Where complex history and fascinating culture meet

There was a time when tie-dyed backpackers descended on Delhi, spent a night in one of the cockroach-infested hostels and left a day or two later in the direction of Agra, Jaisalmer or somewhere else less testing than India’s capital. Things are now very different. India’s economy is booming, the metro is expanding, cuisine is diverse, and there is an air of positivity that rises high above the noise of the traffic and crush of people. Delhi’s two areas – New Delhi, home to stylish bars and cafes and the raucous Old Delhi where historic sights such as the Red Fort and Jama Masjid India’s largest mosque are located – provide travellers with the opportunity to experience both sides of India’s fascinating culture.

Why Go?
India is developing at an incredible speed. These are booming times for the country and Delhi is at the epicentre. Trendy bars and fine restaurants are juxtaposed against traditional bazaars and spice-scented alleyways making Delhi a wonderfully enchanting destination.

When to Go?
The best months to visit Delhi are October- November and February- March, when the weather is warm and pleasant. May, June and July tend to be unbearably hot and the monsoon period runs from July to September. The peak-season for flights to Delhi is from mid-September to March so if you’re traveling during this time it is worth checking the price across the month.

How to get there?
Direct flights are available from most UK airports to Delhi's Indira Gandhi Airport located 12 miles south of Delhi. Flights take around 9 hours. A taxi is the easiest way to get into the city and you can avoid being overcharged by heading to the prepaid taxi service counter operated by the Delhi Traffic Police. A cheaper option is to go by bus, and tickets are available from counters in the arrival terminal.

Must see
Visit the magnificent Red Fort, with its 17th-century battlements that dominate the Old Delhi skyline. Explore the stalls and shops of Chandni Chowk, and the alleys that run from it offering exotic smells to tantalize the senses. Visit Gandhi Museum Birla House, the bungalow where Gandhi was assassinated and where a pathway of footprints shows his last steps across the garden. Relax at the elegant lunch buffet held in the garden of the Imperial Hotel for a true taste of the Raj.