Most international trips start here, and Delhi rewards a couple of days. Layers of history sit side by side (a 12th-century minaret, Mughal mosques and gardens, British-era boulevards) and the food, from Old Delhi street snacks to some of Asia’s best restaurants, is reason enough to stay.
Highlights
- Humayun’s Tomb: the garden tomb that inspired the Taj Mahal
- Qutub Minar and the ruins around it
- Old Delhi: Jama Masjid, Chandni Chowk and a food walk
- Red Fort and the lanes of Shahjahanabad
- Lodhi Garden at sunrise, then Khan Market for coffee
- Gurudwara Bangla Sahib and its community kitchen
What to eat
- Parathas in Paranthe Wali Gali
- Butter chicken and kebabs
- Chaat: aloo tikki, golgappa, dahi bhalla
- Jalebi and rabri
Where to stay
South Delhi (Hauz Khas, Defence Colony) for calm and cafés; Connaught Place and Paharganj for budget and metro access; Aerocity for an early flight.
Getting there
Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) is the country’s busiest hub. The Delhi Metro’s Airport Express line reaches the centre fast; within the city, the metro is the easiest way around.
Tips
- Air quality is often poor from November to January: check the AQI and plan indoor or early-morning sightseeing.
- Many monuments are closed one day a week (the Red Fort closes on Mondays); check before you go.
- Use the metro and app cabs instead of negotiating with drivers at the airport or stations.
Best time to visit
Oct-Mar. See what else is good in October and our best time to visit India guide.
Temples and shrines near Delhi
- Gurdwara Bangla Sahib Delhi’s best-known gurdwara, linked to Guru Har Krishan
- Swaminarayan Akshardham, Delhi BAPS temple complex opened in 2005
- Lotus Temple Bahá’í House of Worship
- Kalkaji Mandir Goddess Kalka (Kali)
- Chhatarpur Temple Goddess Katyayani
- Laxminarayan Temple (Birla Mandir), Delhi Vishnu (Narayan) and Lakshmi
- Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah Shrine of the Sufi saint Nizamuddin Auliya
Places to see in and around Delhi
177 places within 40 km. Tap I’ve been to add them to your India passport.
- Red Fort World Heritage Site, 6 km
- Qutb Minar World Heritage Site, 10 km
- Humayun's Tomb World Heritage Site, 4 km
- Jama Masjid, Delhi Mosque, 5 km
- Lotus Temple Temple, 8 km
- India Gate Monument, 2 km
- iron pillar of Delhi World Heritage Site, 10 km
- Akshardham Temple, 7 km
- Qutb complex World Heritage Site, 10 km
- Tomb of Safdar Jang Tomb, 2 km
- Old Delhi Fort, 6 km
- National Museum Museum, 1 km
- Raj Ghat and associated memorials Monument, 5 km
- Moti Masjid, Delhi Mosque, 6 km
- Gandhi Smriti Museum, 1 km
- Laxminarayan Temple Temple, 3 km
- Gurudwara Bangla Sahib Gurdwara, 2 km
- National Museum of Natural History Museum, 3 km
- Jantar Mantar World Heritage Site, 2 km
- Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah Mosque, 4 km
- Purana Qila Fort, 3 km
- National Gandhi Museum Museum, 5 km
- Tughlaqabad Fort Fort, 12 km
- National Gallery of Modern Art Museum, 2 km
And 153 more on our Delhi map.
Food to try in and around Delhi
Delhi favourites to look out for.
- Parathas
- Chaat
- Kachori
- Kebabs
- Kulfi
The full food passport, state by state.
Is a place near Delhi missing? Suggest it
Have you been to Delhi?
Tips from travellers
Been to Delhi? Share one tip that would help the next person. The first good one goes right here.
Share a tip
Questions from readers
Got a question about Delhi? Ask it here. We answer the useful ones on this page.
Ask a question
Nearby and similar
Agra
Home of the Taj Mahal, and the red sandstone Agra Fort and the abandoned Mughal capital of Fatehpur Sikri nearby.
Oct-Mar 1-2 days
Jaipur
Rajasthan’s Pink City: hilltop Amber Fort, the honeycomb Hawa Mahal, royal palaces and India’s best bazaars for textiles, block prints and gems.
Oct-Mar 2-3 days
Rishikesh
The yoga capital of the world on the Ganges: ashrams, white-water rafting, suspension bridges and Himalayan foothills.
Sep-Nov, Feb-May 2-4 days
Amritsar
The Golden Temple shimmering in its sacred pool, plus the world’s largest free kitchen and the Wagah border ceremony.
Oct-Mar 1-2 days