“Ye Dilli hai mere yaar, bas Ishq, Mohabbat, Pyaar!”- Delhi6
The capital city of India, New Delhi is the hub for all things great and delicious. The perfect blend of history, art, architecture with modernity is what Delhi murmurs at every inch and every corner. The minute you’ll step out from your car, aircraft or railways the city will welcome you with an abundance of greenery. Don’t forget to take your head, eyes and mind out to witness the iconic architecture you’ll get to spot. From buzzing markets to royal embassies, street food stops, historical monuments that just within a glimpse will leave you overwhelmed. The city has been a tourist favourite for years due to its rich heritage and culture.
Though spending a day in Delhi is not enough, you can still cover many places in such a small frame. But don’t forget to decide if you want an amalgamation of heritage spots or finger-licking food spots.
As much as you wanna have fun here in the limited hours that you have, we are sure that you’ll be back wanting more from the city, well, anyway it’s the capital city and it sure won’t leave you anywhere short of words.
EAT OUT AT KHAN MARKET
If you are looking to buy some exquisite pieces from New Delhi then the Khan Market has the perfect blend of Indian and international brands to shop. Popular ethnic store outlets such as Anokhi, Good Earth and Fabindia sell some top quality hand woven ethnic wear for you to take home. Apart from apparel wear the Khan Market has one of the greatest restaurants to try out some great food. The plethora of restaurants serve a variety of cuisines that are bound to leave you slightly overwhelmed.
- The Townhall serves one of the best amalgamations of oriental cuisines like Thai, Chinese and Continental Cuisines. The restaurant also serves as a premium place for its relaxed atmosphere and classic decor that makes up for the perfect lunch or dinner occasion
- The Big Chill cafe in Khan Market is one of the most premium spots to eat the best Italian, Continental and European food. It has over six hundred dishes for you to choose from. Spend some relaxing time with your friend or alone to devour some delicious dishes.
- A Khan market trip is not complete without eating some delicious rolls and kebabs at the famous Khan Chacha. You should also try out the delicious mutton berry pulao at Soda Bottle Openerwala and some sushi at Mamagoto.
CONNAUGHT PLACE
Connaught Place is the favourite spot for Delhiites to hang out. The market has millions of options for people to hang out and has some delicious food for all budgets. The place consists of tons of restaurants, lounges and retro bars for people with every budget. Whether you are in the mood for some great south Indian food or North Indian cuisines or just coffee, Cannaught place is the perfect place to satisfy all your taste buds.
- The best place to have a morning meal for people of Delhi is at the Sarvana Bhavan. It opens around 8 AM, so to avoid long queues drop by there for the perfect south Indian meal.
- If you are looking for the perfect place to sip some hot coffee with the perfect meal then drop by the United coffee House. The restaurant was approximately 70 years ago that has been known to serve the best kind of snacks and main courses. The ambience is extremely royal and has yellow lights and chandeliers all around.
- People with a sweet tooth should definitely stop by Wenger’s Deli in Connaught Place, which is one of the oldest bakeries in the city. It has been the favourite pastry shop of Delhites for generations. It displays one of the finest home-baked bread, sandwiches, pasta, rum tarts, and pastries that are surely going to be hard to resist. Don’t forget to try the caramel, Nutella, coffee, vanilla Ice cream loaded Nutella waffle.
SAROJINI NAGAR
The iconic streets of Sarojni Nagar have a special place in the heart of every Delhi person. The market houses a large number of apparel and accessories to shop from.
But what is it famous for? Here are some insights and tips for you to keep in mind while visiting the famous Sarojini Nagar.
- The market is largely famous for its export lanes that sell some of the most trendy and high street fashion pieces. But, the catch here is that these clothes may or may not have a defect on them. From a tiny hole or loose button, you should first check the piece of clothing thoroughly and then buy it.
- Sometimes the clothes might be a little loose, so a little handwork at home or with the help of a tailor should suffice.
- People with a bag shopping addiction/affection should surely check out the few leather bag shops that tend to stock export surplus from ASOS, Zara, Bershka, Topshop and other popular labels.
- Don’t forget to carry a big bag to store all your shopping pieces as at some point it will be difficult to carry them all together. There are some great spots. The market is shut on Mondays so plan accordingly.
DILLI HAAT
Nearby Sarojoini Nagar lies another amazing craft bazaar known as Dilli Haat. The market is run by the Delhi tourism and transportation development corporation. Dilli Haat is popular for sharing art and craft from all the states of India. It sells an amazing range of clothes too. From chicken kurtas to Pashmina shawls, symbolising the clothes from various cities and states of the country. The shops also sell footwear, jewellery, accessories and home decor items. There are also dedicated spaces for authentic food items for you to try.
INDIA GATE – RASHTRAPATI BHAVAN
The India Gate is a popular British monument in New Delhi that is a war memorial which was built in 1921 by the duke of Connaught who was the third son of Queen Victoria. The India Gate was made to honour the soldiers of the Indian army that lost their lives during the World war between 1914 to 1921. Just below the arch of the India Gate lies a reversed L1A1 Self-loading rifle that is capped by a war helmet made of black marble. It is surrounded by four burning urns that have the words ‘Amar Jawan’ written in gold.
The place where the monument has been built over the years has become the top spot for hanging out for people. The grass lawns act as the perfect spot for resting and relaxing in the winter months. The perfect time for visiting here is actually during the night when the place monument is lit up. You will find vendors selling snacks and ice-creams, making it the most ideal spot to have a picnic laid out.
The opposite side of the India Gate lies the residence place of the president, Rashtrapati Bhavan. The entire 3 km stretch is loved by Delhi heights for its charm and phenomenality. The Parliament House was constructed in 1927. The construction of the house has been done like a mansion whose architecture is beyond beautiful. The place was earlier the residence of the British Viceroy. To visit Rashtrapati Bhavan you need to first put in a formal request online. The visiting days for anyone to visit here are Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
The Rashtrapati Bhavan Museum Complex (RBMC) comprising the Clock Tower, the Stables and the Garages are open on all days except Monday. The Mughal Garden and other Gardens of Rashtrapati Bhavan are open to the public from December to February on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
HUMAYUN TOMB
The Humayun Tomb in Delhi is the first garden-tomb complex to be created in India and the first monument to showcase Mughal architecture. It is located in Nizamuddin East, Delhi, India, close to the Purana Qila or Old Fort, which was founded by Humayun in 1533.
- The tomb was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. It was built nine years after the death of Humayun in 1565 AD.
- Great Persian and Indian craftsmen worked together to build the tomb to make it one of the most memorable tombs in the Islamic world.
- The tomb is also known as the dormitory of Mughals as the cells are the burial space for 150 Mughal family members.
- The Humayun tomb comprises of various gateways, pavilions and attached structures pre-dating Humayun’s Tomb, such as the Barber’s Tomb, Nila Gumbad and its garden setting, Isa Khan’s garden tomb and other contemporary 16th century structures such as Bu Halima’s garden-tomb and Afsarwala garden-Tomb.
- While walking towards Humayun Tomb you will be able to come across the tomb complex of Isa Khan Niyazi, an Afghan noble in Sher Shah Suri’s court of the Suri dynasty, who fought against the Mughals.
LODHI GARDEN
Lodhi Garden is one of the most cheerful places to visit in Delhi that welcomes you with people jogging, relaxing and enjoying its surroundings by laying on the green grass. The park is spread on a large scale that contains the tombs of Mohammad Shah, Sikander Lodi, Shisha Gumbad and Bara Gumbad who were the former rulers of northern India, Punjab and Pakistan. Hence, a mixture of Sayyids and Lodhis has been displayed across the garden. During the British rule, the Lodhi Garden was named the Lady Willingdon Park. The history in the form of mausoleums and tombs with lush greenery that surrounds the Lodhi Gardens is unmissable.
Delhites love coming to the garden during the wake of the house or when the sun sets for a relaxing walk and some exercise. It is the perfect spot to spread a mat, enjoy some snacks and indulge in some fun games.
HAUZ KHAS VILLAGE
The Hauz Khas village in the southern part of Delhi is considered as one of the most loved places for people to spend some fun time. You will hear many people around the city tell you that if you want a fulfilling day of serenity mixed with great ambience and food then just drop by the Hauz Khas village. Just how anyone who has ever visited Delhi will tell you that the city has a great history, architecture, food and shopping spots you will get to enjoy all that at this one spot. And since you are short of time Hauz Khas Village should be the perfect time for you to spend some meaningful time.
The place has numerous amazing cafes and spots for you to party and eat great food with your gang of friends. The place has great options for nightclubs, designer stores and cafes. Hauz Khas village also has a significant amount of history to itself. Architecture and history lovers are surely going to love. The fort has a mosque, a tomb, and other medieval structures that were constructed during the yesteryears that embark the great history and architectural magnificence. The greenery that surrounds the historical structures makes it for the perfect spot to sit and enjoy the sun setting at the end of the day.
- If you want to visit Hauz Khas village around noon to catch up with your friends over a cup of coffee, or tea then the perfect spot would be Elma’s Bakery and Kitchen. The cafe has a pretty Victorian theme that serves delicious pancakes and red velvet cake.
- If you are looking to party the night away with your gang of girls then Hauz Khas village has numerous amazing spots like Moonshine, Raasta, Cafe TC, Maquina, Kunzum Travel Cafe, and more.
- The restaurants and pubs there have special nights where one might get to enjoy live music, karaoke or some special soulful Sufi songs to sing the night away.
- HKV is not all about food and parties, the place also has some exclusive designer stores that see many exquisite pieces to the public. Stores such as Street Style Store, Nappa Dori, Apala, and Ogaan and Bodice are among the must check out stores.
- Did you know one of the most loved movies, Tamasha saw both Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone enjoy the food and the ambience of the famous Social. Hauz Khas village was also the spot where the famous song ‘Agar Tum Saath Ho’ was shot. That is not all, director Imtiaz Ali shot a couple of scenes of his famous movie Rockstar at the Hauz Khas Fort!
NATIONAL GALLERY OF MODERN ART
An admirer of the art of not, visiting the great National Gallery of Modern Art is once of the premium spots to visit in New Delhi. The art gallery is managed by the Ministry of Culture who have established branches of the National Gallery in Mumbai and Bangalore too. The gallery holds over around 1700 artworks that have been contributed by over 2000 artists around the world. Many known artists such as Thomas Daniell, Raja Ravi Verma, Abanindranath Tagore, Rabindranath Tagore, Gaganendranath Tagore, Nandalal Bose, Jamini Roy, Amrita Sher-Gil have adorned the walls of the National, Gallery with their artwork. The gallery has some exquisite artworks that showcase a rich amalgamation of Indian history and modern society. The artworks date back to 1857 making it one of the world’s largest museums.
The museum is shut on Monday. Rest days visit during 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Also Read:- HERITAGE WALK AROUND DELHI