Top 5 places to see in New Delhi: Travel Guide

Are you thinking about traveling to India and not sure whether it’s worth spending a few days in New Delhi? Do you want to know the best places to visit in New Delhi?

New Delhi, the capital of India, is a fascinating blend of ancient history and modernity. The city reflects centuries of Mughal and British colonial history. At the same time, its bustling urban life, colorful markets, and delicious local cuisine offer a unique multicultural experience.

I took advantage of my vacation to fly to New Delhi and travel around northern India for three weeks. If there was one country left on my list after six years in Asia, it was India. The Southeast Asian countries are all magnificent but share some similarities, and after several years living in China, I needed something completely different. The country of contrasts and colors seemed like the ideal destination.

In this post, we will discuss the best places to visit in New Delhi, the most populous city in the country and the fifth most populous in the world. Let’s get started!

How to get from New Delhi airport to the city center?

I traveled with two friends. From Kunming (Yunnan) to New Delhi it only takes 5 hour flight, so we were quite close. Just arriving at the airport of New Delhi, once we got rupees we went to the office of Prepaid Taxi. In that office you say where you want to go and pay the fare in advance.

You go outside the airport to look for the black taxi queue. You give the taxi driver the receipt for the journey and that’s it. Very easy and uncomplicated. This is a very useful service for those of you who don’t want to waste time negotiating a taxi or are afraid of being ripped off just to get there. Because, don’t worry, you’ll get ripped off sooner or later.

What to see in New Delhi?

1. The Tomb of Humayun

The first place we visited was Humayun’s Tomb, a complex of buildings dedicated to Humayun, an ancient emperor of the Mughal Empire. This entire complex has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993.

Within the complex, we find tombs and mosques of Mughal architecture, an ancient empire that existed between the 16th and 19th centuries and spanned much of the territories of present-day India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.

Humayun’s Tomb, dating back to the 16th century, is considered the precursor to the style of the Taj Mahal. Just seeing the tomb from afar, with its symmetrical and imposing reddish structure, you know that it was worth coming here.

Inside the complex, we can also enjoy:

• The beautiful Isa Khan’s Blue Mosque.
• The Tombs of the Nobles and the Royal Family.
• The Afsarwala Tomb, of an important Mongol official.
• The Fahim Khan Tomb, a building with a large blue dome called Nila Gumbad.

For foreigners, the entrance fee is 500 rupees (6 euros) and for Indians, it’s 50 rupees (60 cents).

2. The Chandni Chowk bazaar

Chandni Chowk is located in the old part of Delhi. Rather, it’s the heart of old Delhi and still beats strongly. It’s one of the oldest markets in the city. It is located right in front of the Red Fort and is characterized by its chaotic streets crowded with people.

Just arriving, you are practically thrown over by rickshaw drivers (lightweight two-wheeled vehicles pushed by a person on foot or on the pedals of a bicycle). They offer you a ride through the market while they guide you. The price for the ride is negotiable and the guiding function is included in exchange for a tip at the end of the ride.

They all speak perfect English and babble a little Spanish, French, German, Chinese… And any language they can use to attract customers. The price of their services is very cheap as they charge commissions for taking you to other shops during their walks.

We agreed to pay 500 rupees (6euros) for a two-hour rickshaw ride. After 30 minutes and not having gone more than 500 meters through the congested streets of Chandni Chowk we decided that it was better to get off and walk.

Walking the streets of Chandni Chowk

As you wander through its saturated streets, your senses try to get used to so much movement, so much noise and so many smells as you go around people, cars, motorbikes, bikes, cows…

You don’t have time to assimilate everything that’s going on around you. In the end, you just let yourself go. During the tour our friendly and knowledgeable guide warns us several times to watch out for pickpockets.

He takes us to a tea and spice shop where he shows us various blends that exist in India. He expects us to buy something to take a small commission and of course we end up buying some tea.

In this tangled market, you can find everything: spices, nuts, clothes, jewelry, carpets, tapestries, religious ornaments, local delicacies, etc. And if that’s not enough, you can also stop and visit different types of temples, such as: Hindu, Buddhist, a Sikh temple, a Christian church, mosques…

3. The Khari Baoli Spice Market

We continue our journey to the Khari Baoli spice market, which is located inside the Chandni Chowk bazaar. Just entering we start coughing, our eyes sting and we have to cover our faces because of the dusty atmosphere surrounding the place.

We come across giant sacks of all kinds of spices, nuts, herbs and tea. Although it is a wholesale market where traders from all over Delhi come to buy, if you want, you can also buy small quantities.

We go up to the roof of one of the buildings and watch the sunset over the Old Delhi. A few meters away we saw some monkeys prowling around the roofs looking for something to put in their mouths, and we took the opportunity to give them a couple of bananas that we carried.

With this first contact with the wild fauna of India we finish our route through the crazy market of Chandni Chowk and we go back home. In my opinion, if you go to Delhi, and want to see the most authentic India it is worth visiting this chaotic and labyrinthine market. Mind you, you might not want to come back once you’ve seen it.

4. Visit to the Lotus Temple

The next day we went to visit the Lotus Temple, the most modern temple I have seen so far. Built in 1986, it is characterized by its spectacular white structure in the shape of a lotus flower.

Besides, for being a temple open to all religions. The entrance is free. Anyone can go to pray or meditate as long as they are respectful of other religions.

5. Hauz Khas, the “hipster quarter” of New Delhi

In the afternoon we went to a neighborhood called Hauz Khas, which is known as the “bohemian area of Delhi” or the “hipster neighborhood”. In this neighborhood, there is a huge park with a lake and beautiful gardens where you can walk among tombs and old buildings in ruins.

There is also an area of bars and shops where you can go shopping or have a drink in the evening. If you are looking for a relax walk during the day or party at night, this is the place for you.

Is New Delhi worth visiting?

What’s surprising about New Delhi is that it’s entirely made up of residential neighborhoods. Today, everything is too far apart, and everything looks too similar. Perhaps that’s why, and because of the pollution, the capital of India is not really a tourist city.

Unfortunately, it also ranks as the most polluted city in the world. It’s estimated that pollution causes 10,000 premature deaths every year, and it has even exceeded the levels considered acceptable by the World Health Organization by up to twenty times.

Few people stay for more than a day, but we stayed two nights in New Delhi, taking advantage of having a friend living there in Great Kalaish, a residential neighborhood. Although I didn’t expect much from Delhi, I have to admit that the capital surprised me.

There’s a large number of well-preserved ancient monuments, different types of temples, big bazaars, enormous parks, and lots of street life. Still, with two days in New Delhi, you’ll have more than enough.

To get around the city, the most comfortable option is to use a tuk-tuk. If you’re in a group, it’s also worth using the Ola app to order a taxi. It’s ideal since it offers the option to pay in cash, saving you the hassle of negotiating.

From New Delhi to Agra

Our third day in India we left New Delhi to Agra to see the amazing Taj Mahal. In my next article I will tell you about our experience visiting the most famous funeral monument in the world (with permission from the Pyramids of Egypt).

If you find this post about What to see in New Delhi interesting and useful, you can help us to keep growing: rcomment on it and/or share it. You can also subscribe to the blog for updates, and if you plan to go to India, you should read these posts:

• Tips for Travelling in India
• The Golden Temple of Amritsar: Discovering the Sikh Religion
• Rishikesh, the world’s capital of Yoga.

Live like you’re going to die tomorrow, learn like you’re going to live forever.

– Mahatma Gandhi –