Places to visit in Mathura and Vrindavan for a perfect weekend

Brajbhoomi, the land where Lord Krishna was born and raised, straddles the River Yamuna in Uttar Pradesh. At its centre lie the cities of Mathura and Vrindavan, where his name continues to resonate and, many say, his flute still resounds in every bylane and fallen leaf. For the pious, the devout ambience of the riverbank cities is reason enough, but Mathura and Vrindavan have a lot to offer for any traveller, with delicious food, pastoral beauty and ancient legends. Here is our quick guide for 48 hours in these twin sacred cities.

Places to visit in Mathura and Vrindavan for a perfect weekend

Getting there

A 60km drive from Agra airport, Mathura lies four hours by road from Delhi, and a half-hour drive from Vrindavan. Those arriving by train can disembark at Mathura Junction.

When to go

The best season to visit is in early winter, when the temperature is ideal for a soak in the river as well as a trek up the hill. This year, Janmashtami falls on 6 and 7 September. During the festivities, the streets are filled with dance and processions, and temples across Braj are lit up and decorated. You can also time your visit around Hindu festivals such as Holi, when the streets of Mathura come alive with colour and cheer. In the twin towns of Barsana and Nandgaon nearby, Holi is a week-long celebration. Women dress up as gopis (milkmaids) and playfully drive off men with sticks, in a recreation of the way Radha and the other gopis drove off Krishna and his friends when they came to Barsana to play the festival of colour.

Where to stay in Mathura and Vrindavan

While Mathura offers a range of hotels such as The Lalita Grand (doubles from Rs4,950*, book here), many chose to use Vrindavan as their base. Nidhivan Sarovar Portico, Vrindavan, (Doubles from Rs6,200*, book here) features an in-house spa and has a team of guides for day tours of the town. The Mayapur Vrindavan Trust (MVT) Guesthouse and Restaurant (Doubles from Rs4,600*, book here) is just 100m from the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) Temple. It also has a steady WiFi connection for workations. For real quiet, head to the sandstone gazebo that sits in the middle of an elevated grass lawn. Thanks to a no-phone policy, a dense silence pervades this space, so you can retreat from the bustle of the day for a meditative evening.

Where to eat in Mathura and Vrindavan

MVT Restaurant has an expansive multicuisine menu. Delhi-based yoga instructor Niyati Karir, a frequent visitor, recommends the restaurant’s wood-fired pizza followed by blueberry cheesecake or chocolate cake with a side of cream. Govinda’s Restaurant is another popular choice. The restaurant is housed at ISKCON temples around the world, including the one in Vrindavan, and serves a buffet as well as an à la carte menu. There’s also Dasaprakash for South Indian fare and 11 FLOWERS Rooftop Café for a breezy evening meal.

Day 1

Visit Krishna’s birthplace

Of the places to visit in Mathura and Vrindavan, the Shri Krishna Janmasthan temple complex in Mathura is a must. It is believed to have been built at the exact location where lord Krishna was born. It consists of the Keshavdeva temple, Garbha Griha shrine and Bhagavata Bhavan along with a steep tank called the Potra Kund. Observe the marble pavilions and spacious verandahs, and keep an eye out for the prison cell, built under the structure, where Krishna was born to parents Devaki and Vasudeva. When the temple complex came up, the inner sanctum was constructed right above the famed prison.

Trek up Govardhan Hill near Mathura

A six-hour circuitous trek in the town of Govardhan takes you to the top of this eponymous 80ft-tall sandstone hill. On your way, take a dip in the famed Radha Kund and Shyam Kund by temples steeped in Krishna lore. Look out for the stone cenotaphs while crossing the Kusum Sarovar lake, and for Giriraj Temple—the most popular temple here. Karir shares that the trek is just as much about the fellow travellers. “You’ll come across devotees who take the circumambulation two to three times a day, while saints travel with a cart to eat and sleep throughout the day and night.” If you are lost, the saints make for excellent guides, Karir says, as they are well educated in multiple languages as well as the scriptures of the Vedas and the Upanishads.

Alternatively: Swap out the trek for the nearby town of Barsana, said to be the home of Krishna’s beloved, Radha. Just an hour from Mathura, the town is accessible via bus. Barsana is surrounded by four sacred peaks and topped by the Ladliji Temple.

Lift your head up in Dwarkadhish Temple, Mathura

Ornate murals adorn this shrine in Mathura where Lord Krishna, in his manifestation as Dwarkadhish, sits in the form of a black marble idol. Visit this temple to decipher stories of his life through the stunning ceiling paintings. Entry to the premises is allowed from two gates, which lead to the two-storey structure fronted by an open courtyard flooded with pilgrims. Every year on Janmashtami, the temple organises the popular Krishna Janmotsav. Rituals and ceremonies carry on throughout the day, beginning with the Mangal Aarti at 7am when devotees can get the first glimpse of the lord. Spend the day witnessing rajbhog—the main food offering, shringar—the dressing up of lord Krishna, and utthapan—waking up the lord with perfume and fruits, among other things.

Dive into history at Kans Qila, Mathura

Said to be the home of the demon king Kansa, the maternal uncle of Krishna, the fort Kans Qila lies in majestic ruins today. The walls reveal intricacies of Rajput and Mughal architectural styles, narrating stories of the various rulers who took over its care over centuries. The monument dates back to the time of the Mahabharata, but was restored in the 16th century by Raja Man Singh of Amber. Visit the palatial fort for a dose of history and portraits against a ’grammable backdrop.

Gorge on Mathura’s famous street food

Sweet and savoury treats abound in the streets off Mathura's Holi Gate. Start off at Oma Pehalwan Kachauri Wale, one of the oldest shops in town serving fiery kachoris and crunchy jalebis. For bedai and dubki wale aloo (a signature when it comes to Mathura's street food) Shankar Mithai Wala has established itself as a favourite among locals. There's no garlic or onion in the food here, but we dare you to tell the difference. Before you leave, get a batch of Mathura ka peda packed at Brijwasi Sweets.

Visit Shri Radhavallabh Lal Ji Temple, Vrindavan

Legend has it that the Shri Radha Vallabhji Maharaj idol in this temple was given as a blessing by Lord Shiva to his devotee Shri Atmadev in appreciation of his arduous devotion. Visit the temple to admire the stunning architecture and listen to local lores that surround one of the oldest temples in Vrindavan.

Day 2

Perambulate across Vrindavan

There's no better way to get in touch with the heartbeat of this town. The Vrindavan Parikrama is a 13km long route snaking through the town that pilgrims cover on foot. Take off on the trail early in the morning, and you’ll be joined by the devout and the curious, welcomed by locals and blessed by priests on the way as you walk past temples and houses, bylanes and markets and the mighty Ganga. The route can be completed in about three hours, and is commonly covered barefoot.

Trail the seven Goswami temples, Vrindavan

Over the course of many years, the six main goswamis or disciples of Lord Krishna established seven sacred shrines across Vrindavan. “Each consecrated deities of the lord and gave them the names they lovingly addressed him with,” says Karir. Visit the thus- named Radha Damodar Temple, Radha Gokulananda Temple, Radha Gopinath Temple, Radha Shyamsundar Temple, Radha Raman Temple, Radha Govindadeva Temple and Radha Madanmohan Temple for rich oral narratives and Vrindavan’s earliest temple architecture. No two temples seem the same. The smoke and honking of the road give way to the smell of chandan and the vibrations of kirtan in some of these shrines, while at others you can only hear the shuffling of the faithful kneeling before the lord.With a rickshaw steering you through the busy streets, the trail takes up to three hours with enough time to stop for a cup of tea by the River Yamuna.

Marvel at the grandeur of Sri Sri Krishna Balaram Mandir, Vrindavan

On the way back, visit the grand ISKCON Temple built in 1975 by Srila Prabhupada, founder of the ISKCON movement. The marble archway resounds with chants of Krishna, and ushers you in the main temple built around a tamal tree. Under its cool green shade, women thread necklaces of dry fruit to offer the deity. Attractions abound the premises, with book stalls, a museum, eateries and a guesthouse where you can learn, eat and stay. If you’re on time, you can catch the Raj Bhog aarti at 12pm right before the temple closes for the afternoon. Be careful to find a spot beforehand, for as the bells begin ringing, devotees are spread across the courtyard—some lost in a dance of devotion, some singing joyfully. With a mic in hand, one by one they take over to devote their song to the lord as the afternoon meal is served to the idols before being shared with the devotees as prasadam.

Hold your breath at Shri Bankey Bihari Temple, Vrindavan

A trip to Brajbhoomi is incomplete without a visit to one of its most visited temples. Steer through the crowds to catch a glimpse of the lord’s idol at Shri Bankey Bihari Temple in Vrindavan. It is believed that the sight of the idol of Shri Krishna in his childhood form is a harbinger of good luck, which is why even the streets of Keshi Ghat, right in front of the temple, remain flooded with pilgrims even before the temple opens. The curtain lifts only for a few moments, but reveals a breathtaking image adorned in hefty ornamentation and divine energy. After the visit, head to the basil forest Nidhivan, where the extant idol of Bankey Bihari was originally consecrated.

Wonder at the mystery of Nidhivan, Vrindavan

Just a few minutes beyond Shri Bankey Bihari Temple, a street segues off the main road into a labyrinth of dingy shops and sandstone houses. On every corner sit mendicants draped in orange, their tumbis delivering enticing tunes full of love. It is said that the grounds of this basil forest should be entered with the right foot to herald good luck. A criss-crossed cane tunnel takes you through a forest of trees. Watch out for monkeys and hold on to your spectacles while you cross the Rang Mahal temple, where Radha is believed to visit every night. Apocryphal stories relate that makeup and ornaments are left here behind locked doors every night, only to be found used the next morning. The temple shuts at 5pm while the forest is closed off after dark, but as the legend goes, that’s when Krishna and Radha visit and the trees dance in coquetry.

Gorge on street food by Keshi Ghat, Vrindavan

As dusk begins to settle over the glistening river, bonfires are lit across the shore. Some light up the dingy food shacks teeming with locals, some cook the street food–all exuding an orange glow against the night sky. Keshi Ghat and the adjacent Loi Bazaar along the Yamuna is where the pious head for morning ablutions and the foodies head for culinary explorations. Gorge on samosas and rabri, kulhad chai and aloo chaat here, and make sure to stop by Shri Brijwasi for peda, the local favourite. Every day at 6am and 4.30pm a special hour-long aarti takes place on the waters, and hundreds of diyas are left floating. You can catch a boat to the other side of the river for an unobstructed view. Priests and disciples sit in boats, criss-crossing saris as a way of draping the goddess Yamuna, while pilgrims in other boats make offerings of milk, flowers and incense.

Watch the light show at Prem Mandir, Vrindavan

This 54-acre site developed by Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat has enough to keep you occupied, with educational centres and pillarless satsang halls. The temple is a stunning example of Nagara architecture carved out of Italian marble. Post sunset, the structure’s imposing facade is illuminated by a dance of colourful lights, and a musical fountain show commences at 7.30pm.

*Prices are subject to change.

All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.