We went to India in September last year and ended our tour of Rajisthan with a trip to Agra and the Taj Mahal. I have to admit I wasn't looking forward to it - in my experience these things are often better in your imagination and on postcards - but that is a somewhat jaded point of view, and we toddled off to stay in a hotel just outside Agra.
Firstly, I am glad we did not stay in Agra itself. It stinks. We went to so many parts of India, and saw so much poverty, but Agra was the worst with regards to sanitation and smell. But you take the rough with the smooth in India, and this is really only to be expected some of the time.
Hilariously, the touters at the enterance called out to us that we could not go in without them, otherwise we would not be able to see the sunset!!!! In case anyone was remotely likey to buy this line - it is not true, the sunset is there whether or not you have a guide ;-)
The enterance fee for the Taj is expensive, compared to the rest of India, however the upkeep of this place must be incredible, and compared to other countries, it is relatively cheap to get in. But that smarted a little!
I have to say, we went to Agra at a "reasonable" time of day - ie not for the sunrise - BIG mistake. My brother and his friends went later in the trip and were there for the sunrise, and found the place empty and beautiful. We were there before closing, in the afternoon. It was hot, very very crowded, and did not feel worth it. You could not get a decent picture of the Taj, as the place was carwling with people pushing and bustling around you.
The Taj is spectacular, an amazing building. But it was difficult to get inside, with all the people around, and perhaps that is why we did not see the beauty therein.
Frankly, we just couldn't wait to get out and back to the hotel.
A caveat to this - I think if you go to the Taj early, when it is empty and cool, and without two types of foodpoisoning (Salmonella and Campylobacter) you will probably enjoy it more than I did!
However, there is somewhere nearby that you must go to, that is beautiful and empty and amazing - The ghost city of Fatehpur Sikri. It is about 45 mins from Agra. It was inhabited for 30 years four centuries ago and has been deserted ever since. It is an amazing sprawling red stone city, which I would happily have wandered around for days, even if it meant missing the Taj!
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