The four zones
Golden Temple area (Guru Bazaar, Heritage Street): 8 hours minimum. Hotel here if it is your first visit — you will walk to the temple three times a day. Old walled city (Katras, Hall Bazaar): 4 hours for street food and fabric shopping. Civil Lines and Ranjit Avenue: modern Amritsar, malls and mid-range restaurants, skippable unless staying longer than 3 days.
Wagah border road and cantonment: half a day for the border ceremony (5pm start, arrive by 3pm) and the war museum.
The essential 48 hours
Day one: 4am Palki Sahib at Golden Temple, breakfast at Bharawan Da Dhaba, Partition Museum, Jallianwala Bagh, lunch langar, afternoon in the walled city, Wagah at 5pm, dinner at Kesar Da Dhaba. Day two: Durgiana Mandir at sunrise, Gobindgarh Fort sound-and-light show, lassi at Ahuja's, Ram Bagh gardens, evening Golden Temple visit for the closing ceremony at 9:30pm.
Two days is the sweet spot. Three lets you slow down and add Ram Tirath or a day trip to Tarn Taran.
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