This is Delhi, city of contrasts, where an elephant can overtake an overheated Italian sports car on the streets, where colonial mansion stands next to squatter slum, and where cows are revered, but musicians are labelled ‘untouchable’. The city’s pace is chaotic, yet fairly relaxed, and makes it ideal for exploring. You’re certain to be confronted with some strange and exotic sights.

With a long and troubled history, Delhi is full of fascinating temples, museums, mosques and forts, each with a distinct architectural style. In Old Delhi, visitors will find a charming selection of colourful bazaars and narrow winding alleys. In comparison, New Delhi - the city created to reflect the might of the British Empire - consists of tree-lined avenues, spacious parks and sombre-looking government buildings.

Delhi Attractions

Red Fort

The Red Fort, known locally as Lal Quila, is Delhi’s signature attraction, rising high above the clamour of Old Delhi as a reminder of the wealth and power of the Mogul empire. The massive sandstone walls were built in the 17th century to keep out marauding invaders and still dominate the skyline today. Inside are an array of exquisite buildings, which once provided the living quarters for Shah Jehan, his courtiers, family and staff of three thousand. Visitors can marvel at the intricate decoration and only imagine the scenes here at the empire’s height when the walls were studded with precious stones and a ’stream of paradise’ drove an ingenious air conditioning system. The fort was the scene of the Indian uprising of 1857 and the mighty Lahore Gate, on the west side of the fort, remains a potent symbol in the fight for Independence.

 
Qutb Minar

The Qutb Minar is a mammoth tower that was built between 1193 and 1369 to symbolise Islamic rule over Delhi and commemorate the victory by Qutab-ud-din over the city’s last Hindu kingdom. Standing 238ft (72m) tall, the tower is decorated with calligraphy representing verses from the Koran and tapers from a 50ft (15m) diameter at the base to just 8ft (2.5m) at the top. There are five distinct stories each encircled with a balcony, the first three are built of red sandstone, and the upper two are faced with white marble. At the foot of the minhar, stands Quwwat-ul-Islam, India’s oldest mosque, which is built largely from the remains of 27 Hindu and Jain temples that were destroyed by the new Muslim rulers of India. The cloisters that flank the nearby courtyard are supported by pillars that were unmistakably pilfered from Hindu temples. Faces of the decorative figures have been removed to conform to Islamic law, which strictly forbids iconic worship. Incongruously, in the corner of the mosque, stands an Iron Pillar, bearing fourth-century Sanskrit inscriptions of the Gupta period attributing it to the memory of King Chandragupta II (373-413). It is said that anyone who can encircle it with their hands whilst standing with their back to it will have their wishes fulfilled.

 
Humayun’s Tomb

Humayun’s Tomb is one of the best-preserved and beautiful examples of Mogul architecture in Delhi and is often seen as a forerunner of the Taj Mahal in Agra. Building started on the tomb in 1564 after the death of Humayun, the second Moghul emperor; it was overseen by Haji Begum, his senior widow and the mother of Akbar. The tomb is an octagonal structure capped by a double dome that soars 125ft (38m) into the sky and is set in a formal Persian garden. In the grounds are some other monuments, including the Tomb of Isa Khan.
 

Best time to visit

The best time to visit Delhi is in October-November and in February-March, when the nights are cool and the days filled with mellow sunshine. December and January can be a little gloomy in Delhi while mid-summer (May, June and July) is very hot with temperatures over 45C; it is a dry heat and is sometimes accompanied by dusty desert winds. Most of the rain falls between July and September but they are not the tropical rains you’ll experience in India’s coastal cities.

Getting there

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