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Sightseeing Overview
The best-known sights are the two buildings that dominate Old Delhi, the Red Fort and Jama Masjid. A stroll through the chaotic, raucous, smelly alleyways of the Old City (also known as Shahjahanabad, after the 17th-century Mughal emperor who built it) is an unforgettable experience. The people-packed bazaars of Chandni Chowk are a riot of colourful exoticism and frenetic activity. The Old City is decaying rapidly but it is still possible to glimpse a mosque here or the courtyard of a proud old townhouse there, hidden behind a shop front.
To the south of Old Delhi and in complete contrast to it, is Rajpath and the buildings on Raisina Hill (Rashtrapati Bhavan and the Secretariat) which form the centrepiece of British New Delhi. After the clamour of the Old City, the calm elegance and baroque vistas of this most splendidly laid-out scheme is a welcome relief. Between Old Delhi and Rajpath is Connaught Place, the arcaded bull's eye of New Delhi, with shops, banks, bars, restaurants, hotels and oodles of pesky touts.
Heading south once more, through the leafy enclaves of New Delhi (which have an allure all of their own, as they are spacious, shady and lusciously green), the visitor will find the bulk of the ancient monuments of medieval Delhi. Humayun's Tomb, the Lodhi Gardens and various other sites, are readily accessible from the centre of the city. The Qutb Minar complex, the vast and formidable Tughluqabad and the remains at Haus Khaz are located deeper in the southern suburbs.
Most sights have a different admission fee for Indians and foreigners and may also impose camera/video charges. Admission fees for foreigners are sometimes displayed in US Dollars but are payable in the Rupee equivalent.
The easiest way to travel from site to site is by taxi or auto-rickshaw. Sightseeing in Delhi can be exhausting - negotiating the urban sprawl and traffic is a long-drawn-out and tiring business, particularly in the heat, making it wise not to squeeze too much into a day.
To the south of Old Delhi and in complete contrast to it, is Rajpath and the buildings on Raisina Hill (Rashtrapati Bhavan and the Secretariat) which form the centrepiece of British New Delhi. After the clamour of the Old City, the calm elegance and baroque vistas of this most splendidly laid-out scheme is a welcome relief. Between Old Delhi and Rajpath is Connaught Place, the arcaded bull's eye of New Delhi, with shops, banks, bars, restaurants, hotels and oodles of pesky touts.
Heading south once more, through the leafy enclaves of New Delhi (which have an allure all of their own, as they are spacious, shady and lusciously green), the visitor will find the bulk of the ancient monuments of medieval Delhi. Humayun's Tomb, the Lodhi Gardens and various other sites, are readily accessible from the centre of the city. The Qutb Minar complex, the vast and formidable Tughluqabad and the remains at Haus Khaz are located deeper in the southern suburbs.
Most sights have a different admission fee for Indians and foreigners and may also impose camera/video charges. Admission fees for foreigners are sometimes displayed in US Dollars but are payable in the Rupee equivalent.
The easiest way to travel from site to site is by taxi or auto-rickshaw. Sightseeing in Delhi can be exhausting - negotiating the urban sprawl and traffic is a long-drawn-out and tiring business, particularly in the heat, making it wise not to squeeze too much into a day.
Tourist Information
Indiatourism Delhi (Government of India Tourist Office)
88 Janpath
Tel: (011) 2332 0008.
Website: www.incredibleindia.org
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1800, Sat 0900-1400.
88 Janpath
Tel: (011) 2332 0008.
Website: www.incredibleindia.org
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1800, Sat 0900-1400.
Passes
There are no tourist passes currently available in Delhi.
View Our Airport Guides for Delhi:
(New Delhi) Indira Gandhi International Airport
