Taj Mahal at sunrise

Every day, the Taj Mahal, India’s most famous World Heritage Site, will see on average 15,000 people. Visit at dawn though and you cut those numbers right down, resulting in a more peaceful stroll around the magnificent monuments. The early hours really are the best time to visit when you can just sit quietly and listen to the birds as you take in its architectural beauty.

When the sun starts to rise on a clear day, you can see the mausoleum turn from gold yellow to orange to a sparkling mountain white. You don’t even need to wait very long for a selfie on the famous Princess Diana bench where during regular hours you would have to queue for ages. You can roam the splendid gardens decorated with fountains and inspect the ornamental craftwork before people have even thought about getting out of bed.

One of my favourite spots to take a picture is at the left-hand corner of the complex on a marble ramp. As the sun slowly bathes the walls, the stunning pietra dura inlay lights up the whole façade. This only occurs during the hours of dawn and makes that abrupt wake up so worthwhile especially if you’re not normally an early riser!