2 days in Delhi

Day by day

1. Day 1: Red Fort and Jama Masjid

   Red Fort, Jama Masjid, Chandni Chowk and Khari Baoli spice market, then India Gate and Kartavya Path in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Red Fort

      Inside the Lahori Gate are the Hall of Public Audiences (Diwan-i-Aam), the marble Hall of Private Audiences and museums on Indian independence. India's prime minister addresses the nation from its ramparts every 15 August.

   2. Late morning

      Jama Masjid

      Climbing the southern minaret gives a view over Old Delhi's rooftops to the Red Fort.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Butter chicken

      Punjabi restaurants across the city, especially around Daryaganj and in South Delhi markets.

   4. Afternoon

      Chandni Chowk

      Side lanes specialise in parathas, silver jewellery, wedding cards and perfumes, and much of the main street is now pedestrianised by day.

   5. Late afternoon

      Khari Baoli spice market

      Stairs in the Gadodia Market building lead to a rooftop with views over the market and Fatehpuri Masjid.

   6. Evening

      India Gate and Kartavya Path

      Come after sunset when the arch is lit and the lawns fill with families; the area is free and open.

2. Day 2: Humayun's Tomb and Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah

   Humayun's Tomb, Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah, Sunder Nursery and Qutb Minar, then Gurudwara Bangla Sahib in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Humayun's Tomb

      The complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, also includes the octagonal tomb of Isa Khan.

   2. Late morning

      Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah

      In the evenings, especially on Thursdays, qawwali singers perform devotional songs in the courtyard, drawing large crowds.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Dal makhani

      Punjabi restaurants and dhabas throughout Delhi.

   4. Afternoon

      Sunder Nursery

      Its lawns and paths are well kept and calm.

   5. Late afternoon

      Qutb Minar

      The complex also holds the Alai Darwaza gateway and an iron pillar more than 1,500 years old that has resisted rust.

   6. Evening

      Gurudwara Bangla Sahib

      Cover your head (scarves are provided), remove shoes and socks, and sit on the floor to share the langar meal.

Before you go

If it rains

• Swap in Gandhi Smriti (Lutyens' Delhi): Follow the concrete footsteps in the garden that trace Gandhi's final walk to the prayer ground.
• Swap in National Crafts Museum (Pragati Maidan): Leave time for the textile gallery and the craftspeople's stalls, which sell work directly from the makers.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 15–17 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 10.3 hours in December to 14 hours in June.

Getting between stops: Metro. Colour-coded lines run from early morning to around midnight; the first coach in the direction of travel is reserved for women.

More or fewer days

• One day in Delhi
• 3 days in Delhi
• 5 days in Delhi

Questions travellers ask