“… the Indian capital remains then and now my favourite city: above all it is the city’s relationship with its past that continues to fascinate me: of the great cities of the world, only Rome and Cairo can even begin to rival Delhi for sheer volume and density of historic remains.´( William Dalrymple, winner of Wolfson Prize for History, in The Last Mughal)

Holidaying in Delhi is a perdurable experience. Delhi, the third largest city in India, has multi dimensional facets and that is rallying and tempts the interested traveler to plunge into a bewitching journey of discovery.

Perhaps the most enduring attribute of the city is its becharming history, with seven cities built in different parts of Delhi by the rulers of consecutive dynasties from 13^th to 17^th century. A temporal view of these cities plays up the important monuments amongst the 1300 officially listed. These also serve as an appropriate travel guidebook for tourists and travelers. Delhi has been inhabited ever since the Mauryan era (300 BC) as is established by the discoveries in the recent excavations of Painted Gray Ware pottery and a minor rock edict in and around Delhi. Were it not for the requirements of urbanization, large portions of the city could well be appropriated as archaeological parks.

The best time to visit Delhi is during the spring months of February and March or the monsoons from August to November. In case you decide to visit Delhi during the winter months of November to January, be sure to carry some warm clothing as temperatures can drop to almost zero degrees in the night.

Old Delhi is associated with the Mughal period whereas New Delhi was conceived and built by the British architect, Sir Edward Lutyens (1869-1944). The beauty and placidity of Old Delhi can be experienced only in the interiors of the tall archaeological buildings since it has congested, noisy yet energetic streets. The environment of New Delhi, however, is diametrically opposite and is a different ballgame altogether. Spacious, wide roads that are lined with trees on wither sides provide a sense of a fast paced modern metropolis with neon lit shopping malls and fast cars.

Besides historical sights like Red Fort, Qutab Minar, Hamayun’s Tomb, Jama Masjid and Jantar Mantar it also has to offer modern day architectural wonders of the like of the Lotus Temple, ISKON temple and Birla Temple. Other places of general interest include Rajpath and India Gate, Mughal Gardens, Lodhi Gardens, National Rail Museum, Museum of Natural History, Crafts Museum and the Dolls Museum.

Reaching Delhi

Delhi is one of the most important destinations in South East Asia and well connected with major airports the world over. If you are car enthusiast, you may even travel by road via Pakistan and enter through the Wagah border in Amritsar, Punjab. You will be required to carry a passport valid for at least the next six months unless you are from Nepal, Maldives, and Bhutan and certain visa exemptions are available to nationals of these countries.

Accommodation/ Transport

Hotels, motels and sarai’s abound the city and depending upon your budget there is enough accommodation available. From five star hotels to free accommodation in gurudwaras: Delhi has it all! Finding a suitable accommodation in Delhi is easy as in every locality you will find hotels, guesthouses and other convenient places to stay in. However if you are planning a short trip it would be convenient to choose a hotel in Connaught Place since it is a central area and all the reservation facilities for onward train travel is close by. Delhi is a city of great distances and is spread over a vast area but movement from one place to another is easy with different modes of transport available at call. You could hail a cab or an auto rickshaw and if you are in the mood some local flavour you could hop into a crowded bus. To cover small distances there is also the option of a cycle rickshaw, which is a three-wheeled manually pulled vehicle.

Food