One day 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

      Buy entry tickets online to save time and money, and combine the fort with Chandni Chowk and Jama Masjid on foot. Allow 2 hours.

   2. Late morning

      Jama Masjid

      Enter by Gate 1 or 3, dress modestly (robes are lent at the gate), and avoid prayer times, especially Friday midday. Allow 1 hour.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Butter chicken

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

   4. Afternoon

      Chandni Chowk

      Hire a cycle-rickshaw for the lanes, and go with a food-walk guide if you want to try street food safely. Allow Half a day.

   5. Late afternoon

      Khari Baoli spice market

      Cover your nose and mouth with a scarf when chillies are being unloaded, and ask a shopkeeper or guide to show you the rooftop. Allow 1 hour.

   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.

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 8–9 hours of visiting over one day, 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

• 2 days in Delhi
• 3 days in Delhi
• 5 days in Delhi

Questions travellers ask