The Red Fort and Old Delhi offer an unforgettable immersion into Mughal heritage and living history through magnificent architecture and the sensory splendour of India's most storied bazaars and mosques.
India – New Delhi – Humayon’s Tomb
🎄 Christmas in Delhi
Christmas Day in India is not the occasion it is back home. With roughly 80 per cent of the population being Hindu, the 25th of December carries about as much cultural weight as, say, National Doughnut Day does in Britain. And yet, the Indian government — ever the pragmatists — had declared it a public holiday all the same, which suited us down to the ground. Our tour operator, Audley, had read the room perfectly and put together a pleasantly relaxed schedule: no rushing about until noon. So we did what any sensible Englishman abroad does with a free morning — we had a proper sit-down breakfast. Mainly Indian, which was absolutely fine, and rather good as it turned out.
Before we’d even booked the flights, Delhi’s air quality had been on our minds. The city had, over recent years, earned a deeply unfortunate reputation as one of the most polluted places on the planet — and not in the charming, atmospheric, Dickensian fog kind of way. In November 2024, just weeks before our arrival, pollution levels had spiked to genuinely alarming concentrations. The culprits were well-documented: around four million vehicles grinding through the city’s roads daily, vast quantities of construction dust hanging in the air, coal-fired power stations on the city’s outskirts, and — perhaps most controversially — farmers in the surrounding states of Punjab and Haryana burning their post-harvest crop stubble to clear the fields quickly before the next planting season. It’s an ancient practice that modern India has been trying, with limited success, to stamp out.
We had packed face masks. Proper ones, not the limp paper affairs that did absolutely nothing during the pandemic. As it happened, conditions had improved somewhat by the time we arrived, but “improved” is relative. There was still a persistent, brownish haze sitting over the skyline, and the air had a particular quality to it — the kind you notice at the back of your throat. You didn’t just breathe Delhi; you tasted it.
Our driver and guide for our two days in Delhi was a gentleman called Zupaigh — though I’ll be honest, I was never entirely sure I had the spelling right, and asking him to spell it out felt a bit rude. He was excellent company. Despite the traffic being lighter than usual thanks to the holiday, we still hit enough of the city’s legendary jams to have plenty of time for conversation. Zupaigh was thoughtful, articulate and clearly used to curious Westerners lobbing questions at him from the back seat.
Karen and I like to think of ourselves as fairly well-travelled and reasonably worldly, but we’d be the first to admit there’s always more to learn. One topic that came up — and which we found genuinely fascinating — was the caste system. It remains a deeply embedded feature of Indian society, particularly within Hindu culture. Though caste-based discrimination has been illegal since India’s constitution came into force in 1950, the social reality is rather more complicated. Caste continues to influence marriage, employment, politics, and daily social interaction in ways that are difficult to overstate. It was one of those conversations that leaves you thinking quietly for the rest of the day.
🏛️ Humayun’s Tomb — and Another Very Long Queue We Didn’t Have to Join
The kilometres ticked by pleasantly enough, and we pulled up at Humayun’s Tomb to find — entirely unsurprisingly — another vast crowd doing what vast crowds in Delhi do best: absolutely refusing to move in any particular direction. Just as at Qutab Minar, our foreign visitor status and the eye-watering ten-times-the-local-rate entrance fee bought us the deeply satisfying luxury of strolling straight past a queue that appeared to start somewhere near the car park. We were getting rather good at this.
The complex is a different proposition from Qutab Minar — less a single dramatic monument and more an entire world unto itself. You enter through a grand gateway into a vast, formally laid-out garden divided into quadrants by raised pathways and water channels in the Persian charbagh tradition — a design the Mughals brought from Central Asia and applied with extraordinary consistency across the subcontinent. Dotted throughout are a number of elaborate smaller tombs and pavilions, each worth a good look. But they are very much the supporting cast.
The main event — Humayun’s Tomb itself — is phenomenal. Rising to around 47 metres, clad in red sandstone with white and black marble inlay, and topped with a great double-layered dome that manages to look simultaneously massive and effortless. Historians have long argued, convincingly, that this building served as the direct template for the Taj Mahal, built roughly a century later. The family resemblance is unmistakable.
The tomb was commissioned in 1569–70 by Humayun’s first wife, Empress Bega Begum, who hired the Persian architect Mirak Mirza Ghiyas to design it. It became the first garden tomb of its scale on the Indian subcontinent and earned UNESCO World Heritage status in 1993.
As for Humayun’s death — there is simply no dignified way to put this. On 27 January 1556, descending his library staircase with arms full of books, he heard the call to prayer, moved to kneel, caught his foot in his robe, tumbled down several steps and struck his temple on a stone edge. He died three days later. He had survived battle wounds, years of exile and the reconquest of his entire empire — undone, ultimately, by a staircase.
Leaving the complex, we made a quick detour to the octagonal Isa Khan Niyazi Tomb, which predates Humayun’s by around 15 years, completed in 1547. Isa Khan was an Afghan noble whose masters spent years driving Humayun into exile. There is a certain pleasing irony in his tomb now sitting quietly in the shadow of the man they never quite managed to be rid of.
Planning Your Visit
🕌 Humayun’s Tomb
| 📍 Location | Opp. Dargah Nizamuddin, Mathura Road, Nizamuddin East, New Delhi – 110013 | 🕖 Opening Times | Daily, 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM |
| 🌐 Website | asi.nic.in | 📞 Phone | 011-24654832 |
| 🚇 Metro | Violet Line — JLN Stadium; or Yellow Line — Khan Market | 🚌 Bus | DTC routes along Mathura Road |
| ℹ️ Notes | Entry closes 30 mins before closing. Tickets valid 3 hours. Photo ID required. |
🎟️ Entry Fees
| Foreign Nationals | Under 15s | Video Filming |
|---|---|---|
| ₹600 | Free | ₹25 extra |
Places to Visit Close by
1. The Red Fort
The Red Fort, known in Hindi as Lal Qila, stands on the banks of the Yamuna River in the heart of Old Delhi. It was built in the seventeenth century by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, who also commissioned the Taj Mahal, and it served as the main royal residence for the Mughal emperors for around two hundred years. The fort takes its name from the deep red sandstone used to construct its walls, which stretch for more than two kilometres and rise up to thirty-three metres in height. Inside, a series of grand halls, gardens, and pavilions once formed the ceremonial and administrative centre of one of the most powerful empires in the world. Today it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of India’s most visited monuments, drawing tourists and historians alike. Every year on Independence Day, the Prime Minister addresses the nation from its main gate, the Lahori Gate, a tradition that has continued since 1947. The fort has seen a great deal of history — periods of imperial glory, colonial rule, and the eventual transformation into a symbol of Indian national identity — and it remains a working part of the city’s life to this day.
2. Jama Masjid (Grand Mosque)
The Jama Masjid in Old Delhi is one of the largest mosques in India, built in the mid-seventeenth century under the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, who also commissioned the nearby Red Fort and the Taj Mahal in Agra. Construction took around twelve years, and the mosque was completed in 1656. It is built from red sandstone and white marble, with three gateways, two tall minarets, and a large open courtyard that can hold several thousand worshippers at one time. The main prayer hall faces west, towards Mecca, as is standard in mosque design. Visitors of all backgrounds are welcome outside of prayer times, and the mosque remains an active place of worship for the local Muslim community. It sits on a raised platform and can be seen from some distance away, making it a prominent landmark in the city. The surrounding streets are busy with markets and everyday life, and the mosque sits comfortably at the centre of this older part of Delhi.
3. India Gate
India Gate is a large stone war memorial that stands at the eastern end of Kartavya Path, the ceremonial boulevard that runs through the heart of New Delhi. Built in 1931 and designed by the British architect Edwin Lutyens, it was originally constructed to honour the roughly 84,000 Indian soldiers who died fighting for the British Indian Army during the First World War and the Anglo-Afghan War of 1919. The names of many of those soldiers are inscribed on the structure’s surface. The arch stands about 42 metres tall and is made from red and yellow sandstone. Beneath it burns the Amar Jawan Jyoti, an eternal flame lit in 1972 as a memorial to Indian soldiers who died in the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War, though this flame was later merged with another memorial flame at the National War Memorial nearby in 2022. Today, India Gate is one of the most visited landmarks in the country. The surrounding lawns are a popular spot for families and visitors, particularly in the evenings, and the site sits at the centre of the capital’s ceremonial life.
4. Raj Ghat (Gandhi Memorial)
Raj Ghat is a memorial site in New Delhi that marks the place where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated on 31 January 1948, the day after his assassination. The central feature is a simple black marble platform set within a large, well-kept garden. An eternal flame burns at one end of the platform, and Gandhi’s words — “Hey Ram”, said to have been his last — are inscribed on a small plaque nearby. Visitors are asked to remove their footwear before approaching the memorial, as is customary at sites of religious and national significance in India. The surrounding parkland is planted with trees, some of which were grown from seeds or saplings brought by visiting heads of state and dignitaries over the decades. The site draws a steady mix of Indian visitors, schoolchildren, pilgrims, and foreign tourists throughout the year. It is maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India, and sits close to several other memorials along the bank of the Yamuna river, each dedicated to a different prominent figure from India’s post-independence era.
Planning Your Visit to New Delhi
Best Time to Visit New Delhi
❄️ Winter · November to February
Rating: Ideal | Temperatures: 5 °C – 20 °C
Winter is widely considered the finest time to visit Delhi. Daytime temperatures are pleasantly cool while evenings carry a crisp chill. The sky clears between December and February, making long days of sightseeing at the Qutb Minar, Red Fort, and Humayun’s Tomb a genuine pleasure. December and January bring dense fog that can disrupt flights and trains, so build buffer time into your itinerary. January’s Republic Day parade on the 26th is a spectacular, if crowded, occasion.
What to pack: A warm coat or puffer jacket for evenings and early mornings, light to medium jumpers for daytime, comfortable walking shoes, a scarf and gloves for January, and sunglasses for clear days. A compact daypack is useful for temple visits.
🌸 Spring · March to April
Rating: Good | Temperatures: 20 °C – 35 °C
Spring arrives quickly in Delhi. March is delightful — warm but not oppressive — and the city blooms with bougainvillea and jasmine. Holi, the festival of colour, falls in March and is one of Delhi’s most exuberant street celebrations. By April the mercury climbs steeply and afternoons become distinctly hot and dry. Spring offers lower hotel prices and fewer crowds than peak winter, but those sensitive to heat should aim for March only.
What to pack: Light, breathable clothing in natural fabrics such as cotton or linen, a light long-sleeved layer for temple visits and cooler evenings, high-SPF sunscreen, a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, and a reusable water bottle.
☀️ Summer · May to June
Rating: Difficult | Temperatures: 35 °C – 48 °C
Delhi in summer is brutal. May and June regularly push temperatures above 42 °C, and hot dust-laden winds known as the loo sweep across the plains each afternoon. Serious outdoor sightseeing grinds to a halt between 11 am and 5 pm. Air-conditioned museums, galleries, and shopping centres become essential refuges. This is the low season, and hotel rates reflect it — a practical choice only for the most budget-conscious or heat-tolerant traveller.
What to pack: Ultra-lightweight, loose-fitting clothing in pale colours, a full-coverage sun hat, very high-SPF sunscreen, UV-protective sunglasses, a large reusable water bottle, and oral rehydration sachets. A portable fan or cooling mist spray can make a real difference.
🌧️ Monsoon · July to September
Rating: Mixed | Temperatures: 25 °C – 38 °C
The monsoon brings welcome relief from the summer heat but introduces its own challenges. Rainfall arrives in heavy, unpredictable bursts, causing localised flooding and waterlogged streets. Humidity is high and persistent. That said, the city turns green, the air quality improves markedly, and Delhi’s gardens — particularly Lodi Garden and Mehrauli Archaeological Park — become lush and atmospheric. Prices remain low and crowds thin. Those prepared for the rain will find a more intimate, less-polished version of the city.
What to pack: Quick-dry clothing, a sturdy waterproof jacket or packable rain mac, a compact umbrella, waterproof sandals or shoes, and zip-lock bags to protect electronics and documents. Insect repellent is important during and after heavy rain.
🍂 Autumn · October to early November
Rating: Very good | Temperatures: 18 °C – 33 °C
Autumn is an underrated gem of the Delhi calendar. October sees the monsoon ease, humidity drop, and temperatures settle into a very comfortable range. The city buzzes with the Diwali festival of lights, typically falling in October or November, which fills every neighbourhood with lamps, fireworks, and sweet vendors. It is worth noting that post-Diwali air quality can deteriorate sharply due to crop-burning in neighbouring states, so those with respiratory conditions should check pollution forecasts carefully.
What to pack: Light daywear with a medium layer for evenings, comfortable walking shoes, sunscreen for October afternoons, and a light scarf. A pollution mask (N95) is worth including if you are visiting in late October or early November.
Overall best time to visit
If you can choose only one window, aim for late October through to early February. This roughly five-month stretch — covering the tail end of autumn and the whole of the winter season — offers the most consistently comfortable conditions for exploring Delhi’s extraordinary spread of monuments, markets, and neighbourhoods. November and early December hit a particular sweet spot: the post-monsoon air is relatively clear, the Diwali festivities may still be in full swing, crowds are manageable, and the temperatures are ideal for walking. Those wishing to catch a specific cultural highlight should note that Holi in March and Diwali in October or November are each transformative experiences in their own right, and scheduling a visit around either festival will add real depth and colour to any trip.
Where to stay in New Delhi
1. HAVELI DHARAMPURA
Tucked into the lanes of Old Delhi’s Chandni Chowk, Haveli Dharampura is a restored 19th-century mansion that operates as a boutique heritage hotel. The property was rescued from near-dereliction and reopened in 2015 following a painstaking restoration that brought back its original courtyard layout, carved wooden screens, and ornate façades. It has 14 rooms, each decorated in a traditional style that reflects the architectural character of the building rather than imposing a generic luxury finish. The rooftop restaurant serves Mughlai and North Indian food with views across the Old City’s rooftops and minarets. The location puts guests within walking distance of Jama Masjid and the spice markets of Khari Baoli. It is not a property for those who want modern amenities above all else, but for travellers interested in the history and fabric of Old Delhi, it is a well-considered base.
2. MAIDENS HOTEL
The Maidens Hotel in Delhi is one of India’s oldest surviving hotels, built in 1903 during the British colonial era. Located in the Civil Lines area of Old Delhi, it originally served as a residence for British officials and dignitaries. The hotel is a fine example of colonial architecture, with wide verandas, high ceilings and well-maintained gardens that give it a distinctly old-world character. It has 54 rooms and suites, a swimming pool, and several dining options including the Latitude 28° restaurant. The property is now managed by the Oberoi Group under its heritage brand. Despite being over a century old, it remains a functioning hotel rather than a museum piece, attracting guests who want a quieter, more traditional alternative to Delhi’s modern five-star options. Its location near the university and government buildings makes it convenient for visitors with business in the northern parts of the city.
3. BLOOM ROOMS NEW DELHI
Bloomrooms @ New Delhi Railway Station is a three-star boutique hotel in Paharganj, roughly 300 metres from New Delhi Railway Station and close to the metro, making it a practical base for those arriving or departing by rail. The hotel is immediately recognisable for its bright white and yellow colour scheme, and cleanliness is clearly a priority — a point that guest reviews mention consistently. Rooms are compact but well-equipped, with air conditioning, flat-screen TVs, blackout curtains, in-room safes and Grohe rain showers in the bathrooms. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout. The hotel has 48 rooms across five room types, an in-house café and restaurant serving Pan-Asian dishes, and a 24-hour front desk. Extras such as iMac stations and a fireplace in the common area add a touch of character. It sits among the bustle of central Delhi, so the surrounding streets are noisy and congested, but for travellers passing through the city the location and value are hard to argue with.
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