5 Things to Do in New Delhi, India

Start at Humayun's Tomb, the 16th-century Mughal mausoleum that later inspired the design of the Taj Mahal — its red sandstone dome and symmetrical Persian charbagh gardens are quieter and less crowded than Delhi's more famous sights, which makes it one of the best places in the city for unhurried photography. Walk out the eastern gate into Sunder Nursery, a 90-acre restored heritage park with its own cluster of Mughal-era tombs, a nursery of rare trees, and shaded lawns that locals use for evening walks and picnics.

Good to know: Go right at opening (6am summer / 7am winter) to beat both the heat and the tour buses. Combined entry is roughly ₹600 for foreign visitors; a couple of hours is enough for both sites.

Old Delhi's main bazaar, laid out in the 1600s by Shah Jahan's daughter, is still the densest concentration of street food in the country. Work your way down the main lane and its side gullies for parathas stuffed with everything from potato to paneer at Paranthe Wali Gali, jalebi fried to order at Old Famous Jalebi Wala, and kachori-sabzi or chaat from stalls that have been run by the same families for generations. It's chaotic, loud, and one of the most memorable few hours you can spend in the city.

Good to know: Go hungry and go on foot — cars can't move through these lanes anyway. A cycle-rickshaw ride through the market is a good way to get oriented before you start eating.

The Red Fort, Shah Jahan's fortified Mughal palace and the site of India's annual Independence Day flag-raising, is worth the walk through its arcaded Chatta Chowk market alone. From there it's a ten-minute walk to Jama Masjid, India's largest mosque, whose courtyard holds up to 25,000 worshippers and whose southern minaret can be climbed for one of the best rooftop views over Old Delhi's tangle of streets.

Good to know: Modest dress is required at Jama Masjid (robes are loaned at the entrance if needed); the minaret climb has a small separate fee and is worth timing for late afternoon light.

At 73 meters, the Qutub Minar is the tallest brick minaret in the world, begun in 1193 to mark the start of Muslim rule in Delhi. The surrounding UNESCO-listed complex is really an open-air museum of early Indo-Islamic architecture, including the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque (built partly from repurposed Hindu and Jain temple columns) and the Iron Pillar, a 1,600-year-old column that has famously never rusted.

Good to know: The grounds are large and mostly unshaded — bring water and go in the early morning or an hour before sunset, when the sandstone glows orange.

Built around a 14th-century reservoir and madrasa complex, Hauz Khas Village today pairs genuine medieval ruins with Delhi's densest cluster of independent boutiques, art galleries, and rooftop cafes. Spend the afternoon wandering the ruins and deer park by the lake, then stay for the evening as the neighborhood's bars and restaurants fill up — it's one of the few places in Delhi where history and nightlife sit on the same block.

Good to know: Ruins and park close around sunset, but the village's restaurants keep going late — a good spot to end a full day of sightseeing.