Things to do · Delhi · India
20 best things to do in Delhi
20 sights and experiences ranked for a first visit, with honest notes on time, cost and crowds.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Bikashrd, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
The essential sights in Delhi are Red Fort, Jama Masjid and Chandni Chowk. Of the 20 picks below, 13 are free, 2 work on a rainy day and 5 suit children. Allow about 4 days to see the highlights without rushing.
Key facts
- Top sight
- Red Fort
- Free sights
- 13
- Good on a rainy day
- Gandhi Smriti
- Time to see the highlights
- 4 days
At a glance
| Sight | Area | Time needed | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Fort | Old Delhi | 2 hours | Low cost |
| Jama Masjid | Old Delhi | 1 hour | Free |
| Chandni Chowk | Old Delhi | Half a day | Free |
| Humayun's Tomb | Nizamuddin | 1.5–2 hours | Low cost |
| Qutb Minar | Mehrauli | 1.5 hours | Low cost |
| India Gate and Kartavya Path | Lutyens' Delhi | 1 hour | Free |
| Khari Baoli spice market | Old Delhi | 1 hour | Free |
| Gurudwara Bangla Sahib | Connaught Place | 1 hour | Free |
| Lodhi Garden | Lutyens' Delhi | 1–2 hours | Free |
| Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah | Nizamuddin | 1–1.5 hours | Free |
| Swaminarayan Akshardham | East Delhi | 3 hours | Free |
| Lotus Temple | Kalkaji | 1 hour | Free |
| Gandhi Smriti | Lutyens' Delhi | 1–1.5 hours | Free |
| Agrasen ki Baoli | Connaught Place | 30 minutes | Free |
| Hauz Khas Complex | Hauz Khas Village | 1 hour | Free |
| Mehrauli Archaeological Park | Mehrauli | 1.5–2 hours | Free |
| Sunder Nursery | Nizamuddin | 1.5 hours | Low cost |
| National Rail Museum | Lutyens' Delhi | 2 hours | Low cost |
| National Crafts Museum | Pragati Maidan | 1.5–2 hours | Low cost |
| Rashtrapati Bhavan | Lutyens' Delhi | 2 hours | Low cost |
The 20 best things to do
Castle · Old Delhi
1.Red Fort
Shah Jahan's red sandstone palace-fortress, completed in 1648, was the seat of Mughal emperors for two centuries. 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.
Buy entry tickets online to save time and money, and combine the fort with Chandni Chowk and Jama Masjid on foot.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
Religious site · Old Delhi
2.Jama Masjid
Completed in 1656, this is one of India's largest mosques, with a courtyard that can hold some 25,000 worshippers, three marble domes and two tall minarets. Climbing the southern minaret gives a view over Old Delhi's rooftops to the Red Fort.
Enter by Gate 1 or 3, dress modestly (robes are lent at the gate), and avoid prayer times, especially Friday midday.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
- Free
- Views
Street · Old Delhi
3.Chandni Chowk
Old Delhi's main 17th-century boulevard runs from the Red Fort to Fatehpuri Masjid, passing Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib, a Jain temple and historic sweet shops. Side lanes specialise in parathas, silver jewellery, wedding cards and perfumes, and much of the main street is now pedestrianised by day.
Hire a cycle-rickshaw for the lanes, and go with a food-walk guide if you want to try street food safely.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Food
- Shopping
- History
- Iconic
Historic site · Nizamuddin
4.Humayun's Tomb
Built in the 1560s for the second Mughal emperor, this red sandstone and marble mausoleum in a Persian-style charbagh garden was the first great garden tomb in India and a model for the Taj Mahal. The complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, also includes the octagonal tomb of Isa Khan.
Visit in the late afternoon for warm light on the sandstone, then walk next door to Sunder Nursery.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
- Photo spot
Historic site · Mehrauli
5.Qutb Minar
This 72.5-metre fluted victory tower, begun around 1200 by Qutb-ud-din Aibak, is covered in Quranic inscriptions and stands among the ruins of the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque. The complex also holds the Alai Darwaza gateway and an iron pillar more than 1,500 years old that has resisted rust.
Arrive early to see the carvings without crowds, then walk into the neighbouring Mehrauli Archaeological Park.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
Landmark · Lutyens' Delhi
6.India Gate and Kartavya Path
The 42-metre war memorial arch completed in 1931 is inscribed with the names of Indian soldiers who died in the First World War. It stands at the end of Kartavya Path, the ceremonial avenue to Rashtrapati Bhavan, and the National War Memorial is next to it. Families picnic and buy ice cream on the lawns in the evenings.
Come after sunset when the arch is lit and the lawns fill with families; the area is free and open.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- After dark
- Kids
- History
Market · Old Delhi
7.Khari Baoli spice market
At the western end of Chandni Chowk, Khari Baoli is one of Asia's largest wholesale spice markets, where porters carry sacks of chillies, turmeric, cardamom and dried fruit through narrow lanes. Stairs in the Gadodia Market building lead to a rooftop with views over the market and Fatehpuri Masjid.
Cover your nose and mouth with a scarf when chillies are being unloaded, and ask a shopkeeper or guide to show you the rooftop.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Food
- Photo spot
Religious site · Connaught Place
8.Gurudwara Bangla Sahib
Delhi's best-known Sikh temple, with a golden dome and a large holy pool (sarovar), welcomes visitors of all faiths. Its langar, the community kitchen run by volunteers, serves free vegetarian meals to thousands of people every day, and visitors may help in the kitchen.
Cover your head (scarves are provided), remove shoes and socks, and sit on the floor to share the langar meal.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Food
- Architecture
- After dark
Park · Lutyens' Delhi
1.Lodhi Garden
Delhi's favourite park covers about 90 acres and contains 15th- and 16th-century tombs of the Sayyid and Lodi rulers, including the octagonal tomb of Mohammed Shah and Sikandar Lodi's walled tomb. Joggers, yoga groups and picnickers fill it in the mornings and evenings.
Go at sunrise or late afternoon, then have coffee or lunch at nearby Khan Market or Lodhi Colony.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Couples
- History
- Kids
Religious site · Nizamuddin
2.Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah
The shrine of the 14th-century Sufi saint Nizamuddin Auliya is reached through a lane of flower sellers and kebab stalls. In the evenings, especially on Thursdays, qawwali singers perform devotional songs in the courtyard, drawing large crowds.
Arrive around sunset on Thursday for qawwali, cover your head, dress modestly and leave shoes at the stalls in the lane.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- After dark
- History
Religious site · East Delhi
3.Swaminarayan Akshardham
Opened in 2005 on the banks of the Yamuna, this huge Hindu temple complex of carved pink sandstone and white marble includes exhibition halls, a boat ride through Indian history and an evening water show. Entry to the grounds is free; the exhibitions are ticketed.
Phones, cameras and bags are not allowed inside, so leave them at your hotel or use the cloakroom, and allow time for security checks.
- Time needed
- 3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Architecture
- Kids
- After dark
- Free
Architecture · Kalkaji
4.Lotus Temple
The Bahá'í House of Worship, completed in 1986, is shaped like a lotus flower of 27 white marble-clad petals surrounded by pools and gardens. People of all faiths may enter the silent prayer hall.
Keep silent inside, and photograph the building from the garden paths in the soft late-afternoon light.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- Photo spot
Museum · Lutyens' Delhi
5.Gandhi Smriti
Mahatma Gandhi spent the last 144 days of his life in this mansion, formerly Birla House, and was assassinated in its garden on 30 January 1948. His preserved room, photographs, dioramas and the martyr's column marking the spot make it a moving visit.
Follow the concrete footsteps in the garden that trace Gandhi's final walk to the prayer ground.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Rainy day
Historic site · Connaught Place
6.Agrasen ki Baoli
A 60-metre-long medieval stepwell hidden between office blocks near Connaught Place, with 108 steps descending past arched niches to the dry well at the bottom. It is a striking, quiet contrast to the surrounding streets.
Visit in the morning for soft light down the steps, then walk back to Connaught Place for lunch.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Off the beaten path
- Architecture
- Photo spot
Historic site · Hauz Khas Village
7.Hauz Khas Complex
Overlooking a reservoir first dug around 1300 by Alauddin Khalji, the madrasa and tomb of Firoz Shah Tughlaq form a series of domed pavilions and colonnades. The ruins adjoin the Deer Park and the cafés of Hauz Khas Village.
Visit at sunset when the domes glow and the lake is calm, then stay for dinner in the village.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Couples
- Outdoors
Historic site · Mehrauli
8.Mehrauli Archaeological Park
Next to Qutb Minar, this park holds dozens of monuments from the sultanate to the British era, including the tomb of Balban and the Jamali Kamali mosque and tomb with its painted ceiling. Trails wind through woodland with few other visitors.
Walk in from the Qutb Minar side in the morning, and carry water as there are few facilities.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Off the beaten path
- History
- Outdoors
Park · Nizamuddin
9.Sunder Nursery
Restored by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture and opened in 2018, this 90-acre heritage park beside Humayun's Tomb combines Mughal-era tombs, formal gardens, a lake and a nursery of native plants. Its lawns and paths are well kept and calm.
Combine it with Humayun's Tomb next door and bring a picnic for the lawns on a winter afternoon.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Outdoors
- Kids
- Couples
- Nature
- History
Museum · Lutyens' Delhi
10.National Rail Museum
Opened in 1977 in Chanakyapuri, the museum displays historic steam locomotives, royal saloons and the Fairy Queen, an 1855 steam engine, in a large outdoor yard and indoor galleries. A small joy train takes children around the grounds.
Bring children on a cooler winter morning and ride the joy train before it gets busy.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- History
- Outdoors
Museum · Pragati Maidan
11.National Crafts Museum
The National Handicrafts and Handlooms Museum gathers folk and tribal art, textiles and architecture from across India, including a village complex of reconstructed rural houses. Craftspeople often work and sell in the courtyard.
Leave time for the textile gallery and the craftspeople's stalls, which sell work directly from the makers.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- Rainy day
- Shopping
Palace · Lutyens' Delhi
12.Rashtrapati Bhavan
The President of India's residence, designed by Edwin Lutyens and completed in 1929, blends classical and Mughal forms under a great copper dome. Guided tours cover state rooms, a museum and, seasonally, the Amrit Udyan gardens, usually open to the public in February and March.
Watch the Change of Guard ceremony if it coincides with your visit, and view the facade down Kartavya Path from India Gate.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Book ahead
- Tours of the building and museum require advance online booking through the President's Secretariat and photo ID on arrival.
- Architecture
- History
Pick by interest
| Interest | Best picks |
|---|---|
| Art and museums | Gandhi Smriti, National Rail Museum and National Crafts Museum |
| History | Red Fort, Jama Masjid, Chandni Chowk and Humayun's Tomb |
| Views | Jama Masjid |
| Outdoors and nature | Lodhi Garden, Hauz Khas Complex, Mehrauli Archaeological Park and Sunder Nursery |
| Food and markets | Chandni Chowk, Khari Baoli spice market and Gurudwara Bangla Sahib |
| After dark | India Gate and Kartavya Path, Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah and Swaminarayan Akshardham |
| With children | India Gate and Kartavya Path, Lodhi Garden, Swaminarayan Akshardham and Sunder Nursery |
| On a rainy day | Gandhi Smriti and National Crafts Museum |
What to book ahead
- Rashtrapati Bhavan: Tours of the building and museum require advance online booking through the President's Secretariat and photo ID on arrival.
Plan the rest of your trip
Questions travellers ask
+What is the number one thing to do in Delhi?
Red Fort. Shah Jahan's red sandstone palace-fortress, completed in 1648, was the seat of Mughal emperors for two centuries.
+What can you do for free in Delhi?
Jama Masjid, Chandni Chowk, India Gate and Kartavya Path, Khari Baoli spice market and Gurudwara Bangla Sahib. More free things to do.
+What is there to do in Delhi when it rains?
Head indoors to Gandhi Smriti and National Crafts Museum.
+What is there to do in Delhi at night?
India Gate and Kartavya Path, Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah and Swaminarayan Akshardham are best after dark.