3 Days in Delhi ? Here is what you should do ...
- Roni In India
- Dec 21, 2021
- 5 min read
In general, I am not a “big city” person.
Yet, there is something very accelerating and thrilling, in visiting a metropolis, and for me three full days is the right amount of time to enjoy what the city has to offer without exhausting myself.
Here are my recommendations for a tentative 3 days, itinerary in the vibrant and fascinating Capital of India.
I believe that a good and balanced sightseeing tour day in Delhi should combine and include - visiting a place of worship, an historic site, an architectural monument, a market, and a local experience, so I tried to include at least one of each in every tour day.
Day 1 –
Start the day with a short visit to ‘Agrasen Ki Baoli,’ the Millenia old, impressive Stepwell.
Proceed to ‘Bangla Sahib Gurudwara’ the biggest Sikh temple in Delhi. Learn about the Sikh beliefs and costumes, absorb the good and uplifting vibe of the ‘Kirtan’, and of course don’t miss out on checking out the big community kitchen that prepares the “Langar” food for all the devotees.
* If you are going to Visit Amritsar in the same tour, and your time in Delhi is tight you can skip it. The entrance is only barefoot (even wearing socks is not permitted).
Proceed to the heart of “New Delhi”. Visit ‘India Gate’, drive through the ‘RAJ PATH’, and see the ‘Rashtrapati Bhavan’ (India’s president house) & The Indian Parliament.
By now you might start feeling hungry, so my suggestion for you is to head to ‘Khan Market’ and have lunch in one of the posh Café’s and restaurants that are available there. After your meal you might also want to engage in shopping or at least wash your eyes with the beauty and colors of the shops and stalls.
If you are an art lover (and it is not a Monday) – from there you can easily reach the ‘NGMA’ (National Gallery of Modern Art). For visit timings and current exhibitions check their website in this link
After Proceed for a visit in ‘Humayun’s Tomb’ a world heritage monument from the Mughal era, which is referred to by may as ‘the Taj Mahal of Delhi. The Architecture is beautiful.
To conclude the day, you can visit and enjoy a walk in ‘Lodhi Gardens’ Park.
Here you will find centuries old structures and tombs amidst vast lawns and natural greenery. The nature and gardens also give a nice halt from the hectic traffic and roads outside. Afternoon you will find local people and families coming to jog or simply to enjoy and stroll around.
Do you wish to go out for a fancy dinner in a top restaurant in Delhi?
This are the restaurants I recommend for fine dining: ‘Bukhara’, ‘Spice Route’, or ‘Omya’.
* Prebooking of tables is necessary.
Day 2 –
In the morning you can start with visiting the ‘Lotus Temple’ of the Baha’i faith. The special architecture of the Lotus petals building is indeed beautiful. The place opens at 9 AM every day except Mondays. I recommend you arrive early, and be there first when they open, to avoid the long ques especially during weekends.
Proceed to visit the fascinating world heritage monument of ‘Qutub Minar’. Hear about the History of the first Muslim rulers that invaded India. The photogenic red stones Minaret is amazing to see. Another remarkably interesting and mysterious thing to see in the premises is the ancient Iron Pillar, which stands here since the 4th century without rusting.
By now you might be ready for your lunch. I recommend you go to the happening area of ‘Hauz Khas village’. Here you will find good restaurants, unique Boutiques, and a nice vibe. Personally while here, I love eating in the South Indian restaurant named ‘Naivedyam’ .
After you can proceed to the nearby gated market called ‘Dilli Haat’ where you will find very colorful and special merchandise from different Indian states and in very attractive prices.
If you still have power for wrapping the day you can go to ‘Connaught Place,’ the huge commercial square at the center of the city (Locals refers to it simply as C.P).
This is a wonderful place to do shopping. While there do not miss walking through the colorful Janpath Lane market. Here you will also find great restaurants for a perfect and tasty dinner to wrap the day.
One of my favorite places for enjoying Indian cuisine dinner is ‘zaffran’ Restaurant located on the second floor in ‘Palace Heights’ hotel.
Day 3 –
Dedicate the first half of the day for exploring ‘Old Delhi.’
Visit the huge mosque ‘Jama Masjid’. For that a modest dress is required, otherwise at the entrance you can get a special and colorful rob to wrap around your cloth.
The mosque was built by the Mughal emperor ‘Shah Jahan’, the builder of the ‘Taj Mahal’ during the 17th Century.
After visiting the Masjid, take a Rikshaw ride through ‘Chandni Chok’ area and the wholesale market streets and see all the hustle and bustle of the buzzing bazaar…
Old Delhi is also known for the ‘Red Fort’ the fortified palace of Shah Jahan. This is another World heritage site. Especially if you are also visiting Agra, I personally think getting inside is not a must at all. Though looking and getting a panoramic photo of the ‘Lahori Gate’ is nice to do anyhow.
Another memorable experience you can add to visiting this part of the city is going on a guided ‘Street food tour’ and let your taste buds celebrate the flavorful fresh dishes of the Authentic Indian cuisine.
Not far from here, on the banks of the Yamuna River, you will find the ‘Raj Ghat’ where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated. A short visit to the Gandhi memorial can be added.
From here drive to the ‘Indraprastha’ Metro station and just for the experience of it, take the Delhi Metro ride (Blue Line) from there to Akshardham station.
Akshardham temple in Delhi is absolutely staggering and magnificent. The temple was inaugurated in 2005 and is dedicated to the spiritual teacher Swami Narayan of the 18th hundreds Gujarat.
The combination of the outstanding architecture and richness of the art displayed here, with the Spiritual massages written all over and peaceful atmosphere, makes the visit in Akshardham Delhi temple to be a very refreshing and charging one. You can easily Spend the full afternoon here, including the activities like the exhibitions and the evening colorful water show.
* The temple is closed om Mondays.
* Carrying mobiles and bags to the temples is not allowed. You can either leave it in the car or in the lockers provided. There is a very strict security check in the entrance to the compound.
