The largest and most dramatic gurdwara in Anandpur Sahib is the Kesgarh Sahib, set back from the main highway on the edge of the old town. An elegant white structure with a domed central spire, it marks the spot where the Khalsa was inaugurated, and enshrines an armoury of sacred Sikh weapons.

Behind the Kesgarh Sahib gurdwara, a broad paved path climbs the hillside to the small Kesgarh fort, which affords glorious views over a sea of gurdwara domes. Kesgarh is the most prominent of Anandpur Sahib's five forts, all of which were built by Guru Gobind Singh as defensive battlements.

The striking five-petal form (inspired by the five warrior-saints in the Khalsa) of the Khalsa Heritage Complex, which opened in 2011, is one of India’s most impressive modern buildings. This fascinating museum complex uses elaborate murals and friezes to bring Sikh history to life.

The legendary Golden Temple is actually just a small part of this huge gurdwara complex, known to Sikhs as Harmandir Sahib. Spiritually, the focus of attention is the tank that surrounds the gleaming central shrine – the Amrit Sarovar (Pool of Nectar; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Golden Temple Complex), from which Amritsar takes its name, excavated by the fourth Sikh guru, Ram Das, in 1577. Ringed by a marble walkway, the tank is said to have healing powers, and pilgrims come from across the world to bathe in its sacred waters.

Floating at the end of a long causeway, the Golden Temple itself is a mesmerising blend of Hindu and Islamic architectural styles, with an elegant marble lower level adorned with flower and animal motifs in pietra dura work (as seen on the Taj Mahal). Above this rises a shimmering second level, encased in intricately engraved gold panels, and topped by a dome gilded with 750kg of gold. In the gleaming inner sanctum (photography prohibited), priests and musicians keep up a continuous chant from the Guru Granth Sahib (the Sikh holy book), adding to the already intense atmosphere. Given the never-ending beeline of devotees, you will likely get a few minutes within the sanctum before you are gently urged to exit and make way for other devotees. Entry and exit are both via the causeway.

The Guru Granth Sahib is installed in the temple every morning and returned at night to the Akal Takhat (Timeless Throne; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Golden Temple Complex), the temporal seat of the Khalsa brotherhood. The ceremony takes place at 5am and 9.30pm in winter, and 4am and 10.30pm in summer. Inside the Akal Takhat, you can view a collection of sacred Sikh weapons. The building was heavily damaged when it was stormed by the Indian army during Operation Blue Star in 1984. It was repaired by the government but Sikhs refused to use the tainted building and rebuilt the tower from scratch.

More shrines and monuments are dotted around the edge of the compound. Inside the main entrance clock tower, the Sikh Museum ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Golden Temple Complex; h7am-7pm summer, 8am-6pm winter) shows the persecution suffered by the Sikhs at the hands of Mughals, the British and Indira Gandhi. At the southeast end of the tank is the Ramgarhia Bunga ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Golden Temple Complex), a protective fortress topped by two Islamic-style minarets; inside is a stone slab once used for Mughal coronations, seized from Delhi by Ranjit Singh in 1783.

At the southeast end of the Golden Temple Complex is the Guru-Ka-Langar, an enormous dining room where an estimated 100,000 pilgrims come to eat every day after praying at the Golden Temple. There’s no charge to eat here, but a donation is appropriate, and voluntary help with the staggering pile of washing up is always appreciated. Catering equally to everyone from paupers to millionaires, it's a humbling demonstration of the Sikh principles of hospitality, community service and charity.

Reached through a narrow gatehouse leading to an enclosed courtyard, this poignant park commemorates the 1500 Indians killed or wounded when a British officer ordered his soldiers to shoot unarmed protesters in 1919. Some of the bullet holes are still visible in the walls, as is the well into which hundreds desperately leapt to avoid the bullets. There’s an eternal flame of remembrance, an exhibition telling stories of victims, and a Martyrs’ Gallery, with portraits of Independence heroes.

Located about a kilometre east of the train station, Ram Bagh was the former palace grounds of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and now serves as a public park. In the heart of the well-tended and manicured greenery, you'll find the summer palace ( GOOGLE MAP ; Ram Bagh) of the former maharaja, in commission between 1818 and 1837. It's a modest structure in comparison to some of India's other palaces but a very atmospheric building nonetheless.

Just outside the Golden Temple Complex, to the south, is the octagonal Baba Atal Tower, constructed in 1784 to commemorate Atal Rai, the son of sixth Sikh guru Har Gobind, who, according to legend, revived a playmate from the dead, then gave his own life as penance for interfering in God’s designs. The nine storeys each represent one year of Atal’s short life.

This vast, sprawling castle of a college, on your right as you head west of town along GT Rd, was founded in 1890 to educate the cream of Punjabi society. It’s a glorious example of the Indo-Saracenic style of architecture, with an imposing domed red-sandstone facade fronted by grassy fields. You can't enter the academic and administrative wings of the college, but exploring the campus is okay.

A gorgeous 19th-century mansion north of the Golden Temple, the Town Hall often doubles as a venue for art exhibitions, meetings and public events. In 2017 it became home to a permanent exhibition chronicling the tumultuous history of Amritsar and Punjab in the years since the Partition of India.

The ancestral home of the maharajas of Patiala, this richly ornamented 18th-century fort is an Arabian Nights fantasy of soaring buttresses and latticed balconies. You can’t enter the interior of the fort, but you are allowed to walk between the hugely impressive inner and outer walls, surrounded by crumbling masonry and flocks of parakeets. Inside, to your right, the 1859 Durbar Hall museum has a wonderful collection of weaponry, royal portraits, outrageous chandeliers and other treasures rescued from decaying palaces.

The totally over-the-top Sheesh Mahal, graced by two wedding-cake towers and an ornamental suspension bridge, is arguably one of the prettiest buildings in Punjab. Inside the lavishly decorated interior is a gallery displaying royal treasures including paintings, coins, medallions and various finely crafted objects of art. The tree-shaded parks fronting the mansion boast some exquisite marble statues of kings and queens, including a larger-than-life 1903 sculpture of Queen Victoria by noted British sculptor Francis Derwent Wood.

Every afternoon, just before sunset, members of the Indian and Pakistani border guards meet at the border post between Attari and Wagah to engage in a 30-minute display of military showmanship that verges on pure theatre. Officially, the purpose of the ceremony is to lower the national flag and formally close the border for the night, but what actually occurs is a bizarre mix of pseudo-formal and competitive marching, flag-folding, chest beating, forceful stomping and almost comical high-stepping.

Of all the ruined forts in Punjab, Bathinda’s Govindgarh is the mightiest and most impressive. It’s also one of the oldest, dating way back to the 7th century, although rebuilt in its current red-brick form during the 12th century. It’s an enormous structure, located bang in the middle of the city, and an unexpected highlight of a visit to this region. The fort’s 36m-tall, 6m-thick walls tower over the old city bazaars and – best of all – can be freely explored.

Unlike other ancient forts in the region, Govindgarh has two gurdwaras and is thus always open to the public. Besides visiting the gurdwaras themselves, you can wander the lawned gardens within the walls and even climb up to a spot on the ramparts for magnificent views of the city. Don’t miss walking around the outside of the fort to the western face, where the immense walls are at their most impressive, towering above dhobi-wallahs (clothes washers) and cotton-loomers working on the dusty streets below.

To get to the fort, turn left out of the bus station, then left at the roundabout and keep walking straight for about 1km.

The focus of attention at Kurukshetra is the sacred Brahmasarovar, India’s largest ceremonial tank. According to Hindu holy texts, the ghat-flanked tank was created by Lord Brahma. Sadhus crowd the ghats through the day, while the ashrams beside the tank feature scenes from Hindu epics and walk-through models of sacred sites. A giant modern sculpture, depicting Lord Krishna imparting the Bhagavad Gita sermons to Arjuna in the Mahabharata, stands tall in a park central to the complex.

The impressive mausoleum of 17th-century Sufi mystic Sheikh Chehli, who provided spiritual guidance for the Mughal prince Dara Shikoh, lies in a quaint neighbourhood about 2km northwest of the town centre. Behind the brick and sandstone tomb, and predating it by more than a thousand years, is a raised mound known as Harsh Ka Tilla, where you can view excavated, 7th-century ruins from historical Thanesar. The ruins stretch for about 1km.

The Sri Krishna Museum features an impressive collection of sculptures, carvings and paintings, and a low-tech multimedia exhibition with dioramas, giant statues, surreal sounds and a walk-through maze. Look out for some rare exhibits, such as palm-leaf etchings from Orissa and excavated artefacts from ancient Indus Valley settlements. There’s a simple canteen (veg thali ₹80, chai ₹10) with alfresco seating in the museum gardens.

Many of the 250 resident and migratory bird species that frequent this 145-hectare park come from faraway countries such as Russia, China and Afghanistan. The more recognisable ones include the Siberian crane, painted and black-necked storks, greater and lesser flamingos, common teal, yellow parakeet and black-headed ibis. The best season to view these feathered creatures is from October to March. A relaxed birdwatching tour of the sanctuary can take up to three hours.