10 Best Things to Do in Delhi
Delhi is built for travellers who enjoy contrast. Its must-see sights include some of India’s most important monuments, from the early Sultanate grandeur of Qutb Minar to the Mughal power of the Red Fort and the serene geometry of Humayun’s Tomb. Yet the city’s appeal goes beyond dynasties and stonework. Living religious spaces, public gardens, memorials and cultural marketplaces reveal another side of the capital, one shaped by devotion, everyday movement and contemporary civic life. The best way to explore Delhi is to embrace those shifts in tone. A historic mosque in Old Delhi offers a very different experience from a modern temple complex in east Delhi or a quiet walk through Lodhi Garden. These selections span the city’s major historic landmarks and its active, lived-in spaces, helping visitors understand Delhi not just as a collection of famous sights, but as a capital with many overlapping stories.
Qutb Minar
Mehrauli, New Delhi, Delhi, India; within the Qutb archaeological complex near Seth Sarai
Qutb Minar is Delhi’s most immediately recognisable early Sultanate monument, but the visit works best when treated as a full archaeological complex rather than a quick look at the tower alone. UNESCO describes the property as the Qutb Minar and its Monuments, with the 72.5-metre red and buff sandstone minar standing beside the Quwwatu'l-Islam Mosque, the Alai Darwaza and other surviving medieval structures. The World Heritage property lies on the southern fringe of New Delhi in Mehrauli, firmly inside the National Capital Territory, and is managed by the Archaeological Survey of India. This entry merits first place because it combines landmark status with a site plan that still helps visitors understand how the earliest Delhi Sultanate rulers expressed power, faith and architectural ambition. It is visually arresting from the moment you enter, yet rewards slower exploration of the surrounding remains, carved pillars and gateways. Delhi Tourism presents it as one of the capital’s principal visitor sights and lists public visiting hours from sunrise to 8.00pm, with ticketed entry and standard protected-monument rules. In practical terms, it is an accessible half-day stop for first-time visitors, especially if you arrive early or later in the afternoon to avoid the worst heat in this largely open-air setting.
The strongest single heritage draw in Delhi; essential for first-time visitors and the clearest emblem of the city’s pre-Mughal and early Islamic history.
Humayun's Tomb
Nizamuddin East, New Delhi, Delhi, India; near Mathura Road
Humayun's Tomb is one of Delhi’s most satisfying monument visits because its significance lies not only in the mausoleum itself but in the wider garden-tomb ensemble around it. UNESCO identifies it as the first of the grand dynastic Mughal mausoleums on the Indian subcontinent, built in 1570 and set within a larger complex that includes several other sixteenth-century tombs. The result is a heritage visit with real breadth: formal charbagh planning, a major imperial tomb and enough surrounding fabric to show how the site functioned as a designed funerary landscape rather than an isolated building. It takes second place because it is every bit as historically important as Delhi’s headline monuments, but the experience is gentler and more contemplative than the drama of Qutb Minar. Delhi Tourism places it near the crossing of Mathura Road and Lodhi Road in Nizamuddin and describes daily visitor access, while its other page lists hours from sunrise to 7.30pm. That makes it well suited to a slower visit, especially for travellers interested in Mughal architecture, garden design and photography. Ticketing and conservation rules apply, and the open grounds mean weather and daylight still shape the experience, but the central location makes it straightforward to combine with nearby stops in the wider Nizamuddin area.
A must-see Mughal monument with superb architecture and garden planning; slightly more contemplative than Qutb Minar, which makes it ideal for a close second.
Red Fort
Netaji Subhash Marg, Old Delhi, Delhi, India
Red Fort is one of Delhi’s defining monuments: the palace-fort of Shah Jahan’s 17th-century capital of Shahjahanabad and today a UNESCO World Heritage property. Official tourism material identifies it as the historic heart of Mughal power in Old Delhi, while UNESCO’s listing notes the fusion of Persian, Timurid and Hindu architectural traditions across the wider Red Fort Complex. Entering through Lahori Gate, visitors move from the busy approach into a sequence of ceremonial and residential spaces that still convey the scale of an imperial court. Key points inside include Chhatta Chowk, Naubat Khana, Diwan-i-Am, Diwan-i-Khas, Rang Mahal, Khas Mahal, Hammam and the Mumtaz Mahal museum setting. This ranking reflects both historical weight and practical usefulness on a first Delhi trip: the fort places you directly within Old Delhi’s dense urban fabric while remaining a self-contained monument visit. Incredible India currently lists visitor hours as 9.30 am to 4.30 pm, closed Mondays, and also notes the evening Jai Hind sound-and-light show on operating days. Expect airport-style security screening, controlled entry and substantial walking across open grounds. Its location on Netaji Subhash Marg keeps it firmly inside the National Capital Territory and makes it easy to combine with nearby sights such as Jama Masjid and Chandni Chowk.
Delhi’s most nationally resonant fortification and one of the city’s clearest symbols of sovereignty, ceremony and Old Delhi history.
Swaminarayan Akshardham
NH 24, Akshardham Setu / Pramukh Swami Maharaj Marg, New Delhi, Delhi 110092, India
Swaminarayan Akshardham is a major contemporary temple complex and one of Delhi’s most structured visitor experiences, combining worship space, gardens and optional paid presentations within a single managed campus in east Delhi. The official visitor information for the New Delhi complex gives the address on NH 24 at Pramukh Swami Maharaj Marg, close to Akshardham Metro Station, and confirms that the site is open Tuesday to Sunday and closed every Monday. For independent visitors, the appeal lies in the contrast with Delhi’s older Sultanate and Mughal monuments: this is a modern sacred complex designed as an immersive cultural and devotional visit rather than an archaeological site. The official site confirms free entry to the main complex and mandir darshan, with separate tickets for exhibitions and the evening water show. It also lists practical facilities including cloak room services, wheelchairs, parking, restrooms and a vegetarian food court. Dress standards are explicitly modest, and security procedures are strict, so this is best approached as a planned stop rather than a quick drop-in. The setting is well within the National Capital Territory, and Delhi Tourism identifies the complex at Akshardham Setu in New Delhi. For travellers wanting a current religious landmark with orderly visitor logistics, it adds a distinctly different dimension to a Delhi itinerary.
A major contemporary pilgrimage and cultural attraction that broadens the ranking beyond Mughal-era heritage and gives Delhi a modern sacred landmark.
Lotus Temple
Bahapur, New Delhi, Delhi 110019, India; near Kalkaji Mandir Metro
The Lotus Temple is Delhi’s most distinctive late-20th-century sacred landmark: a Bahá’í House of Worship in Bahapur, south Delhi, with a white marble form arranged as a lotus and set within formal gardens and pools. Official Bahá’í and Delhi Tourism sources confirm the New Delhi address on Lotus Temple Road, near Kalkaji, and emphasise that people of all faiths are welcome to enter for prayer or quiet reflection. That openness is central to the visit. Rather than a museum-style experience with long interpretation panels, the appeal lies in the architecture, the landscaped approach and the unusual calm created by a major devotional building that does not reserve itself for one congregation alone. For this ranking, fifth place fits because the temple is visually iconic and easy to pair with other south Delhi stops, yet the experience is intentionally restrained. Delhi Tourism lists free entry, a Monday closure and visitor timings, while the Bahá’í site confirms the prayer hall and surrounding gardens as the core of the complex. Expect airport-style security, queueing at busy times and a quiet interior where conversation is discouraged. It suits travellers who want a modern counterpoint to Delhi’s Mughal and colonial monuments, and rewards a visit paced around contemplation rather than box-ticking.
Delhi’s signature modern sacred building, valued for its architecture, symbolism and peaceful visitor experience.
Jama Masjid
Off Netaji Subhash Marg, Old Delhi, Delhi, India; by Chandni Chowk/Chawri Bazaar
Jama Masjid remains one of Delhi’s defining historic and living religious sites: a vast congregational mosque in Old Delhi begun under Shah Jahan and still functioning daily as a place of worship. Delhi Tourism identifies it off Netaji Subhash Marg, west of the Red Fort, with Chawri Bazaar as the nearest metro, anchoring the exact branch identity inside the walled-city core. The same official page notes a courtyard capacity of around 25,000 devotees, which helps explain the scale visitors encounter on arrival. This is not a detached monument in a garden setting; it is embedded in the intensity of Old Delhi, with the approach shaped by markets, traffic, prayer rhythms and the wider Chandni Chowk district. Sixth place is justified because the mosque is unquestionably major, but the visit works best for travellers ready to adapt to worship rules and the surrounding urban pace. Delhi Tourism states tourist access hours and distinguishes between visitor arrangements for foreign and Indian tourists, while also making clear that after sunset the mosque is reserved for worshippers for Isha prayer. Modest dress is essential, and borrowed coverings may be required. Go expecting an active sacred space first and a sightseeing stop second. Combined with nearby Old Delhi streets, the visit offers one of the city’s clearest encounters with architecture, faith and everyday public life together.
A vital Old Delhi experience where architecture, faith and street life meet; best for visitors who want the city at full intensity.
Gurudwara Bangla Sahib
Ashoka Road, near Connaught Place, New Delhi, Delhi, India
Gurudwara Bangla Sahib is one of Delhi’s most important living Sikh shrines and a central stop for understanding the city beyond its forts and tombs. Delhi Tourism lists it among the capital’s tourist places, while the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee identifies it as one of the historic gurdwaras under its management. For visitors, the appeal is not only its gilded domes and large sarovar, but the fact that this is an active place of worship where devotion, volunteering and community service shape the experience throughout the day. This ranking places it seventh because its importance is unquestionable, yet the visit rewards a respectful, observant approach rather than a quick box-ticking stop. Its location on Ashoka Road, close to Connaught Place, makes it easy to combine with central New Delhi sightseeing. Non-Sikh visitors are welcome, but access depends on proper conduct inside the complex. You should cover your head, remove footwear and follow instructions in prayer areas and service spaces. The site remains firmly within the National Capital Territory and is established both by Delhi Tourism’s listing and by the official Sikh management body that oversees Bangla Sahib as a functioning Delhi gurdwara.
An essential living sacred site in central Delhi, notable for generosity, accessibility and the chance to encounter Sikh devotion up close.
Lodhi Garden
Lodhi Road, Lodhi Estate, New Delhi, Delhi, India
Lodhi Garden is one of Delhi’s most useful all-round visitor stops: a major public garden with historic tombs, mature planting and enough space to slow the pace of a monument-heavy itinerary. Delhi Tourism presents Lodhi Garden as one of the city’s park attractions, noting access from Lodi Road and its position near Khan Market. The New Delhi Municipal Council’s current gardens page confirms Lodhi Garden on Lodhi Road and publishes seasonal opening hours, which establishes it clearly as an operating civic park rather than a vague neighbourhood suggestion. It ranks eighth because it is not a single-ticket monument, yet it offers an experience many visitors need after Delhi’s denser historic sites: open lawns, shaded walks and Indo-Islamic funerary architecture in one coherent setting. This is a strong choice for morning walks, an easier heritage stop with children, or an interval between museums and major tomb complexes. Access is straightforward, but it is still a managed public space with posted opening times and normal park rules. The site sits within New Delhi in the National Capital Territory, and its identity is securely supported by Delhi Tourism’s dedicated page and the NDMC’s current operations listing for Lodhi Garden on Lodhi Road.
A restorative blend of heritage and green space in the heart of the city; ideal for a slower, less formal Delhi stop.
Dilli Haat INA
Dilli Haat, INA, New Delhi 110023, India; opposite INA Market near Aurobindo Marg
Dilli Haat INA can be corrected rather than replaced because an opened official Delhi Tourism page does confirm the branch identity, visitor use and practical access details that were previously treated as missing. The official page identifies Dilli Haat INA opposite INA Market in one of South Delhi’s major commercial areas and describes it as a permanent food-and-crafts bazaar created as a joint project involving Delhi Tourism, NDMC and government handicrafts and tourism bodies. It also gives branch-level visitor information including nearest metro access, daily opening hours and ticket purchase at the gate, which is exactly the kind of current public-facing operational evidence required for this guide. For visitors, Dilli Haat remains one of Delhi’s most useful non-monument stops because it combines shopping, regional food and a compact introduction to craft traditions in one manageable site. The official page emphasises rotating handicraft stalls, food outlets representing different Indian regions, cultural activity and a village-market-inspired layout adapted for an urban setting. That makes it especially practical for travellers who want an easy evening or late-afternoon stop rather than another tomb or fort. Access is straightforward but ticketed, and the experience depends on active stalls and seasonal programming rather than a fixed museum-style display. With the official tourism page now in hand, this rank can stand as an operating Delhi attraction within scope.
Corrected and retained because an opened official Delhi Tourism page confirms Dilli Haat INA’s exact branch identity, public operation and visitor access details.
National Police Memorial
Chanakyapuri, New Delhi, Delhi, India
The National Police Memorial is a specific, current visitor site in Chanakyapuri that adds a modern commemorative layer to a Delhi itinerary. The memorial’s official website places it on Pandit Uma Shankar Dikshit Marg in the Diplomatic Enclave, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi, and shows an active visitor-facing complex with sections for the memorial, museum, virtual tours and visitor guidance. That confirms both branch identity and present operation within the National Capital Territory. As a stop, it works best for travellers who want to balance Delhi’s dynastic and colonial landmarks with a more contemporary civic space. This is not a casual monument to tick off quickly: it is designed as a place of remembrance for police personnel who died in service, so the experience is quieter and more reflective than at the city’s headline heritage attractions. Its location also makes it an easy fit with other institutions in the diplomatic quarter rather than Old Delhi or the main Mughal circuit. Rank ten feels right editorially: it is less universally essential than Delhi’s biggest monuments, but it broadens the city story in a meaningful way and has clear official standing as a dedicated memorial-and-museum complex open to visitors.
A meaningful modern civic memorial that broadens the ranking beyond older imperial sites and is clearly established as a current visitor complex.