Tourism in Uttar Pradesh

Situated in the northern part of India, bordering with the capital of India New Delhi, Uttar Pradesh is one of the most popular and an established tourist destination for both Indians and non-Indians alike in India. The most populous state of India, Uttar Pradesh contains many historical monuments and places of religious significance. Geographically, Uttar Pradesh is very diverse, with Himalayan foothills in the extreme north and the Gangetic Plain in the centre. It is also home of India's most visited sites, Hinduism's holiest city, Varanasi. Kumbh city, Prayagraj. Kathak, one of the eight forms of Indian classical dances, originated from Uttar Pradesh.^{[citation needed]} Uttar Pradesh is at the heart of India, hence it is also known as The Heartland of India. Cuisine of Uttar Pradesh like Awadhi cuisine, Mughlai cuisine and Bhojpuri cuisine are very famous not only in India but also many places abroad.^[1]

Uttar Pradesh is known for its rich culture and tradition.^{[citation needed]} It is home to Ayodhya and Mathura birthplace of Lord Rama, Lord Krishna and Bhagwan Parshuram respectively. Uttar Pradesh attracts many national and international tourists. Taj Mahal, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in Agra is also located in Uttar Pradesh.^{[citation needed]}

There are different places one can visit in Uttar Pradesh. Agra, Ayodhya, Jhansi, Kanpur and Lucknow are historical cities famous for their monuments. Mathura, Vrindavan, Gokul, Varanasi, Ayodhya, Gorakhpur and Prayagraj are holy cities for Hindus and Kushinagar and Sarnath are important Buddhist places among the main four pilgrimage sites related to the life of Gautama Buddha. Noida is the most developed urban city of Uttar Pradesh.

To boost the tourism in the state from within the country and other parts of the world, the Government of Uttar Pradesh established an Uttar Pradesh Heritage Arc covering the cities of Agra, Kanpur, Lucknow and Varanasi.