What to See in New Delhi - Tourist Hot Spots

Delhi is a city where the old and the new jostle for space simultaneously, presenting a fascinating landscape.  Wide tree lined avenues burst with cars, scooters, auto rickshaws and buses as street-side vendors thrusting copies of the latest Cosmo adorned with a semi-clad model against your window. Gleaming Metro trains transport you from the majestic colonnaded buildings of Connaught Place to the bustling, chaotic alleys of Old Delhi.

Glitzy malls are fringed by street stalls selling everything from iced water to local street food.  The crumbling ruins of an old reservoir and tomb lie amidst a trendy area of boutiques and restaurants.  A bus stop, advertising the latest SUV, shelters people laden with packed lunches and satchels waiting for overcrowded public buses.

Landing at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, with its rather rundown, tired and bare interiors, can be quite a damper on one’s first impression of Delhi.  Once one exits, the eager zeal with which foreigners and even Indian “out-of-towners” are greeted by pushy taxi drivers is quite overwhelming.  Especially if you haven’t acquired the locals’ nonchalant attitude of shrugging them off with a brusque “Nahi chahiye”, which literally means, “Don’t want”. 

This initial arrival will not be the only overwhelming experience one might have as foreigners are generally viewed as subjects of great curiosity here, as in the rest of India.  Be prepared for what might seem to be overly intrusive questions about your family or work while shopping or a guide interrogating you as he takes you on a tour of the city.  However, the apparent aggressiveness of some of the people and the initial arrival experience will soon fade away as you begin to notice this fascinating city of contradictions. 

Delhi can broadly be divided into two distinct areas, with the landscaped grandeur of New Delhi contrasting with the vibrant chaos and color of Old Delhi.  However, each part of this city has something unique to offer. You can learn more about the history and distinction between Delhi and New Delhi.

Central Delhi is the center of politics and commerce. Tourists throng the area to view impressive regal structures like the Rashtrapati Bhavan (the official residence of the President of India), the busy Connaught Place shopping district and the Parliament House (where India’s legislative houses conduct business). Many of the city’s 5-star hotels and other intriguing attractions like Jantar Mantar and India Gate are in this area. Haggling for silver jewelry or bric-a-brac with pavement vendors at Janpath Market is a great attraction for tourists and locals alike.

North Delhi, known to be a haven for backpackers, has wholesale markets, Paharganj, and vibrant Delhi University. The fashionable area of town, South Delhi, is filled with fashionable boutiques, restaurants, nightclubs, markets and a large portion of Delhi’s historic monuments as well as modern architectural extravaganzas like the Lotus Temple. 

West Delhi, which is primarily residential, is gradually getting filled with malls, trendy markets and high rise buildings, tempting several businesses to move there.  Along with the satellite towns of Noida and Gurgaon, Delhi is a sprawling metropolis, filled with fascinating contradictions and it is this quality that makes it so irrepressibly intriguing and enjoyable.  

Delhi - Travel and Trip Advice

Here are a few tips to make your trip more comfortable and some general information that will help you plan an enjoyable trip.

As Delhi is the capital of India, it is well connected by air from almost all over the world and within India, as well as by rail and by road. More information about the city's transportation system and ways to get around the Indian capital.