dam and surrounding area, truly a worth-visiting place off-route Gwalior.
Madhav National Park
Although the city of Gwalior has an inhouse animal refuge called the Gwalior Zoo, you can visit Madhav National Park, if you are looking for a more realistic and wildlife holiday experience. This is amongst the best holiday places in Gwalior located in Shivpuri district, here, you can come find serenity and peace amid wild species and their dense forested home. The animals you can encounter while here are blackbuck, nilgai, leopard, chausingha, chinkara and several others animals. Also, the domestic and migratory birds you can see flocking are geese pintail, mallard, gadwall, Indian pond heron, kingfisher and red wattled lapwing. Another interesting feature of this national park are its stunning monuments that are associated with Gwalior’s history.
Sun Temple
Sun Temple or Surya Mandir is definitely one of the top tourist destinations to visit in the whole of Madhya Pradesh. Constructed in the year 1988, this structure possesses the style of the famous Sun Temple of Konark in Odisha. Amongst the many heritage attractions in Gwalior, this very site is thronged by several pilgrims and tourists. The temple’s captivating red sandstone exterior adds charm, offering a picture-perfect image especially during sunrise and sunsets. Here, Lord Surya’s sculpture can also be seen with white marble interiors and marvelous work of art.
Tansen Tomb
Located just a few countable footsteps from the resplendent tomb of Mohammad Ghaus, you can visit another smaller yet charming memorial of Tansen. He was a renowned Mughal singer and a musician much loved by Akbar, the Mughal emperor. Here, its serene and quiet ambience is much appreciated by nature lovers, and the best time to visit is during sunrise and sunsets, ideally during sundays.
Tomb of Mohammad Ghaus
Amongst the many points of tourist interest to visit, the tomb of the 16th-century Sufi saint, Mohammad Ghaus is another enchanting place to explore. Mohammad Ghaus was an advisor of King Babur and a music teacher of Tansen. The tomb reveals an elegant style of Mughal architecture with hexagonal pavilions and stone carvings which provide an exquisite and rusty appeal.
Jai Vilas Palace
Jai Vilas Palace is one of the must visit places in Gwalior and it is here, you can explore its few in-house attractions. As you reach your destination, en route stop and admire the Rani Mahal Palace. This palace Jai Vilas Palace also houses H.H. Maharaja Jiwaji Rao Scindia Museum, which treasures the personal belongings of Scindia family. Perhaps, this museum is perfect for educational purposes to study the art, history and culture of the Maratha Dynasty. Besides, the palace’s European style architecture adorned with the largest chandeliers found in Asia is worth given time to witness.
Moti MahalÂ
A 19th-century palace which was once the secretariat of Madhya Bharat Government, Moti garden flaunts colourful flowers and an extensive work of fountains. Though in a dilapidated condition, it is one of the tourism places that still beautifully displays its tempera coloured walls graced by mosaic mythological paintings of darbars and processions. In fact, Moti Mahal has close similarities to that of Pune’s Peshwa Palaces.
Teli Ka Mandir
An impressive element about this pilgrimage site is perhaps its attractive and classy architecture and the detailed artwork of the temple; you can see all that when you visit the Gwalior Fort complex. This Hindu temple is the tallest in the fort with an architecture amalgamation of the northern and southern styles. It is said to be as tall as about 100 feet and it resembles the temple of Pratihara Vishnu, as a matter of fact, Teli Ka Mandir is a temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu.
Gujari Mahal Archaeological Museum
An archaeological museum located inside the fort complex is one of the must visit places, especially if you are a history buff. This 15th-century Gujari Mahal, though in ruins, offers an interesting insight into the history of the kingdom in Gwalior, and thus is an ideal place for educational tours. The primal things to see in this museum are the sculptures dating back to 1st or 2nd century B.C, archeological discoveries like Terracotta items and Bagh cave frescoes as well as the statue of Salabhanjika.
Gwalior FortÂ
The star attraction in Gwalior is the fort itself, so massive, you can see it from all corners of the city. This hilltop fort is a must-see place, and if you are planning to visit here, better plan a whole day tour because inside you can find a series of attractions. Ideally, tourists enter from the Qila Gate (Gwalior Gate) heading straight towards the fort, and for better exploration you can head north-east and visit the mahals like Karan, Vikram, Jahangir and Gujari (Gujari Mahal also has an archaeological museum). Here, another classy place to see is Bheem Singh Rana Ki Chhatri.
