City guides
Delhi
Delhi is India's huge, noisy and fascinating capital, where Mughal forts and tombs with Persian inscriptions sit beside wide British-era avenues and modern malls. It rewards patience: the sights are world class and food is cheap, but traffic, crowds, touts and winter smog can wear visitors out, so a calm plan matters.
Good for
- History and architecture
- Food
- Shopping
- Budget travel
- Taj Mahal trip
A good length: 5 days
See one area per day, start early before the heat and traffic, rest in the afternoon, and keep one full day for the Taj Mahal in Agra.
Best months
February, March, October
Per person per day
- Budget
- US$35
- Mid-range
- US$90
- Comfort
- US$250
Per person per day in 2026, sharing a double room: bed, three meals and metro or app rides. Monument tickets for foreigners and the Agra train are extra.
Where to stay and spend time
Connaught Place
Stay or visitThe central ring of white colonnaded buildings, with shops, restaurants, banks and money changers, and the best metro links in the city. The Iranian embassy is a short walk away.
For: First-timers, families, older travellers
Watch out: Touts here offer 'tourist office' help or tell you a place is closed; walk on.
Open in mapPaharganj
Good baseThe cheapest hotel area, right next to New Delhi railway station, where the Airport Express metro line ends.
For: Young budget travellers
Watch out: Dirty, crowded lanes and many fake travel offices; not a good choice for families or older travellers.
Open in mapOld Delhi
Worth a visitThe walled Mughal city of Shahjahanabad, with the Red Fort, Jama Masjid, Chandni Chowk bazaar and famous halal kebab streets.
For: History and food lovers
Watch out: Very crowded and hard to walk with a stroller or for older people; use a cycle rickshaw and watch your pockets.
Open in mapKarol Bagh
Good baseA busy market district with many mid-range hotels, a big clothes and jewellery market and its own metro stations.
For: Mid-budget families, shoppers
Watch out: Traffic and noise are heavy; ask for a room away from the street.
Open in mapLodhi and Nizamuddin
Stay or visitGreen and calmer, with Lodhi Garden, Humayun's Tomb, Sunder Nursery and Khan Market's cafés and bookshops close together.
For: Couples, older travellers, culture lovers
Watch out: Hotels here are mostly upscale or small guesthouses, so book early.
Open in mapSouth Delhi: Hauz Khas and Saket
Stay or visitLeafy residential areas with big malls in Saket, the lake and old ruins at Hauz Khas and easy access to Qutub Minar.
For: Families who want malls and quieter streets, young couples
Watch out: Far from Old Delhi; allow an hour each way by metro.
Open in mapAerocity
Good baseA neat hotel district beside the airport with international chain hotels, restaurants and an Airport Express metro stop.
For: Short stopovers, late or early flights
Watch out: Nothing to see around it; you will travel 30 to 60 minutes to every sight.
Open in mapLajpat Nagar
Worth a visitA big clothes and household market that is also the centre of Delhi's Afghan community, with Dari signs, Afghan bakeries and kebab houses where you can speak Persian.
For: Shoppers, Persian speakers
Watch out: Very crowded in the evening and at weekends.
Open in map
Places worth your time
- Sights
Red Fort
Old Delhi · 2 hours
The great red sandstone palace fort of the Mughal emperors. Look for the famous Persian verse about paradise on earth in the private audience hall. Closed on Mondays; buy tickets online to skip the queue.
- SightsFree
Jama Masjid
Old Delhi · 1 hour
One of India's largest mosques, built by Shah Jahan, with a huge courtyard and views over Old Delhi. Dress modestly, remove shoes, and avoid prayer times if you only want to look around.
- MarketsFree
Chandni Chowk
Old Delhi · 2 to 3 hours
Old Delhi's main bazaar street, with side lanes for spices, fabrics and wedding goods. Hire a cycle rickshaw for the narrow lanes and keep your bag in front.
- Sights
Humayun's Tomb
Lodhi and Nizamuddin · 1 to 2 hours
A garden tomb designed by a Persian architect, an early model for the Taj Mahal. Iranians will recognise the Persian garden and dome style. Late afternoon light is beautiful.
- Sights
Qutub Minar
South Delhi · 1 to 2 hours
A very tall stone minaret from the 12th century, covered in carved bands, inside a complex of early mosque ruins. Go early morning to avoid crowds and heat.
- ViewsFree
India Gate and Kartavya Path
Central Delhi · 1 hour
A war memorial arch at the end of a long ceremonial avenue with lawns. Families come in the evening when it is lit and cooler.
- ParksFree
Lodhi Garden
Lodhi and Nizamuddin · 1 hour
A large, peaceful park with old tombs among the trees, popular with local walkers in the morning. Flat paths and benches make it good for older travellers.
- Parks
Sunder Nursery
Lodhi and Nizamuddin · 1 to 2 hours
A restored Mughal-style garden park next to Humayun's Tomb, with water channels, restored tombs and clean lawns. Combine it with Humayun's Tomb.
- SightsFree
Akshardham
East Delhi · 2 to 3 hours
A huge, richly carved modern Hindu temple complex with an evening water show. Closed on Mondays. Phones and bags are not allowed inside, so leave them at the lockers or at the hotel.
- SightsFree
Lotus Temple
South Delhi · 1 hour
A white building shaped like a lotus flower, set in gardens. Visitors sit in silence inside; the queue moves fast. Closed on Mondays.
- Museums
National Museum
Central Delhi · 2 hours
India's main history museum, from ancient sculpture to Mughal miniatures and Persian manuscripts. A cool indoor plan for a hot afternoon. Closed on Mondays.
- Shopping
Dilli Haat INA
South Delhi · 2 hours
An open-air crafts market with stalls from every Indian state and regional food. Calmer and cleaner than the old bazaars, and right next to INA metro station.
- ParksFree
Hauz Khas Village and lake
South Delhi · 2 hours
Medieval ruins and a madrasa overlooking a lake and deer park, with cafés and boutiques in the lanes beside it. Best at sunset.
- Day trips
Taj Mahal, Agra
Day trip from Delhi · Full day
Take a fast morning train (under 2 hours) and return in the evening. The Taj is closed on Fridays; the foreigner ticket is about 1,100 rupees plus 200 for the main tomb (2026). Book trains 30 or more days ahead in winter.
- ShoppingFree
Lajpat Nagar Central Market
Lajpat Nagar · 2 hours
A busy market for clothes, fabrics and household goods at local prices, with Afghan bakeries and kebab houses nearby. Bargain politely.
Getting around
From the airport
Airport Express metro (Orange Line)about 20 min
From Terminal 3 to New Delhi station, with stops at Aerocity and Shivaji Stadium near Connaught Place. Fast, clean and air-conditioned; trains run from about 5 am to about 11 pm. Buy a QR ticket at the counter or in the metro app.
about 60 to 75 rupees (2026)
Prepaid taxiabout 45 min
Pay at the official prepaid taxi booth inside arrivals and get a printed slip with the fare. Give the slip to the driver only at the end of the ride. Ignore drivers who approach you in the hall.
about 450 to 550 rupees to Connaught Place (2026)
Uber or Olaabout 45 min
Book in the app and walk to the marked ride-hailing pickup area in the car park. You need mobile data, so sort out a SIM or eSIM first. Pay cash if your card does not work.
about 350 to 550 rupees, more at rush hour (2026)
In the city
Delhi Metro
The best way around: cheap, air-conditioned and signed in English. Buy QR tickets at counters or in the official app, or a 1-day or 3-day tourist card. The first carriage is for women only. Every station has a security check.
App autos and cabs
Book an auto-rickshaw or car on Uber, Ola or Rapido to get a fixed fare without bargaining. Carry small notes, as drivers rarely have change for 500 rupee notes.
Cycle rickshaws and e-rickshaws
Useful for short hops in Old Delhi's narrow lanes and from metro stations. Agree the price before you sit down.
Taxis and ride apps
Use Uber, Ola or Rapido rather than street autos and taxis, which often refuse the meter for tourists. If you take a street auto, agree the full price before getting in. At stations and the airport use only official prepaid booths. Expect surge prices in the morning and evening rush.
On foot
Delhi is spread out and pavements are often broken, blocked or missing, and crossing big roads is stressful. Walk inside parks, monument grounds, Connaught Place and markets, and use the metro or an app ride between areas, especially with children or older people.
Food
Halal food: Halal food is easy. Old Delhi around Jama Masjid and Matia Mahal street is the heart of Mughlai halal cooking, with kebabs, nihari and haleem, and Nizamuddin has more. Muslim-owned restaurants are the usual sign of halal; in other places ask, because some kitchens use non-halal meat. Vegetarian food is everywhere and always a safe choice.
Persian food and community: There is no Iranian neighbourhood, but Lajpat Nagar and nearby Bhogal are home to Delhi's Afghan community, with Dari signs, Afghan bread, kebabs and Persian speakers. The Iran Culture House on Tilak Marg holds Persian library, film and art events.
- Drink only sealed bottled water and avoid ice and raw salads from street stalls for the first days.
- Ask for food 'less spicy' for children and older people.
- Eat street food where locals queue and the food is cooked hot in front of you.
- Indian sweets and chai are cheap and everywhere; try them at busy, well-known shops.
Money and phone
Cash: Bring clean US dollars and change some at the airport, then the rest at authorised money changers in Connaught Place, comparing rates. Bank ATMs accept foreign Visa and Mastercard. Keep many small notes for rickshaws, tips and markets.
Cards: Iranian cards do not work. Most Indians pay with UPI phone payments, which need an Indian bank account or a wallet loaded from a foreign card, so they are not a practical option for most Iranian visitors. Hotels, malls and chain restaurants take Visa or Mastercard issued outside Iran. Otherwise plan to pay cash.
SIM and internet: Airtel has a counter in the Terminal 3 arrivals hall. Bring your passport, visa, a photo and your hotel address; activation can take a few hours. Airport tourist SIMs cost about 800 rupees for a month (2026) and kiosks often want cash in rupees.
What travellers say
Advice that travellers from many countries repeat, chosen for Iranian visitors.
- October, February and March are the most pleasant months. November to January brings heavy smog; April to June is extremely hot.
- Check the air quality index each morning in winter and wear an N95 mask on bad days.
- Many monuments sell cheaper, faster tickets online; book the Red Fort, Qutub Minar and Taj Mahal online.
- The Red Fort is closed on Mondays and the Taj Mahal on Fridays.
- Start sightseeing early; traffic between areas can take an hour or more.
- Book Agra trains well ahead in winter, on the official railway site or through your hotel.
- Dress modestly, especially in Old Delhi and at religious sites, and carry socks for walking barefoot in hot courtyards.
- Use the metro whenever you can; it avoids traffic and touts.
For Iranian travellers
- Iranians need an Indian visa (see our visa page). Since April 2026 you must also fill the online e-Arrival Card within 3 days before landing in Delhi.
- The Iranian embassy is at 5 Barakhamba Road, a short walk from Connaught Place.
- Bring US dollars in cash; Iranian cards do not work and ATMs only help if you have a card issued abroad.
- Delhi's Mughal past is full of Persian: the Red Fort, Humayun's Tomb and Old Delhi carry Persian inscriptions, and the poet Ghalib's house is in Old Delhi.
- Persian is understood by Afghans in Lajpat Nagar and by some older shopkeepers in Old Delhi; English works almost everywhere else.
- Women travellers may get stares and unwanted attention; use the women-only metro carriage and app rides at night.
Stay safe
- Near New Delhi railway station and in Paharganj, people pretending to be officials say your hotel or train is cancelled and take you to a fake 'tourist office'. Ignore them; the real India Tourism office is at 88 Janpath.
- At the airport and stations, use only the prepaid booth or an app; unofficial drivers can charge several times the fare.
- Pickpockets work in Chandni Chowk, busy markets and crowded metro trains.
- Do not accept food or drinks from strangers on trains or buses.
- Emergency number: 112 for police, ambulance and fire.
Checked 7 November 2026