The best of Delhi — tap the ones you fancy and your plan builds around them.
Pick a few things above and we’ll name the area closest to them. Choose a vibe too, and we’ll show how far that kind of area sits from your picks.
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The mighty red-sandstone fortress-palace of the Mughal emperors, a UNESCO site and the symbol of Indian sovereignty (the PM addresses the nation from its ramparts each Independence Day). Sweep through the grand Lahori Gate, the covered bazaar and the marble audience halls, and picture the peacock throne. The monumental heart of Old Delhi.
India's largest mosque, a majestic Mughal masterpiece of red sandstone and white marble whose courtyard holds 25,000 worshippers. Climb the southern minaret for a superb view over the rooftops and lanes of Old Delhi, and soak up the serene, monumental scale amid the chaos below. Dress modestly; it's free (a camera fee applies).
The frenetic 17th-century bazaar spine of Old Delhi — a sensory maelstrom of spice, silver, sari and wedding markets, threaded by cycle-rickshaws and famous for some of India's best street food. Dive into the spice market of Khari Baoli, and eat your way down: parathas at Paranthe Wali Gali, jalebis, kebabs, chaat. Overwhelming and unforgettable.
The soaring 73-metre victory tower of fluted red sandstone, begun in 1193, is the tallest brick minaret in the world and a UNESCO site — the centrepiece of a beautiful complex of ruined mosques, tombs and the mysterious rust-free Iron Pillar. Elegant, ancient and set in green lawns; one of Delhi's most impressive and photogenic monuments.
The magnificent garden-tomb of the Mughal emperor Humayun, a UNESCO site that was the template for the Taj Mahal — a red-and-white domed mausoleum set in serene, symmetrical Persian gardens of water channels and lawns. Less crowded and more peaceful than Old Delhi's sights; go in the golden late afternoon for the finest light on the sandstone.
The great war-memorial arch at the end of the ceremonial Kartavya Path (Rajpath), honouring India's fallen soldiers, floodlit and thronged with families in the cool of the evening. Stroll the grand avenue towards the presidential palace and government buildings; it's the monumental, green heart of New Delhi, best at dusk with an ice cream from a vendor.
A serene, modern Bahá'í house of worship shaped like a vast half-open white lotus flower — an architectural marvel of 27 marble petals, open to people of every faith for silent contemplation. Beautiful inside and out and set in calm gardens; expect a queue, and enjoy the rare quiet at the heart of the roaring city.
A staggering modern Hindu temple complex, opened in 2005 — a vast, intricately carved pink-sandstone-and-marble monument covered in thousands of sculptures, set in huge gardens with fountains and an evening water show. Overwhelming in scale and detail (no phones or bags allowed inside); a jaw-dropping display of craftsmanship and devotion.
Delhi is one of the world's great street-food cities — tangy, crunchy chaat and golgappe, flaky parathas, spicy chole bhature, kebabs and creamy butter chicken, and syrupy jalebis. Graze the lanes of Old Delhi, the stalls of Chandni Chowk, or the food courts if you're cautious; eat where it's busy and freshly cooked. The city's greatest, cheapest joy.
The grand colonial hub at the centre of New Delhi — a vast double circle of white Georgian colonnades housing shops, restaurants, bars and cinemas, with the leafy Central Park at its heart. A pleasant place to walk, eat and shop away from the chaos, and a handy orientation point; dip into the underground Palika Bazaar or the nearby Janpath market for a browse.
A hip, buzzing enclave in the south where medieval ruins meet modern Delhi — the tombs and madrasa of a 13th-century reservoir, backed by a warren of rooftop bars, boutiques, galleries and restaurants overlooking a deer-park lake. Historic by day, lively by night; the coolest spot to eat, drink and see young, creative Delhi at play.
Delhi's most beautiful Sikh temple, its golden dome mirrored in a large holy tank, thronged with worshippers and open warmly to all. Cover your head, go barefoot, and feel the serene, welcoming atmosphere; visit the langar (free community kitchen) that feeds thousands a day — a moving glimpse of Sikh hospitality and equality in the heart of the city.
A gorgeous landscaped park scattered with the domed tombs of 15th-century sultans — a green oasis of lawns, lakes and monuments where Delhi comes to walk, do yoga and picnic. Combine it with the nearby Lodhi Art District, whose walls are covered in striking large-scale murals, and the crafts of the Lodhi Colony market. A calm, cultured Delhi morning.
India's premier museum, a superb sweep through five thousand years of the subcontinent — Indus Valley seals, exquisite Chola bronzes, Mughal miniatures, Buddhist relics and jewels. Well-curated, cool and rarely crowded; a rewarding couple of hours that gives real depth and context to everything you'll see across the country. A cultural highlight of the capital.
An open-air crafts-and-food bazaar bringing artisans from every Indian state under one roof — handloom textiles, jewellery, carvings and art, plus a food court dishing up regional specialities from across the country. A relaxed, hassle-light, fixed-ish-price way to shop for souvenirs and taste the diversity of India in one spot; a lovely, colourful afternoon.
Prices are relative to India, a budget country.
Central & convenient
The centreThe colonial-era commercial heart — the grand white colonnades of Connaught Place, ringed by shops, restaurants, bars and hotels, with the metro converging beneath. Central, well-connected and walkable to New Delhi's sights; busy and not pretty, but the most convenient and best-linked base for a first visit, close to everything.
What’s here
The historic old city
15 min · 5 kmThe 17th-century walled city of the Mughals — the Red Fort, the great Jama Masjid, and the heaving bazaar lanes of Chandni Chowk, a sensory overload of spice, silver, street food and rickshaws. Chaotic, intense and thrilling, with the deepest history and best food; a few characterful heritage stays exist, but most visit by day and sleep elsewhere.
What’s here
Leafy & upscale
25 min · 12 kmThe greener, wealthier south — tree-lined colonies, the trendy bars and boutiques of Hauz Khas village around its medieval ruins and lake, and easy reach of Qutub Minar and the tombs. Calmer, cooler and more comfortable than the centre, with the city's best café and nightlife scene; the base for travellers who want green streets and good living.
What’s here
Grand & governmental
10 min · 4 kmThe stately capital the British built — vast tree-lined avenues, India Gate, the government buildings, museums and the serene Lodhi Gardens, dotted with grand hotels. Green, spacious and orderly, a world away from the old-city crush; the base for luxury, calm and proximity to New Delhi's monuments and museums.
What’s here
Backpacker & budget
8 min · 2 kmThe gritty budget-traveller hub opposite New Delhi railway station — cheap guesthouses, traveller cafés, and a chaotic bazaar of cheap clothes, trinkets and touts. Loud, dusty and full of hustle, but cheap and superbly connected for onward trains and the metro; the base for shoestring travellers, if you don't mind the intensity.
What’s here
Worth knowing: Delhi is enormous, and its excellent, cheap metro is by far the best way around — traffic is punishing, so avoid taxis in rush hour and use the metro or app-cabs. The city splits into the frenetic lanes of Old Delhi (north) and the ordered avenues of New Delhi (centre/south), with the leafy, upmarket districts further south. There's no beach; the Taj Mahal at Agra and pink-city Jaipur are the great day trips. Air quality is poor Oct–Jan.
2–3 hr by fast train away
The Taj Mahal — the most beautiful building on earth, the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan's marble monument to love — is a fast-train ride south, along with the mighty Agra Fort. Utterly unmissable; go at dawn for soft light and thinner crowds. A very doable (if long) day trip from Delhi, and the second point of the Golden Triangle.
Gatimaan/Shatabdi express train
4–5 hr away
The 'Pink City' of Rajasthan and the third point of the Golden Triangle — a maharaja's capital of rose-hued bazaars, hilltop forts, the honeycomb Hawa Mahal and the astonishing Amber Fort. Too far for a comfortable day trip; go for an overnight or two as part of the classic Delhi–Agra–Jaipur loop.
Train or expressway car
3–4 hr away
The twin holy towns believed to be the birthplace and boyhood home of Krishna — a whirl of riverside ghats, temples, chanting and colour, especially wild during the Holi festival. A vivid, intense dose of devotional India south of Delhi, best combined with Agra on a longer loop; go with a guide to make sense of the temples.
Train or car
2.5 hr away
A magnificent 15th-century hilltop fort-palace, now a heritage hotel, tumbling down a hillside in terraces of courtyards, pavilions and pools — a wonderfully atmospheric escape on the Delhi–Jaipur road, with a zip-line and Rajasthani views. Popular for a lunch, a day pass or a romantic overnight in a real palace, an easy drive from the capital.
Car on the expressway
Best time to go
October–March — warm, dry and pleasant days, cool nights; the only comfortable time to sightsee. February and October are the sweet spots.
Cheapest: The scorching summer (Apr–Jun) and humid monsoon (Jul–Sep) are cheapest and quietest, but brutally hot or wet; winter can bring thick smog and cold snaps.
Pick your dates above and we’ll tell you exactly what the weather does then.
August
34° / 26°C
Wet
MixedDelhi is India distilled — a sprawling, roaring capital where the ruins of seven empires, Mughal forts and mosques, wide colonial boulevards and glassy new metros all pile up on top of one another. It assaults every sense: the tangled lanes and street food of Old Delhi, the tombs and gardens of the Mughals, the ordered greenery of New Delhi, and a nightlife and dining scene that rivals any in Asia. Overwhelming, exhausting and utterly compelling, it's the gateway to the north and the Golden Triangle.
First things first
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Last updated 14 August 2026. Cities are refreshed, not written once.