3 Days in Delhi: The Perfect Long Weekend Guide

Delhi is one of the world’s great cities — 3,000 years old, eight times destroyed and rebuilt, and home to some of the most extraordinary monuments ever raised. It’s also overwhelming, loud, polluted, and chaotically alive. Three days is exactly enough to get past the initial shock and start to love it.

Day 1 – Old Delhi: Mughal City

Morning: Start in Chandni Chowk — the main street of Mughal Old Delhi, built in 1650 and still as chaotic. Take a cycle rickshaw through the narrow lanes of the Khari Baoli spice market (Asia’s largest wholesale spice market — the smells are overwhelming) and the silver, textiles, and wedding markets of the surrounding lanes.

Visit the Jama Masjid — India’s largest mosque, a red sandstone and marble complex built by Shah Jahan between 1644 and 1656. The courtyard can hold 25,000 worshippers. Climb the south minaret (small fee) for a view across Old Delhi’s rooftops.

Lunch at Karim’s — established in 1913 by descendants of royal Mughal court chefs, the lamb curry and mutton Korma here are legendary.

Afternoon: Explore the lanes around Chandni Chowk at your own pace — the Dariba Kalan silver market, the Kinari Bazaar (wedding trimmings and textiles), and the Paranthe Wali Gali (lane of stuffed flatbreads — one of Delhi’s most famous food streets).

Evening: Walk or rickshaw to the Red Fort — Shah Jahan’s great Mughal palace-fortress, built between 1638 and 1648. The exterior is impressive even if the interior is less so than Agra Fort. It marks the boundary between Old and New Delhi.

Day 2 – South Delhi: Tombs & Gardens

Morning: Humayun’s Tomb in Nizamuddin is the architectural forerunner of the Taj Mahal — a 1570 Mughal garden tomb with perfect proportions and a remarkably peaceful atmosphere compared to the Taj. The surrounding Charbagh (four-quadrant formal garden) is beautifully maintained. Allow 90 minutes.

Walk 15 minutes to Lodi Gardens — a public park scattered with 15th-century Lodi dynasty tombs, where Delhiites walk, jog, and do yoga amid 500-year-old mausoleums. It’s one of Delhi’s most civilised experiences.

Afternoon: Qutb Minar complex (Metro: Qutb Minar station) — a UNESCO World Heritage Site containing the 73-metre victory minaret (tallest in India) built in 1193, an Iron Pillar from the 4th century that has never rusted, and the ruins of one of Delhi’s first mosques. Budget 90 minutes.

Spend the late afternoon in Hauz Khas Village — a former 14th-century reservoir and madrasa, now surrounded by Delhi’s most interesting neighbourhood of boutique galleries, design studios, and rooftop restaurants.

Evening: Dinner in Hauz Khas. Try New Ohri’s for Mughal North Indian food or Indian Accent for India’s finest contemporary cooking (book well in advance — it’s consistently rated India’s best restaurant).

Day 3 – New Delhi: The Colonial Capital

Morning: India Gate — the 43-metre memorial arch commemorating Indian soldiers of WWI, set at the end of the ceremonial boulevard of Kartavya Path (formerly Rajpath). Walk toward Rashtrapati Bhavan (the Presidential Palace) at the far end.

The National Museum of India on Janpath houses one of the finest collections of South Asian art anywhere — Indus Valley Civilization artefacts (2600 BCE), Mughal miniatures, Buddhist sculpture, and medieval bronzes. Free on Fridays.

Afternoon: Akshardham Temple (2005) — a modern Hindu temple complex of extraordinary craftsmanship: 234 carved pillars, 20,000 figures carved in stone, and no steel or concrete used in construction. Remarkable, and free.

Evening: Connaught Place — Delhi’s colonial-era commercial hub, a circular neoclassical district with restaurants, bars, and the famous underground Palika Bazaar. Or take a final walk through the Khan Market upscale shopping neighbourhood for bookshops, wine bars, and excellent restaurants.

Getting Around Delhi

Delhi has a comprehensive, clean, and cheap Metro — the best way to avoid traffic and cover the city’s enormous distances. A Tourist Card (1-day or 3-day unlimited) is excellent value.

Autos and Cycle Rickshaws: Use Ola/Uber/Rapido apps for auto-rickshaws in Old Delhi; agree on the price beforehand for cycle rickshaws.

Essential Tips

• Air quality: Delhi’s air can be severely polluted November–January. An N95 mask is recommended. Check AQI before outdoor sightseeing.
• Heat: April–June temperatures reach 44°C+. Plan outdoor sightseeing before 10am and after 5pm.
• Dress codes: Cover shoulders and knees for religious sites. Remove shoes at all temples and mosques.
• Water: Drink only bottled water. Avoid street food ice.
• Safe areas: Central Delhi (Lutyens’ Delhi, Connaught Place, South Delhi) are generally safe for tourists. Normal city awareness applies in Old Delhi.