Things to Do in Prayagraj - Beyond the Sangam

Most visitors come to Prayagraj for one reason: the Triveni Sangam. They take a boat to the confluence, bathe, pray, and leave the same day. But Prayagraj - Allahabad, as it was known for centuries - is one of the most historically rich cities in north India, and it rewards anyone who stays an extra day.

This is where the Nehru family planned India's freedom struggle, where Chandrashekhar Azad made his last stand, where Akbar built a fort at the confluence, and where a Mughal prince lies in one of the loveliest garden tombs in India. Here are the best things to do in Prayagraj, from the Sangam to the city beyond.

The Sangam and Its Temples

Start where everyone starts: the Triveni Sangam, where the muddy brown Ganga meets the greenish Yamuna - the line between them is clearly visible from a boat - and, according to belief, the invisible Saraswati.

• Take a boat to the confluence. Boats leave from the ghats near the fort and from the Sangam area. Go early in the morning for the best light and calmest water. Agree the price before boarding; it depends on the season, whether you share, and how long you stay.
• Visit the Bade Hanuman Temple (Lete Hanuman). Near the Sangam, this temple houses a large reclining idol of Hanuman. When the Ganga floods during the monsoon, the water often reaches the idol - considered auspicious by devotees.
• See the Akshayavat and Patalpuri Temple. Inside the Allahabad Fort, these sacred sites - the "immortal" banyan tree and an ancient underground temple - are open to visitors, although most of the fort remains under army control.
• Visit Alopi Devi Temple. In Alopibagh, this Shaktipeeth is unusual: there's no idol, but a wooden swing (doli) that devotees worship.

Freedom Struggle Prayagraj - Anand Bhawan, Swaraj Bhawan and Azad Park

Prayagraj played an outsized role in India's independence movement, and some of its most important sites are within a short drive of Civil Lines.

• Anand Bhawan: the Nehru family home, now a museum. You can see the rooms where Motilal and Jawaharlal Nehru lived and worked, where Congress leaders met, and where Indira Gandhi grew up and married in 1942. It's closed on Mondays; check current timings and tickets before you go.
• Swaraj Bhawan: next door, the family's original mansion, which Motilal Nehru donated to the Indian National Congress in 1930. It served as a Congress headquarters and is now also a museum.
• Jawahar Planetarium: beside Anand Bhawan, a good stop with children.
• Chandrashekhar Azad Park (Alfred Park): a large green park in Civil Lines, where the revolutionary Chandrashekhar Azad died in 1931, surrounded by British police, rather than be captured. A statue marks the spot. The park also houses the Allahabad Museum, with collections of sculpture, art and freedom-struggle memorabilia.

Mughal and Colonial Prayagraj - Fort, Khusro Bagh and the Cathedral

• Allahabad Fort: built by Akbar in the 1580s at the confluence, this massive fort is still mostly occupied by the army. Visitors can reach the Akshayavat and Patalpuri Temple, and the fort's walls are best seen from a boat on the Yamuna.
• Khusro Bagh: one of Prayagraj's hidden gems. This walled Mughal garden near Prayagraj Junction holds the elegant sandstone tombs of Prince Khusrau - Jahangir's eldest son - his mother Shah Begum and his sister. Quiet, green and beautiful, it's perfect for an early morning walk.
• All Saints Cathedral (Patthar Girja): a striking Gothic Revival cathedral in Civil Lines, built in the 1870s and designed by William Emerson, who also designed Kolkata's Victoria Memorial. It's beautiful at sunset.
• Minto Park (Madan Mohan Malaviya Park): on the Yamuna's bank, this is where Lord Canning read Queen Victoria's proclamation in 1858, transferring control of India from the East India Company to the British Crown. A memorial marks the spot. It's a short stop, but a significant one in India's history.
• Allahabad High Court: one of India's oldest high courts, in an imposing early-20th-century building. You can see it from outside on a drive through Civil Lines.
• Allahabad University: founded in 1887, and known as the "Oxford of the East". The campus has fine colonial-era architecture, including the Indo-Saracenic Muir College buildings.

Temples Worth a Visit

Beyond the Sangam's temples:

• Mankameshwar Temple: a Shiva temple on the Yamuna's bank near Saraswati Ghat, especially busy on Mondays and during Shravan.
• Nagvasuki Temple: an ancient temple dedicated to the serpent king Vasuki, on the Ganga's bank in Daraganj.
• Shankar Viman Mandapam: a striking multi-storey South Indian-style temple near the Sangam, with views over the river from the top.
• ISKCON Prayagraj: a calm, well-kept temple popular with families.

Food Experiences

Prayagraj has a lively food culture, rooted in its old markets and university life.

• Loknath: the old city's famous food lane, known for kachori-sabzi, jalebi, chaat, lassi and sweets. Go in the morning for breakfast or in the evening for chaat.
• Katra: a busy market area near the university, with kachori shops, namkeen and sweets.
• Civil Lines: restaurants, cafés and long-running eateries serving everything from North Indian thalis to Chinese and continental.
• Winter guavas: Allahabad's guavas (amrood) are famous across India. In winter, look for the red-tinged varieties sold from carts all over the city.
• Namkeen and sweets: Prayagraj's namkeen shops are a local institution. Pack a box to take home.

A few local favourites worth seeking out:

• Kachori-sabzi with jalebi for breakfast: the classic Prayagraj morning. Long-running shops in Katra and Loknath have been frying kachoris for generations; follow the queues.
• Chaat in Loknath: tikki, golgappe, dahi bada and matar chaat. Evenings are busiest and best.
• Lassi and rabri: thick, creamy and served in clay kulhads.
• Samosas and imarti from the old city's sweet shops.
• Kulfi and falooda in Civil Lines on summer evenings.

If you're with elderly parents or children, choose busy stalls with high turnover, stick to freshly cooked, hot food, and carry bottled water. Civil Lines restaurants are a safe, comfortable alternative for main meals.

Suggested 2-Day Plan

Day 1: sunrise boat ride to the Sangam, then visit the Bade Hanuman Temple and the Akshayavat and Patalpuri Temple at the fort. Have breakfast in Loknath. Rest through midday, then spend the afternoon at Anand Bhawan, Swaraj Bhawan and the planetarium. End the day in Alfred Park and Civil Lines.

Day 2: early walk at Khusro Bagh, then visit the Allahabad Museum. In the afternoon, see All Saints Cathedral and the university campus, or temples such as Mankameshwar and Shankar Viman Mandapam. In winter, end with guavas and namkeen for the journey home.

Have a third day? Prayagraj pairs naturally with Varanasi, about 120 km away. Our [Prayagraj to Varanasi guide - domain pending] has a combined itinerary.

Tips for Families and Elderly Travellers

• Visit the Sangam early in the morning, when it's cooler and calmer. Avoid major mela snan days with elderly parents or young children unless the snan is the purpose of your trip.
• Many sights, including Anand Bhawan and the museum, close on Mondays. Plan your days accordingly.
• Hire a car for the day. Distances are manageable but spread out, and it makes life much easier with family.
• Stay in Civil Lines for comfort, easy access to sights and plenty of food options. Choose a hotel with a lift and parking.
• In winter, carry warm layers for early mornings on the river; in summer, sightsee early and late, and rest in the afternoon heat.

Where you stay shapes your visit. Civil Lines puts you close to most of the city's sights and restaurants, while Daraganj is closer to the Sangam.