Discovering New Delhi

I have lived in New Delhi for the past twenty four years, the exception being this year which I am spending in Milan, Italy as a student. It is the capital of the country of India, which is a part of central Asia. New Delhi has a wide and varied heritage and history, and the city is full of rich culture, which is a blend of history and modernity, influenced by British civilizations as the country of India was a major colony of England many years, apart from smaller colonies of Dutch, French and Portugese civilizations in other parts of India. Because of being a British colony, the city is divided into a New Delhi part, which is the central part of the city that was developed during the British civilization and houses good restaurants, hotels, monuments, markets, gardens and the administration of the central government; there is the Old Delhi part, which was developed during the Mughal civilizations and has a lot of Islamic and Persian influence, having Bazaars, mosques and monuments, known for its food, and still retains some architecture of the bygone times; and the generic Delhi, which is used to refer to all the other parts of the city.

New Delhi is a vibrant city, alive even at night. Influenced by our contemporary times, the city has become a big international metropolitan city, always full of tourists, travellers and locals. It is crowded, it is cultural, it is modern, it is historic. New Delhi has something for everyone!

Below I list out what to see, where to eat, what to do, and how to travel in the city of Delhi-

1. TRAVELLING

The Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) is the international airport of the city of Delhi. It is around 13 kilometres away from the centre of the city, but the beauty of Delhi, much like Paris, is that even on the outskirts there is so much to do that the city centre does not really hold as much main importance as it does in European cities. 

The Airport is one of the best known international airports all over the world. It is well-connected to almost all the main metropolitan cities of the world. 

For travelling within the city, there is a well-working metro line, that connects almost all points of the city as well as the suburbs area. It also connects the airport to the city centre, which is called Connaught Place, and the time taken is around thirty minutes to reach. 

There are eight lines in the metro, marked by colour. Some are underground and some are above the road network. The tickets are available for purchase in all the stations, by vending machines as well by personal counters. 

Most people in Delhi own their own vehicles, so there are traffic problems during peak hours. Many also travel by cabs and taxis, like Uber and another application called Ola. Cabs are not very expensive in Delhi, and it is a favorable option for travelling when the metro is too full during peak hours (though there is traffic on roads, so it is almost the same situation). 

There is also a big bus network, but usually locals prefer it. It works very well and connects even smaller areas together. The tickets are very cheap, but the buses are usually too crowded and there is risk of pickpockets.

ACCOMMODATION

When travelling to Delhi, there are many areas that you can stay in during your visit. Depending on your budget, you can choose either hostels, hotels or airbnb. 

For hostels, there is a very well-known area called Paharganj which offer really budgeted hostel and hotel rooms for travellers - this is usually preferred by backpackers whose budget is low. Paharganj is a very vibrant area, where there is a very famous market that sells everything - metal/hardware, textiles, laser cutting, etcetera. It is also well-connected to other parts of the city and is very near to the center of Connaught Place.

For hotels, there are good options right outside the airport. The area is called Aerocity, and houses business hotels of many renowned international brands like Accor hotels (Novotel, Pullman), Ibis, etcetera. There are also really well-known 5-star hotels in the New Delhi part of the city, which lie in the centre, like the Taj hotel and the ITC Maurya hotel, which usually house most of the national and international celebrities and politicians stay when they visit Delhi, the latest being Mr. Donald Trump, the current president of the United States of America.

Airbnb apartments and rooms are present all over the city, so you can look for any place closer to the centre. The city is well connected, and cabs are present everywhere, so location is not that big of a matter. There are also a lot of beautiful boutique hotels which can be looked at, depending on the budget and the time. 

WHAT TO SEE - MONUMENTS, HERITAGE AND CULTURE

1. RAJPATH - A linear, long road, the Rajpath road (formerly called Kingsway, by the British Empire) is flanked by the Rashtrapati Bhawan (the main government administration building) on one side and the India Gate (a war memorial, designed like the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, that commemorates the names of all British and Indian soldiers who died fighting during the first world war). It is much like the road in Washington DC, USA, which is flanked by the White House on one end and the Lincoln Tower on the other. On either sides, there are huge well-maintained gardens that are used by tourists and travellers to roam around and have picnics during both the day and the night. 

2. INDIA GATE - The India Gate is a war memorial that commemorates the names of all British and Indian soldiers who died fighting during the first world war. It is designed like the Arc de Triomphe in Paris and has a flame called 'Amar Jawaan Jyoti' that still burns, to this day, to commemmorate the fighting spirit of Indian soldiers and army. It is located on Rajpath, and is flanked by huge gardens that are always full of tourists and visitors.

3. JANTAR MANTAR - The Jantar Mandir is also located in New Delhi. It is a huge sundial that was built by a Maharaja (King) of the Jaipur city in Rajasthan. It is one of the must see monuments, as you can still observe how it worked with sunlight and natural shadows to tell the time during the day and night. 

4. LOTUS TEMPLE - The Lotus Temple is a Baha'i place of worship, that was built in 1986. It is one of the biggest tourist attractions in the city of Delhi. The flower-like shape of the main temple, which is a very prominent architectural marvel, is surrounded by a big garden complex. It is open to all, regardless of religion, just like all Baha'i Houses of Worship.

5. QUTUB MINAR - The Qutub Minar is located in the Mehrauli area of the city of Delhi. It is a very tall minaret that stands tall over the city of Delhi on the south west, and is also called the 'Victory Tower'. The complex that houses the Minar, called the qutub complex, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is a 73 meter high tower, built by a Muslim architect in 1193. The tower was built to celebrate Muslim dominance in Delhi after the defeat of Delhi's last Hindu ruler. This tower is the highest tower in India, complete with five storeys and projecting balconies.

6. HUMAYUN'S TOMB - The tomb of Humayun, one of the Islamic leaders of the Mughal empire in India, it is one of the must-see tourist attractions. It is a beautiful monument, built in Islamic and Persian architecture, using sandstone and marble. It was built by Humayun's wife as a dedication to him after his death. The big white dome, combined with the red stone building below, is one of the big attractions.

7. THE OLD FORT (PURANA QILA) - The Old Fort is one of the oldest forts in Delhi, dating back twenty five hundred years. The construction began in the time of the Mughal emperor Humayan. It was used as a fortress back then, and is now used as a backdrop for theatrical experiences and productions, cultural events and concerts by national musicians. There is also a daily light and sound presentation after sunset within the fortress, which charts the history of Delhi during that time period. Next to the fort complex, there is also the Delhi Zoo (a green island in the middle of the urban jungle that it the city of Delhi), and a small lake that has a nice boating experience daily. For good weather days, this visit to the Old Fort-Delhi Zoo-Lake can turn out to be a very nice experience. 

8. RED FORT - Another fortress in the city of Delhi, is a part of the Old Delhi part, which is called the Red Fort, the name owing to the locally available sandstone, a  building material that is completely red in colour. It used to serve as the residence of Mughal emperors back during their Empire, and is now used by the Prime Minister to deliver a speech every year on the Indian Independence Day (15th of August). The architecture is intricate and detailed, with a high level of ornamentation. The famous Kohinoor diamond was supposed to have been a part of the emperor's room in the Red Fort. It has influences of Persian, European and Indian art and architecture, giving way to a very different style that is still unique to the monument and is why it attracts so many tourists and visitors every day.

9. JAMA MASJID - The Jama Mosque is one of the largest mosques in India. It was built during the Mughal empire, made with marble and sandstone. It is a very large mosque, a place of worship for the extensive Muslim population of the Old Delhi part, and is one of the main attractions in the city.

WHAT TO SEE - MARKETS, RESTAURANTS, PLAZAS

1. CONNAUGHT PLACE - It is the central plaza in New Delhi. A circular colonnaded corridor with a contoured garden in the middle, Connaught Place was envisioned by the British rulers to be a business centre, but has now expanded itself to a commercial centre, housing one of the biggest restaurants, shops and business offices in the city of Delhi. It is also a good area for nightlife in the city.

2. HAUZ KHAS VILLAGE - The small precinct of Hauz Khas in South Delhi, Hauz Khas is an off-beat newly developed area that has a lot of small cafes, bars and restaurants. Frequented by students, the village is a haven for the youth, and is also more well-known because of being home to a small fort complex with a big lake that is very nice to roam around in during pleasant days. It is also a good area for nightlife in the city, and has one of the most prominent student culture in terms of nightlife.

3. JANPATH - It is a local small market, renowned for offering really cheap clothing and accessories, as well as being home to small showrooms of really good handmade indigenous textiles. It is located very near the main Connaught Place plaza. 

4. DILLI HAAT - The Dilli Haat, or Delhi Haat, is a big market complex in the South of Delhi. It is very famous among tourists as it is an old plaza that has shops and restaurants from cities and towns all over India, offering local and indigenous jewellery, textiles, cuisines and art and accessories, handmade from different parts of the country. It is definitely a must-visit!

5. KHAN MARKET - A very posh market, it is one of the most costly high end streets in the world. A small market, it is home to few of the really good restaurants and shopping brands, and is a must-visit to experience the posh and fancy side of the city. 

6. CHANDNI CHOWK - Located in the Old Delhi part, Chandni Chowk is a very busy shopping Bazaar and one of the most famous in India. The streets are filled with shops and markets offering spices, fruits, silver jewellery, textiles, hardware, metal stationary, oils, sweets, etcetera. It is located next to the Red Fort and has the Jama Masjid next to the bazaar. It is one of the busiest shopping streets in Delhi.

OTHER SIGHTSEEING OPTIONS

The modern city of Delhi is fancy, posh and elegant, and is now marked as an international city. Apart from the renowned and historic attractions mentioned above, there are many other areas and buildings that are also must-see, if the time and budget allows. 

Some of them are:

The mall complex in Vasant Kunj, South Delhi - A set of three commercial shopping malls, they house high-street and high-end brands both, national as well as international. You can shop both from Zara to Dior, and if you are looking for some shopping therapy, this is definitely a must-visit place. Also the food courts on top have one of the best restaurants in the city.

Aerocity - The small hotel complex outside the airport has now become one of the most prominent areas in terms of nightlife for the city. The very posh area has many clubs and bars that are filled to the brim during weekends, when people come out dressed to the nines. The restaurants are also really good and well recommended.

Mehrauli - Another area in the southern side of Delhi, it is a historic area which houses the Qutub Minar. It has now become famous for the nightlife options, which are also crowded during the day on the weekends for brunch, as the outdoor areas are really well-designed. Must visit!

Other than this, there is a suburban area of Gurugram, which is now developed quite nicely. It has become a big business centre, housing one of the biggest brands in the country as well as the multi-national company offices. It also has a lot of nice restaurants, and one of the must-visit there is the Cyber Hub complex, which is a gastronomical heaven. It is only made of restaurants, offering various cuisines ranging from Indian food, Japanese, Italian, American, etcetera. It is very near to the Airport, and if the time and budget allows, should be visited once for sure.

Delhi is a beautiful city, and even through the crowds and the urban jungle you can appreciate the beauty it holds. Every nook and corner of the city offers something to see and something to experience. Within the crowded city you can be surprised to find big gardens and parks that offer really nice experiences. Some, like the Lodhi and Mughal gardens, are maintained so beautifully and preserve the history and culture of the empires that ruled the country. The city of Delhi is a must-visit for, as it has everything for everyone!