A traveler's guide to Delhi
Do less than the list suggests. Delhi exhausts people who try to see every era before lunch.
Delhi is several cities sharing a sprawl: Mughal tombs, Lutyens' avenues, and old lanes that sell you breakfast and a sari in the same block. The monuments need early starts. The food needs curiosity. The haze and the traffic need patience.
When to go
October to March is the comfortable season, with cool mornings and sometimes serious smog. Check the air. Summer is extremely hot. The monsoon greens the city and slows the roads. Republic Day week changes security around the center.
Neighborhoods
Old Delhi with a guide or a very clear plan, early. The government axis and India Gate for scale. South Delhi for dinner and a more breathable base. Humayun's tomb or another garden monument when the old city has been enough.
Eating
Parathas, butter chicken in a room that has earned it, chaat, and Mughlai grills. Old Delhi will overfeed you if you let every stall win. Choose three things. South Delhi dining rooms are the contrast, not the replacement.
If you only remember this
- A driver for the day is often simpler than assembling taxis.
- Air quality can be a reason to move a day indoors.
- Cover shoulders at places of worship.
- Start early. The middle of the day is heat or haze or both.