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UNESCO World Heritage · Mughal
Red Fort — Lal Qila
Built by Emperor Shah Jahan in 1648. Red sandstone walls 2.4km long. Every Independence Day, the Prime Minister addresses the nation from here. The Diwan-i-Aam and Diwan-i-Khas are architectural masterpieces.
💡 Visit at 9am — before the crowds. Light and Sound show in evenings.
⏰ Sunrise to Sunset · Closed Mondays · ₹35 Indians / ₹500 foreigners
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Mughal Architecture · 1656 AD
Jama Masjid
India's largest mosque. Built by Shah Jahan — 5,000 workers, 6 years. Capacity 25,000 worshippers. The courtyard alone is breathtaking. Three massive gateways, two minarets 40 metres tall. Friday prayers — extraordinary experience.
💡 Climb the minaret for the best view of Old Delhi.
⏰ 7am–12pm, 1:30pm–6:30pm · ₹300 camera fee · Modest dress required
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British Era · 1931 · War Memorial
India Gate
42-metre war memorial for 70,000 Indian soldiers who died in World War I. The eternal flame — Amar Jawan Jyoti — burns continuously. Surrounded by vast lawns where Delhi families picnic at sunset. Rajpath (now Kartavya Path) is India's grandest boulevard.
💡 Visit at sunset — the lawn is Delhi at its most relaxed and beautiful.
⏰ Always open · Free entry · Best at sunset
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Sufi Shrine · 700 Years · Every Thursday
Nizamuddin Dargah — Qawwali Night
Every Thursday evening, hereditary Qawwali singers perform at the dargah of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya. 700-year-old tradition. Free entry. The music builds to extraordinary pitch. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan used to perform here. Nothing in Delhi — or the world — compares to this experience.
💡 Arrive by 7pm. Sit quietly. Women welcome. No photos during prayer.
⏰ Every Thursday from 7pm onwards · Completely Free · All welcome
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UNESCO · 12th Century · Mamluk Dynasty
Qutub Minar
72.5 metres tall — tallest brick minaret in the world. Built in 1193 by Qutb ud-Din Aibak. The Iron Pillar inside the complex has not rusted in 1,600 years — still a scientific mystery. 27 Hindu and Jain temples were demolished to build this complex.
💡 Visit early morning — beautiful light on the red sandstone.
⏰ Sunrise to sunset · ₹35 Indians / ₹550 foreigners · South Delhi
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Mughal Era Ruins · 1538 · Sher Shah Suri
Purana Qila — Old Fort
One of Delhi's oldest forts — built on the site where the mythological city of Indraprastha stood (from Mahabharata). The Qila-i-Kuhna Mosque inside is a masterpiece. Boat rides on the moat lake at sunset. Archaeological excavations still ongoing.
💡 Combine with nearby Delhi Zoo — both in the same area.
⏰ Sunrise to sunset · ₹35 Indians · Boat rides ₹50
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Mughal Tomb · UNESCO · 1570 AD
Humayun's Tomb
The first garden-tomb in the Indian subcontinent — inspired the design of the Taj Mahal 80 years later. UNESCO World Heritage. The double dome, the char bagh (four-part garden), the red sandstone and white marble — everything Taj Mahal is, started here.
💡 The garden at sunset is one of Delhi's most peaceful moments.
⏰ Sunrise to sunset · ₹35 Indians / ₹550 foreigners
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Sufi Archaeology · 14th Century
Mehrauli Archaeological Park
440 acres of ruins — tombs, mosques, step wells from 8 centuries of Delhi's history. Rarely visited. Completely free. You can wander for hours and meet nobody. The Balban's Tomb, Jamali Kamali Mosque, and Garden of Five Senses are all here.
💡 Go at 7am — almost completely empty. One of Delhi's best kept secrets.
⏰ Always open · Completely Free · Near Qutub Minar
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Food Street · 1875 · Chandni Chowk
Paranthe Wali Gali — 150yr Old Lane
A narrow lane in Old Delhi where families have been making stuffed parathas since 1875. The same recipes, the same shops, the same ghee. Every paratha is different — potato, paneer, cauliflower, banana, dry fruit. ₹60-80 per paratha. Delhi's most famous food address.
💡 Go for breakfast at 8am. Sit on the wooden bench. Order one of each.
⏰ 8am–11pm daily · Chandni Chowk Metro · ₹60-80 per paratha
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Museum · British Colonial · 1949
National Museum Delhi
India's largest museum. 5,000 years of history across 200 galleries. The Indus Valley Civilization section is extraordinary. Dancing Girl bronze (2500 BC). Mughal miniature paintings. Gandhi's personal effects. One of Asia's finest collections. Hugely underrated.
💡 Full day needed. Hire a guide (₹500) — transforms the experience.
⏰ 10am–5pm · Closed Mondays · ₹20 Indians / ₹650 foreigners
