New Delhi is as hectic as it gets. It’s aromas, colors and sounds will overwhelm you! There is so much happening in every corner. New Delhi has a wonderful old town where you can experience incredible Indian culture. Wander around and discover all the amazing things to do in New Delhi.
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How to get to New Delhi
You can reach the capital from any other major city by train or flight, maybe with one change. When it comes to bus, there are multiple bus stops and stations around the city. Check with particular company.
Best time to visit
Best time to visit New Delhi is definitely December – March. These are the winter months. The humidity levels are very pleasant. When it’s sunny, expect nice warm days. Otherwise it can be a bit cold. Especially early mornings and late nights are really cold. Sometimes temperatures might drop to 10 degrees. Make sure you pack some warm clothes with you! In these months you don’t really need to book AC rooms. The summer months can be very unbearable for sightseeing. It’s hot and humid. The air polution might also be higher.
How to get around
Getting around New Delhi was very easy, fast and reliable thanks to their metro system. You can take subway to probably all of the most famous attractions in the city! And it’s also cheaper than using tuktuks. Plus you will avoid all the traffic jams. But if you really need to, there is many tuktuks available everywhere.
Apart from Old Delhi and Chandni Chowk. During daytime motorized vehicles are not allowed here. You can still use cycling rickshaws.
Where to stay
Low budget
Most low-budget hotels are in Paharganj area. It’s a good place to stay. You will find a lot of cheap streetfood options here. There is also a long Bazar street. A place we would recommend is Hotel Ials Haveli. It has quite cozy rooms.
Mid budget
Fo mid budget we would recommend staying at Home@37. Located close to metro station, you will be able to get around Delhi easily. Rooms look very lovely. The hotel also feature a nice dining area.
High budget
If your budget is higher, we recommend Haveli Dharampura. It is located right in the middle of Old Delhi! We only had a dinner at this place but it was lovely! One of the most delicious Indian dinners we had. They offer kite flying from their wonderful rooftop. The rooms are very cozy and the whole place gives you a royal feeling. The architecture is full of intricate details. We are sure you will love this little peaceful paradise in the middle of all that chaos. You can check their official website here.
11 Top things to do in New Delhi
1. Explore Old Delhi and Chandni Chowk street
We read that Chandni Chowk is extremely busy area. From our experience, we have to disagree. Motorized vehicles are not allowed here during day. That menas there’s almost no honking! We came during weekday and it was not even too crowded. There is many different shops and restaurants. You can find probably everything on Chandni Chowk street. It’s a wonderful place to explore! Full of delicious streetfood.
2. Yamuna Ghat
Price: 500 rupee / hour
You might have seen this place on Instagram. That’s what made it so famous! The main attraction here is a boat ride surrounded by hundreds of seagulls. Best time to come to witness this is definitely sunrise. Come earlier and secure your spot on a boat! It gets really crowded. If you’re lucky enough you will experience incredible sunrise here! We came on a very foggy morning. But it was still amazing. We paid around 500 rupee (6€) for a private both for 2. Another guy offered us a spot on a boat with another 20 people for 1000 rupee per person !! You can reach this place by a tuktuk from Kashmere Gate subway station.
3. Champa Gali
Champa Gali is a beautiful cozy area full of western style cafes. It is a bit far from everything else in the city but so worth it! You can choose from multiple cafes. They all look really cozy. We went to Jugmug Thela and oh boy was it a good decision! Their food is super delicious and the cafes and deserts they offer are incredible! Try their Koka Moca!
4. Spice Bazar in Old Delhi
You can combine exploring Chandni Chowk with visiting the spice bazar. The bazar should be located at Khari Baoli road (map). After visiting spice markets in Istanbul, I had different expectation. We only saw a few types of spices here. Most shops were selling nuts. And there was many other shops with clothes and other stuff.
5. Lotus temple
Price: free
Opening hours: 8:30am – 6pm
Lotus temple is a place where Bahai faith is worshipped. Shortly, this faith resepcts and welcomes all nationalities and religions. Everyone is welcome! You have to pass a security check. Food is not allowed here. There is no entrance fee. You will be asked to take your shoes off. Either carry them with you or store them in their cloak room.
6. Agrasen ki Baoli stepwell
One of many beautiful stepwells – underground gems all around India (mostly north)! This one is narrow and you can get all the way down! The symetrical architecture is truly captivating! And another big plus is that there’s not so many turists here. No entrance fee is collected.
7. Budget shopping at Main Bazar Road
You can find Main Bazar road in Paharganj area. This is the are full of cheap stays and delicious streetfood! There’s so many beautiful clothes and ponchos everyhwere! And those prices… Make sure you leave some space in your bag for this. You can also get different ayurvedic products – creams, balms or incense and essential oils. There is a few tatoo and henna studios, but I wouldn’t be too sure about the hygienic side.
8. Lal Kuan Bazar Road (Old Delhi)
We only found this place by accident after exploring spice bazar. This road is full of fresh vegetable and fruits! Street vendors are everywhere. You can also find different products such as cloths, sarees, make-up etc. It is a very busy place though. Full of tuktuks, scooters and people. Typical Indian adventure!
9. India Gate
India gate is a 42m tall war memorial. It looks a bit similar to french Arc de Triomph. It was built to commemorate lives of Indian soldiers fighting in World War I. Expect many people here. It is a very popular attraction. If you have time you can also come here at night. The whole gate is lit up after sunset.
10. Jama Masjid (Old Delhi)
Price: 500 rupee
Opening hours: 7 am – 12pm, 1:30pm – 6:30pm
Jama Masjid is one of the largest mosques in India. You can find in Old Delhi. Entry fee for locals is around 50 rupees (0.7€). Foreigners have to pay 500 rupee (7€). You might be charged exra for photography. Don’t forget to cover yourself properly. Otherwise you won’t be allowed to enter. The mosque is open from 7am until 6:30pm.
11. Connaught Place
Connaught place is mostly known for the nightlife. This area offers multiple bars where you can enjoy your chilled beer or a nice cocktail. Apart from that, you will find many branded stores here. After experiencing nightlife of other Asian country, I gotta say this is much calmer and relaxed. We only saw a few bars around. Kitty Su nightclub is supposedly the most popular one. You can also watch a movie at PVR Plaza cinema!
