The Taj Mahal at sunrise, and the view from across the river

The Taj opens half an hour before sunrise and that first hour is the only quiet one; buy tickets online to skip the gate line, and note it's closed on Fridays. Across the Yamuna, the Mehtab Bagh garden gives the classic reflected view at sunset for a small entry fee and a fraction of the crowd. Agra Fort is worth an afternoon. Stay the night rather than day-tripping from Delhi; the morning light is the point.