A practical weekend in Delhi

Getting around

You can buy a Delhi Metro Tourist Card at the airport metro station. This card provides three days of unlimited rides. For travel between 11 pm and 5 am, use Uber or Ola instead of night taxis because they accept international cards.

Friday night

Start your trip with dinner featuring Butter Chicken. This creamy tomato sauce dish is recommended at Moti Mahal or Gulati.

Saturday itinerary

Spend the day exploring Old and Central Delhi. Visit the Red Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site built in 1639 by Emperor Shah Jahan using red sandstone. For lunch, head to Paranthe Wali Gali in Chandni Chowk for stuffed parathas filled with spiced potatoes, bananas, or cashews. Continue your day at India Gate, which is a 42 meter high archway serving as a memorial for 70,000 British Indian Army soldiers who died in World War I. End the afternoon at Humayun's Tomb, a site of Mughal architecture that served as a precursor to the Taj Mahal.

Sunday itinerary

Start early in South Delhi by renting blue government bikes at Lodhi Garden gate 1 starting at 6 am. You will need a passport photocopy for the deposit. Visit Qutub Minar, which was built by Qutb-ud-din Aibak in 1193 and stands as the world's tallest brick minaret at 73 meters. Stop by the Lotus Temple, a Bahá'í House of Worship shaped like a lotus flower, but ensure you arrive before it closes at 5:30 pm sharp. For food, try Chole Bhature, a dish of spicy chickpeas and deep fried bread available at Sita Ram Diwan Chand or Kwality Restaurant.

Trip planning

The best windows to visit are spring (February to March) and fall (September to December). Average temperatures vary by month: January: 13°C / 55°F February: 17°C / 63°F March: 22°C / 72°F April: 29°C / 84°F May: 33°C / 91°F June: 32°C / 90°F July: 31°C / 88°F August: 30°C / 86°F September: 29°C / 84°F October: 25°C / 77°F November: 20°C / 68°F December: 15°C / 59°F

Plan for a daily budget between $80 and 120.

Sources

[S1] https://www.weekend.com/ — https://www.weekend.com/ [S2] https://www.weekendtravellers.com/explore/delhi — https://www.weekendtravellers.com/explore/delhi [S3] https://www.thebrokebackpacker.com/delhi-itinerary/ — https://www.thebrokebackpacker.com/delhi-itinerary/ [S4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Weeknd — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Weeknd [S5] https://thingstodoinnewdelhi.com/itineraries/weekend/ — https://thingstodoinnewdelhi.com/itineraries/weekend/