The Best 3 Days in Delhi, India
Delhi, the incredibly chaotic capital of India, is home to some of the most incredible architecture India has to offer. Its ability to be an assault on the senses means it doesn’t have the best reputation, but we firmly believe you need to give Delhi a chance. We’ll be honest with you, we were dreading getting to Delhi. Everything we had read told us we would hate it but we were actually met with a modern city that is easy to get around thanks to the metro, welcoming people and extraordinary sights.
We stayed at Heistel Delhi which we found to be well-connected to the Metro however as it is a hostel, it was quite noisy.
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Contents
Day 1 – South and East Delhi
Akshardham
Price: Free
Akshardham is a Hindu temple complex on the banks of the Yamuna river. The temple was opened in November 2005, however, don’t let its modernness fool you; the mandir was largely hand-carved and uses no metal in its construction.
Within the grounds, there is also a beautiful garden with bronze statues celebrating the important people of India. As well as the garden you can find three exhibitions; a robot show, a theatre show and a boat ride, and a food court serving a delicious variety of food.
Sadly you aren’t allowed mobile phones, cameras or bags into Akshardham but they do provide a secure cloakroom to store these items.
India Gate
Price: Free
Our next stop is a quick one. Ask your Uber driver to stop off at the India Gate. The gate is a war memorial dedicated to the 70,000 Indian soldiers that died fighting for the British Army in World War I. The sandstone structure stands 42 metres tall and was constructed in 1921 by Edwin Lutyens.
India Gate is also known to be an excellent picnic spot and has a boating lake, children’s park and an evening light show.
Humayun’s Tomb
Price: Rs.600 (£6.50pp)
Before we arrived in Delhi, Humayun’s Tomb was at the top of our must-see list, and we were not disappointed. The tomb is a mix of Islamic and Hindu architecture that was commissioned by Humayun’s first and favourite wife. The red sandstone and white marble structure conform to Islamic symmetry values and inspired the Taj Mahal.
Gardens surround the tomb and provide the perfect shady spot to sit and reflect (no pun intended).
It’s easy to spend hours here, exploring the different tombs on the grounds. As well as Humayun’s Tomb there is also Barber’s Tomb and the Tomb of Isa Khan to see.
Lotus Temple
Price: Free
The Lotus Temple is a Baháʼí House of Worship that is open to all to come and visit. It is easy to identify due to its flower-like appearance, which is made up of 27 free-standing white marble “petals”. The temple itself is surrounded by lush green gardens with nine pools of water at the base of the petals.
We were also surprised to learn that the Lotus Temple uses solar power as a source of energy and is the first monument in New Delhi to do so.
Hauz Khas
Price: Free
To finish the day, explore the hip neighbourhood of Hauz Kaus. Here you can find some healthy eateries such as Hale and Hearty and bars like Social. Or, have a browse in the antique shops and art galleries before heading to the lake and the village park for a breather.
This leafy area has increased in popularity over the years and can be a good place to base yourself for your trip.
Day 2 – New Delhi
Connaught Place
Start your day walking through the white arches of Connaught Place. There are many Western shops and eateries here if you crave some home comforts, but there are also local Indian places to browse too. Each section is known as a “block” that circles around a central park area.
Don’t forget to grab one of the best coffees we had on our whole trip at Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters.
Janpath Market
Price: Free
Near Connaught Place, you will find Janpath Market. This is an Indian Market selling clothes, jewellery and souvenirs. In our case, we needed to get some trousers to replace the ones that ripped on the train and we had fun haggling with the different vendors.
Most stalls stock similar items so don’t be afraid to move on to the next stall for a better price.
Gurudwara Shri Bangla Sahib
Price: Free
Gurudwara Shri Bangla Sahib is a beautiful Sikh temple, one of the most prominent Sikh places of worship in Delhi. It was built to celebrate the eighth Sikh Guru, Guru Har Krishan, who provided water from the well during an epidemic. The building is constructed out of white marble which is almost too bright whilst the golden domes glimmer in the sunlight.
Pop into the visitors’ centre to learn the basics of the Sikh faith before walking clockwise around the sacred pool to the temple itself. There is also a community meal service host in the langer hall that serves free vegetarian meals to 10,000 people a day which is open to all visitors regardless of faith or background.
Lodhi Gardens
Price: Free
The fact that Lodhi Gardens is a free-to-enter city park blows our minds. There’s so much to see and do here that you could literally spend the day in the park. Tombs, mosques and other structures are scattered throughout the gardens for all to explore whilst there is also a rose garden, butterfly garden and a body weight gym.
Locals and tourists alike enjoy the park. Families play badminton, and friends take turns posing for the perfect photo, but most find a shady spot under a tree to just relax.
You wouldn’t think you were in the middle of India’s capital city whilst wandering around Lodhi Gardens. If you are after an escape from the buzzing city or you want a more chilled day, add this to your itinerary.
Day 3 – Old Delhi
Chandi Chowk
Price: Free
The day starts with breakfast in Chandi Chowk, visiting the famous Paranthe Wali Gali for some delicious stuffed flatbreads. We recommend either Babu Ram Parantha or Gaya Prasad Shiv Charan Paranthewaia to get your tasty paranthas.
If you are nervous about where to eat, we usually search for the best-reviewed places, look for somewhere with big queues and serving piping hot food. Alternatively, an excellent option is to go on a food tour where expert guides take you to the best foodie spots in Old Delhi.
Throughout the day you will keep returning to Chandi Chowk, whether it’s to reach your next destination, to have some mouth-watering street food or to browse the goods on offer. This is definitely the liveliest place in all of Delhi, making it incredibly exciting to explore.
Delhi’s Red Fort
Price: Rs 550 (£5.77pp)
Important: the Red Fort is closed on Mondays
Constructed in the 1600s by the Mughal Empire, Delhi’s Red Fort is similar to that of Agra Fort. This is due to Shah Jahan, leaving Agra to establish a new Mughal capital in what is now known as Old Delhi. As Shah Jahan liked the architecture of Agra Fort so much, he had the Red Fort modelled after it, using the same architect who built the Taj Mahal to make it even grander.
Today the lavishness has faded due to centuries of invasions and pilfering, however, most of the original buildings remain. A notable structure is the Lahore Gate, the main gate you enter the complex through that has visible bullet holes in its walls. The UNESCO World Heritage Site takes its name from the red sandstone it has been built out of but surprisingly there are a few white marble buildings within the grounds.
Take a few hours to explore and enjoy some peace from the chaoticness of Old Delhi beyond the wall.
Jama Masjid Mosque
Price: Free entry but Rs 300 camera charge and Rs 100pp charge for climbing the tower
A 10-minute walk from the Red Fort, you will find the Jama Masjid Mosque, another building credited to Shah Jahan. Jama Masjid is one of the largest mosques in India that can hold 25,000 people in its courtyard. Similarly to his other buildings, this mosque is also made up of red sandstone with white marble interjected throughout.
If you climb the minaret tower on the south side you will have amazing views over Old Delhi including the Red Fort and Chandi Chowk.
Restaurant Worth A Shoutout
We were staying in Saket, South Delhi and a restaurant we returned to multiple times was Altogether Experimental. Whilst this wasn’t the most budget-friendly option we truly loved its laidback vibe with soft acoustic music, and the incredible food such as the Korean Fried Chicken Burger or the Baked Yogurt Granola Parfait. This restaurant was an oasis in the mania of Delhi and we highly recommend you visit if you are in the area.
Thank you for reading our post on Delhi. Why not check out our other India posts for more travel inspiration:
- The Best 10 Things To Do in Mumbai, India
- 3 days in Mumbai, India: The Ultimate Itinerary
- Our 2-day Itinerary in Beautiful Udaipur, India
- Jodhpur, India: How to Explore the Blue City in One Day
- How To Spend One Day In Agra, India
Let us know in the comments box below if you have any further suggestions 🙂
