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Delhi

Delhi

city · Delhi

Delhi is not one city, it is seven of them stacked on the same ground, and the reason first visits go wrong is trying to see it as one place.

State
Delhi
Type
City
Best season
Winter
Things to do
8+

Delhi is not one city, it is seven of them stacked on the same ground, and the reason first visits go wrong is trying to see it as one place. Old Delhi and Lutyens' Delhi are ten minutes apart on the Metro and belong to different centuries. Give each a separate morning rather than stitching them together — the whiplash is what exhausts people. Start in Shahjahanabad early, before the Chandni Chowk lanes fill and the rickshaws stop being able to move at all. Jama Masjid's southern minaret is worth the climb for the one view that makes the layout of the old city legible from above. The Metro is genuinely excellent and will save you hours; use it and ignore anyone who tells you Delhi traffic is unavoidable. On Thursday evenings there is qawwali at Nizamuddin Dargah, which is the single most affecting hour in the city and costs nothing. Be honest with yourself about when you come. From late October into January the air is often severely polluted, and no amount of planning fixes a week you spend indoors with a headache. February and March are the reward months.

A short history

Delhi has been rebuilt as a capital at least seven times across history, from the Rajput-era Lal Kot to the Sultanate and Mughal cities culminating in Shah Jahan's 17th-century Shahjahanabad (Old Delhi), and again as British-built New Delhi, inaugurated in 1931 — a layering that puts a 12th-century tomb a few kilometres from a colonial-era parliament building.

Why Delhi matters

India's capital, a city of layered empires — Mughal monuments and colonial buildings sit beside a modern metropolis.

How many people come

1 crore

city in 2024 · Estimate

When to go

October to March is the most comfortable time, with cool, sunny days good for sightseeing. Avoid the fierce April–June heat (regularly above 45°C); November to January can be foggy and the air quality is often poor after Diwali.

Why visit

Delhi holds Sultanate ruins, Mughal forts and Lutyens' New Delhi inside one city, and it is the most practical base for a first trip north. Give it three days and treat the old and new halves as separate outings.

Cultural notes

Delhi has been the seat of empires for a thousand years — from the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughals to the British Raj and independent India — and every era left its monuments. Old Delhi remains a centre of Mughal-era cuisine, Urdu culture and craft, while New Delhi holds the institutions of the modern state. Ramadan evenings around Jama Masjid and festivals such as Diwali and Holi are especially vivid times to visit.

How to reach

Delhi is India's best-connected city. Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) is one of Asia's busiest and has an Airport Express Metro line into the centre. Three major railway stations — New Delhi, Old Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin — link the whole country, and the Yamuna Expressway and national highways connect Agra, Jaipur and beyond. The extensive Delhi Metro is by far the easiest way to move around the city.

3 days in Delhi

Take the whole plan, or add any single stop.

Red FortDay 1

Day 1

Red Fort

The grand Mughal fort and UNESCO site, from whose ramparts the PM addresses the nation.

Day 1

Jama Masjid and the view from the minaret

Jama Masjid and the view from the minaret

Chandni Chowk

Day 1

Chandni Chowk

Old Delhi's chaotic, historic market famous for street food and spice lanes.

Day 1

Street food at Paranthe Wali Gali

Street food at Paranthe Wali Gali

Day 1

Raj Ghat

Raj Ghat

Humayun's TombDay 2

Day 2

Humayun's Tomb

A Mughal garden-tomb and UNESCO site that inspired the Taj Mahal.

Qutub Minar

Day 2

Qutub Minar

A 73 m victory tower and UNESCO World Heritage Site in south Delhi.

Day 2

India Gate & Kartavya Path

India Gate & Kartavya Path

Day 2

Lodhi Gardens

Lodhi Gardens

Day 2

Connaught Place in the evening

Connaught Place in the evening

Day 3

Day 3

Lotus Temple

Lotus Temple

Day 3

Akshardham

Akshardham

Day 3

Hauz Khas village & lake

Hauz Khas village & lake

Day 3

Dilli Haat for crafts and food

Dilli Haat for crafts and food

Food & cuisine

Signature dishes and local flavours to look for in Delhi.

9 dishes

Chandni Chowk chaat

Dahi bhalla, aloo tikki and papdi chaat in the Old Delhi lanes

Paranthe Wali Gali parathas

Deep-fried stuffed parathas in a centuries-old Chandni Chowk lane

dal makhani

Delhi's rich Punjabi classics; Moti Mahal claims the original butter chicken

Butter chicken

Delhi's rich Punjabi classics; Moti Mahal claims the original butter chicken

kebabs

kebabs

Slow-cooked meat stew and seekh kebabs around Karim's near Jama Masjid

Nihari

Nihari

Slow-cooked meat stew and seekh kebabs around Karim's near Jama Masjid

Jalebi

Hot syrup-soaked jalebi, famously at Old Famous Jalebi Wala

rabri

rabri

Hot syrup-soaked jalebi, famously at Old Famous Jalebi Wala

Chole bhature

Chole bhature

Spiced chickpeas with puffy fried bhature, a Delhi breakfast staple

Suggested Itinerary

Day-by-day plans other travellers have published for Delhi

Golden Triangle: Delhi, Agra & Jaipur

Golden Triangle: Delhi, Agra & Jaipur

5 days 15 stopsCityDekho Editorial

Delhi guide & itineraries

Delhi is perfect for

first-timersheritagefoodiesfamily

Nearby getaways

Agra

~3.5–4 hrs via the Yamuna Expressway

Mathura & Vrindavan

~3 hrs

Jaipur

~5 hrs

Neemrana

~3 hrs, hill fort-palace

Shopping

Delhi shops at every level. Old Delhi's Chandni Chowk is a warren of specialist bazaars — Khari Baoli is one of Asia's largest spice markets, Dariba Kalan sells silver, and Kinari Bazaar overflows with wedding trims. In New Delhi, Dilli Haat gathers state handicrafts and food under one roof, Janpath and the Central Cottage Industries Emporium are good for textiles and souvenirs, and Khan Market and Connaught Place cover books, boutiques and brands. Sarojini Nagar is legendary for cut-price fashion. Bargain hard in the street markets, but stick to fixed prices in the emporiums and malls.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best time to visit Delhi?
October to March, when days are cool and sunny. April to June is extremely hot (often above 45°C), the monsoon runs July to September, and November to December can be foggy with poor air quality after Diwali.
How do you get around Delhi?
The Delhi Metro is the fastest, cheapest way around and reaches most sights, including an Airport Express line. For short hops use app cabs or auto-rickshaws (agree the fare first), and explore Old Delhi on foot or by cycle-rickshaw.
How many days do you need in Delhi?
Two to three days covers Old Delhi, the imperial monuments and the main temples. Add a day for a trip to Agra, or more time to slow down for markets, museums and food.
How should I explore Old Delhi?
Old Delhi is dense and best on foot or by cycle-rickshaw, ideally with a local guide or food walk. Go early to beat the heat and crowds, dress modestly and cover your head at Jama Masjid, and keep valuables secure in the crowded lanes.
What food is Delhi famous for?
Old Delhi street food — chaat, parathas, kebabs, nihari and jalebi around Chandni Chowk and Jama Masjid — plus rich Punjabi classics like butter chicken and dal makhani, said to have been created at Moti Mahal.
What are the best day trips from Delhi?
Agra and the Taj Mahal (about 3.5–4 hours via the Yamuna Expressway) is the classic day trip; the temple towns of Mathura and Vrindavan (around 3 hours) and Neemrana's hill fort-palace are good alternatives.

Things to do

How to spend your time in Delhi.

See the Red Fort

Mughal sandstone fort and the site of the Independence Day address

Climb the Qutub Minar complex

72m 12th-century victory tower, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Mehrauli

Visit Humayun's Tomb

The garden tomb that inspired the Taj Mahal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Hidden gems

Hauz Khas village

Medieval ruins and a lake beside a village of cafes and boutiques

Lodhi Gardens & Lodhi Art District

Tomb-dotted gardens and India's first open-air public street-art district

Popular attractions

The places in Delhi most people come for.

Qutub Minar

Qutub Minar

Attraction

Chandni Chowk

Chandni Chowk

Market

See all attractions

Tours & experiences

Things to book and do in Delhi

Reviews & ratings

What travellers say about Delhi

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