Delhi is India's sprawling capital, a city where empires rise and fall across nearly every street corner. Layered over more than a thousand years of history, it spans the wide ceremonial boulevards of New Delhi, laid out by the British in the early 20th century, and the dense, chaotic lanes of Old Delhi, founded by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. Today it functions as two contrasting worlds joined into one National Capital Territory of roughly 33 million people in its wider region. You can wander between towering minarets and Mughal tombs, then ride a sleek modern Metro to glass office towers and leafy diplomatic enclaves. Delhi rewards the curious and tests the unprepared: the traffic is relentless, the summers brutal, and the air quality poor in winter. Yet the payoffs are immense, from the soaring red sandstone of Humayun's Tomb to the spice-scented chaos of Chandni Chowk and the spiritual calm of the Lotus Temple and Akshardham. It is also one of the world's great street-food cities. For most travellers, Delhi is the gateway to North India and the Golden Triangle, but it deserves several days of exploration in its own right.
Top Attractions
Red Fort (Lal Qila)
This massive red sandstone fortress was the main residence of the Mughal emperors for nearly 200 years after Shah Jahan moved his capital to Delhi in the 17th century. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, its walls stretch around two kilometres, enclosing palaces, marble halls and gardens. Each Independence Day the Prime Minister addresses the nation from its ramparts. Allow a couple of hours to explore the grounds and museums inside.
Visitor Information
- Entry Fee: Around INR 35 for Indians, INR 500 for foreign nationals
- Hours: 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM, closed Mondays
- Best Time: Early morning to avoid heat and crowds
- Tip: Buy tickets online in advance to skip queues, and consider the evening sound-and-light show for extra context.
Humayun's Tomb
Built in the 1560s for the Mughal emperor Humayun, this magnificent garden tomb was the first major Mughal mausoleum in India and a clear inspiration for the Taj Mahal. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it combines Persian charbagh gardens with red sandstone and white marble. The complex is quieter and better preserved than many Delhi monuments, making it one of the most rewarding and photogenic stops in the city.
Visitor Information
- Entry Fee: Around INR 40 for Indians, INR 600 for foreign nationals
- Hours: Sunrise to sunset, roughly 6 AM to 6 PM daily
- Best Time: Late afternoon for soft golden light
- Tip: Visit the nearby Isa Khan's tomb within the same complex, often overlooked but beautifully restored.
Qutub Minar Complex
The Qutub Minar is a soaring 73-metre victory tower begun around 1199, and the tallest brick minaret in the world. Set in a complex of ruins from Delhi's earliest Islamic period, it includes the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque and the famous iron pillar that has resisted rust for over 1,600 years. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it sits amid landscaped gardens in south Delhi.
Visitor Information
- Entry Fee: Around INR 40 for Indians, INR 600 for foreign nationals
- Hours: Sunrise to sunset, roughly 7 AM to 5 PM daily
- Best Time: Morning before midday heat
- Tip: The surrounding Mehrauli Archaeological Park has free-to-enter ruins worth wandering afterward.
Chandni Chowk and Old Delhi
The beating heart of Old Delhi, Chandni Chowk is a centuries-old market street crammed with shops, food stalls, temples and mosques. Narrow alleys branch off to spice markets, wedding-card lanes and jewellery bazaars. Nearby stands the Jama Masjid, India's largest mosque, whose courtyard holds tens of thousands of worshippers. Exploring on foot or by cycle-rickshaw is a sensory immersion in old Delhi life.
Visitor Information
- Entry Fee: Free to wander; Jama Masjid has a small camera fee
- Hours: Most shops 10 AM to 8 PM, many closed Sundays
- Best Time: Mid-morning when the market wakes up
- Tip: Take a guided food walk to navigate the lanes safely and find the best paratha and jalebi stalls.
Lotus Temple
Completed in 1986, this striking Bahai House of Worship is shaped like a half-open lotus flower with 27 white marble petals. Open to people of all faiths, it is a place of silent meditation set among nine reflecting pools and manicured lawns. Its serene modern architecture has made it one of the most visited buildings in the world and a calming contrast to Delhi's older, busier monuments.
Visitor Information
- Entry Fee: Free
- Hours: Around 9 AM to 5:30 PM, closed Mondays
- Best Time: Weekday mornings to avoid long queues
- Tip: Phones must be silenced and photography is not allowed inside the prayer hall, so soak in the quiet.
Akshardham Temple
Opened in 2005, Swaminarayan Akshardham is a vast Hindu temple complex carved in pink sandstone and white marble, intricately detailed with thousands of figures and elephants. Beyond the central shrine, it features landscaped gardens, exhibitions and an evening water show. It is one of the largest Hindu temples in the world and an impressive feat of traditional craftsmanship built without structural steel.
Visitor Information
- Entry Fee: Free entry; charges for exhibitions and water show
- Hours: Around 9:30 AM to 6:30 PM, closed Mondays
- Best Time: Late afternoon to catch the evening water show
- Tip: No phones, cameras or bags are allowed inside; use the free cloakroom and arrive early to clear security.
Food & Local Flavours
Delhi is one of India's great food cities, fusing Mughlai richness with fiery street snacks and beloved sweets.
Butter Chicken
Tender tandoori chicken simmered in a creamy tomato gravy enriched with butter and cream, this dish was reputedly invented in Delhi's Moti Mahal restaurant. Mildly spiced and slightly sweet, it is best mopped up with garlic naan or buttery roti and remains the city's most famous restaurant export.
Price: INR 350 to 700 at mid-range restaurants
Try: Moti Mahal in Daryaganj and restaurants citywide
Chole Bhature
A hearty North Indian favourite of spicy chickpea curry served with deep-fried, fluffy bhature bread. Tangy, filling and often eaten for breakfast or lunch, it is a Delhi staple sold everywhere from street carts to legendary sit-down eateries, usually with pickled onions and green chillies on the side.
Price: INR 80 to 250 a plate
Try: Sita Ram Diwan Chand in Paharganj and Old Delhi stalls
Parathas of Paranthe Wali Gali
In a famous Old Delhi alley off Chandni Chowk, vendors fry stuffed parathas in dozens of varieties, from potato and paneer to unusual fillings like banana or almond. Served with curries, chutneys and pickles, this is a beloved heritage breakfast experience steeped in tradition.
Price: INR 100 to 250 per thali
Try: Paranthe Wali Gali, Chandni Chowk, Old Delhi
Chaat and Golgappe
Delhi's street snacks are an art form. Golgappe (also called pani puri) are crisp hollow shells filled with spiced water, while aloo tikki and dahi bhalla layer crunch, tang and yogurt. Cheap, addictive and bursting with flavour, chaat is best eaten at busy, popular stalls.
Price: INR 30 to 120 per portion
Try: Bengali Market, Lajpat Nagar and street corners citywide
Practical Information
Getting Around
- Delhi Metro: INR 10 to 60 per ride — clean, air-conditioned and the fastest way to cross the city, avoiding traffic
- Auto-rickshaw: INR 30 to 200 for short to medium trips — insist on the meter or agree a fare first
- App cabs (Uber/Ola): INR 100 to 400 typical city rides — convenient and metered, though surge pricing applies in rush hour
- Cycle-rickshaw: INR 30 to 100 — ideal for navigating the narrow lanes of Old Delhi at slow pace
Budget Guide (Per Day)
- Budget: INR 1,500 to 2,500 (~$18 to $30): hostel or budget guesthouse bed, street food meals, Metro travel and public-monument entry fees
- Mid-range: INR 4,000 to 8,000 (~$48 to $96): comfortable mid-range hotel, mix of restaurants and street food, app cabs and occasional guided tours
- Luxury: INR 15,000+ (~$180+): heritage or five-star hotel, fine dining, private car with driver and curated experiences
Best Time to Visit
- October to March: pleasant cool weather, ideal for sightseeing, though December and January can be foggy and chilly
- February to March: comfortable temperatures and blooming gardens before the summer heat arrives
- Avoid April to June and the peak of pollution season in November when air quality can be hazardous
Interactive Map
Explore Delhi on the map.
Image Credits
Delhi — Nikhilb239, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons