Manually-pulled Rickshaw Tour in Chandani Chowk: Chandani Chowk is the most famous market of Delhi.
This market, the oldest and, perhaps, the most animated in the country, was designed by Shah Jahan’s daughter, Jahanara. Chandni Chowk is
a chaotic market of food, clothing, spices, trade, and everything else. Every day, its plethora of economical and authentic products
attracts buyers and tourists. From its origin, the market was divided into avenues and alleys dedicated to different products. Here,
shopping can quickly turn into a treasure hunt. Crowded alleyways of Chandani Chowk are photographers' paradise. At the very entry
point of Chandani Chowk is located a famous Digambar Jain Temple. The first alley after entering the main avenue is Parathe Wali Gully.
This gully is known to almost everyone in India. This street can definitely be termed as the heaven for street food lovers. The lanes
of Chandani Chowk area are quite compact and exploring these old alleyways in a manually-pulled rickshaw tour is the best way to explore
and enjoy. Some of the famous monuments to explore here are Jama Masjid, Red Fort, and Sisganj Gurudwara, a famous Sikh temple. Chawri
Bazaar in Chandani Chowk is quite old & remains still abuzz with activities. Chandani Chowk is still the heart of Delhi and is always
crowded with people of all walks. Chandani Chowk blends bright colours with historical architecture. During the course of Chandani
Chowk exploration, notice residential neighbourhood built four hundred years ago. Its arched porches and the colours of its walls
come straight out of a historical museum. One will soon be convinced that there is never enough colours. Come explore with Optima
Travels the anarchy and the colors of the oldest maze of the Indian capital. The market opens early in the morning until late at
night. Here, breaks and lunch-time do not exist. However, the "paan " break, dear to many Indians all over the country, is respected.
Budget, tourism and survival bring people of all colors, races and religions to the streets of Chandni Chowk.
Enjoy A Heritage Walk In Old Delhi: A heritage walking tour in old Delhi is a must to see the archaic aspects and to feel the core vibes of the city. Glorious but chequered history of Delhi reflects in its monuments and heritage. Heritage walks, basically popular exploratory tours, are conducted every day but during weekend it turns out to be more fascinating. Though heritage can be explored and observed by walking on your own but, normally, heritage walk tour is lead by extremely professional and hugely knowledgeable guides who give ample and correct information of the places in the tour. Several important places that depict rich culture and architectural heritage are shown in old Delhi heritage walk tour. Watching hundreds of years old havelis (mansions), exploring spice market and tasting street foods are part of the heritage walk. Old Delhi is a cluster of Mughal era monuments, buildings and shopping complex. Red Fort, Jama Masjid, Fatehpuri Masjid, Chandanai Chowk are part of it.
Go in for a Budget Street Shopping in Sarojini Nagar Market: Sarojini Nagar market in New Delhi is a fashion paradise for the girls. This is the most famous, loved, and fashion forward flea market of India. A trip to Delhi is hands down incomplete without visiting this colourful and huge market. It is located in Sarojini Nagar. It is an open area flea market where the vendors sell stuff on the road, in the stalls, in temporary and permanent shops. One can get lot of things here related to fashion, makeup, lifestyle, home décor, utensils and daily use. The best aspect of Sarojini Nagar Market is that good quality products are sold at very reasonable price. One can get a lot of first copies and dupes of major brands in this market. The market is known for the fashion staples, accessories, and makeup. There are enough food stalls in the market as well to relish various cuisines while shopping.
Buy Choicest Spices in Khari Baoli: Delhi is known for a variety of markets and one of the famous markets of the city is the spice market of Khari Baoli. It is a known fact that Delhi is the heaven for North Indian food and buying some authentic spices from Delhi is always a great idea, especially for the foodies. After all, it is the spices that makes or breaks the taste of the food. The famous spice market of Khari Baoli is in old Delhi to the west side of Chandani Chowk, starting along the Church Road. It also is the largest spice market of Asia. Khari Baoli is a beautiful market with strong aroma of the spices all over here. One can get their hands on some of the exotic spices as well. Most of the Delhi gets its spices from Khari Baoli itself. The travellers would be spoilt for choices when it comes to buying spices.
Don’t Miss Exploring Sunday Book Market: If you happen to be in Delhi on any Sunday, do not miss exploring the Sunday book market of the Delhi city. The Daryaganj book market of Delhi, from Delhi Gate to the junction of Jama Masjid, is an open bustling flea market that sells books. It is a market to sell and buy the second hand books from a huge variety of the vendors. The Daryaganj market, an old market, is a hotspot commercial place of old Delhi. On Sunday, the sidewalks are overrun by small book and magazine dealers. These books & magazines are mostly second-hand and sold for really cheap. For the bibliophiles and book enthusiasts, this place is a heaven. A large variety of books are available here on quite economical rates. This book market has gained tremendous popularity over the years. Frequently visited by a large number of students, it’s like a cornucopia of books related almost all kinds. Name a book and it will be found here. One can also sell one’s books which have already been read and may get some bucks for it too. All one needs to do is to search the coveted book from big piles of books.
Have Toy Train Ride in Rail Museum: Rail Museum in New Delhi is really a fascinating place to visit. It’s fun to explore one of the lively
museums in the country. The opening on April 16, 1853 of the first railway line between Mumbai and Thane (34 km) marks the birth of one of the
largest railway networks on the planet. 160 years of Indian railroad history fascinates Indians and railway lovers all over the world. Spread
over in 10 acres of land, Rail Museum is located just adjacent to the plush diplomatic enclave in New Delhi. Inaugurated in February 1977, the
National Rail Museum in Delhi is the first railway museum in India and still has the largest collections in the country. Sizeable area is open,
storing and up-keeping various kinds of steam engines and coaches of bygone era. The museum's teams are also responsible for preserving and
restoring the country's iconic railway heritage. The amazing monorail of the State of Patiala which circulated between 1907 and 1927 was renovated here.
As the name says, it is a rail museum that displays different things about the Indian railway that are too gorgeous to look at and photograph. One can
find rare steam engines, working models of the railways, rail artefacts, toy trains and various pictures of the trains. Signage, photos, a multitude
of objects and also many steam, diesel and electric locomotives that have roamed the Indian network for many years and are enjoying a well-deserved
retirement are placed here. It is a delightful place to be at and, at the same time, a great place to know more about the Indian railway. There is a
toy train here at the museum that attracts the tourists to enjoy its ride. There is a souvenir shop in the museum that sells some railway related
stuff. If or not someone is interested in knowing about the Indian railways, people at least must visit and get back with some information on the same.
Do Visit Wholesale Flower Market in Gazipur Village: For the travellers who wish to explore some offbeat side of Delhi post exploring the mainstream things, visiting the wholesale flower market in the Gazipur village is also a decent option. For the people who love flowers and would wish to see more beauties of it throughout then this wholesale flower market is an amazing place. It is also called as the Phool Mandi. The market begins at 4 AM and remains open until the evening. One can find a variety of flowers here and can even purchase it at a wholesale price. This place is no less than a heaven to be at. There is beauty all around. The place sells flowers from China, Thailand and Holland as well. The flowers for major uses in bulk are bought from this market itself.
Get Inspired for Shayari & Ghazal by Visiting Haveli of Mirza Ghalib: The shayaris of the Urdu poet Mirza Ghalib are so soul-touching that it can melt anyone’s heart. And there is nothing to say about his shayaris but what about if you get a chance to visit the haveli of the one and only Mirza Ghalib. How fascinating it can be! For the art, shayari, and ghazal lovers, haveli of Mirza Ghalib is a must-see. Also, the tourists interested in the then prevailing architecture will appreciate the haveli for splendid aura and style. It is located in Ballimaran in an obscure lane. The ASI has declared the haveli (mansion) as a heritage site. Roaming through various rooms and beholding beautiful walls of this poet’s haveli is a fulfilling experience. In the world that is filled with chaos, visiting this quaint haveli is such a soulful feeling for the heart. Ghalib had written all his poems and shayaris in Urdu and Persian languages. Some of these are also framed on the walls of his haveli.
Go in for a Morning Walk in Lodhi Garden: Lodhi Garden is a beautiful city park in the heart of Delhi. It is a hub for the
nature lovers, meditation practitioners, yoga doers, and people who workout. In the morning, a lot of people visit the gardens to
have a morning walk and do their form of workout. It is the best time to be at this garden. Getting to meet a lot of people of
different age doing different forms of exercise in the morning in this beautiful garden is a delightful way to start one’s day.
It is located on Lodhi Road, in between Khan Market and Safdarjung’s tomb. In 15th century, Delhi was ruled by the Lodhis and
several monuments and building of that time are located within the park. These monuments deserve a visit to understand architecture
genre of Lodhi regime. These monuments are beautiful and shed light on early Islamic architectural evolution. These are being protected
today by ASI. Shisha Gumbad, Tomb of Sikander Lodi, Bara Gumbad and the tomb of Muhammad Shah are some of the attractions of this garden.
Be Witness to Rich Exuberance of Craftsmanship of India in Dilli Haat: Delhi is a delight for the travellers, tourists and shoppers. There are so many spots in the city those are amazing for some unique and offbeat shopping experiences. One of the fascinating shopping areas in Delhi is the Dilli Haat. It is a craft bazaar that hosts sellers from across the country selling authentic stuff from various states of India. Dilli Haat is a craftsmen’s market but with some authentic products that are high in quality and even price. One can get fashion staples, home décor, fashion accessories, and lots of other stuff here from different parts of the country. Also, there is a huge stall of food items catering cuisines of different states of India. A trip to Dilli Haat without tasting these delicious delicacies is incomplete. The atmosphere of the market is like a village with thatched roof cottages that promotes handicraft and handloom of the country. Visit this market and know more about India while shop there.
Enjoy ‘Langar’ at Bangla Sahib Gurudwara: Langar is the food provided by the Sikh community everyday to all the visitors of the Gurudwara for
free of cost. This is kind of a ritual in every Gurudwara and so in the Bangla Sahib Gurudwara of Delhi. It is located at the prime location or in the heart of the New Delhi. This gurudwara is a fabulous, solace seeking, and heart warming place to be at. The music keeps playing in the gurudwara throughout which is a great feeling for the soul. The religious songs make the ambiance of the place even more touching. Indulging in the ‘langar’ eating with a lot of unknown fellow devotees is such a wonderful feeling that cannot be expressed in words. This is one of the best gurudwaras of Delhi and visiting the place is a must.
Ride a Segway at Rajpath: Quite offbeat and quite latest! This is one of the coolest ways to explore the Rajpath area of Delhi. The segway tour can be done by people of any age group who could ride the segway. It is done in Rajpath and the tour can be done of various monuments in the area. The tour starts from India gate, then goes to the Parliament building, and finally reaches till the gate of the Parliament Bhawan. The tour always has guides and the marshals who take care of safety and keep giving valuable information throughout the ride. It is a 45 minute tour having all the safety gears included.
Explore And Shop At Khan Market: Talking about the famous markets of Delhi, Khan Market would definitely be on the top of the chart. The Khan Market is named after Khan Abdul Jabbar Khan who was brother of Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan (Simant Gandhi). Also, this happens to be the costliest retail location of India. This market was established in 1951. Khan Market is one of the liveliest markets of the city that remains abuzz with shopping activities from morning to evening. Shopping is great here be it from the stalls, street vendors, or the major shops. Some of the best renowned eateries of Delhi are in Khan Market like the Kebabs of Khan Chacha, Soda Bottle Opener Wala Café, Latitude 28 and more. It is a great place to enjoy some Mughlai cuisines, Indian cuisines and some other authentic cuisines like Sushi, Parsi food etc. It is the one stop destination to eat, shop, hangout, and have a great time exploring this area of Delhi city.
Light & Sound Show at Red Fort: Red Fort is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Delhi. Red Fort is unique in its architecture and built of red sandstone. It was constructed by Shah Jahan as piece of Mughal authority. During those days, the name of Delhi was Shahjahanabad. It is adjacent to the Shalimar Fort built by Islam Shah Suri. This monument is important even till date. On every Independence Day, the Prime Minister of India hoists Indian flag here at the main gate and delivers the speech. Though the best time to explore Red Fort is in the morning but to know various fascinating aspects of this fort is by watching Light & Sound Show. Every evening, a regular light and sound show is organised in Red Fort. It is an one hour long audio video programme that showcases the history of the Red Fort and entire Delhi. The show unfolds good deeds and achievements of the king and his love towards the city. It is a must to do thing when in Delhi to know more about the Mughal rule.
Don’t Miss to Visit Doll Museum & National Museum: A lot of tourists visit Delhi and traditionally incorporate
India Gate, Rajpath, Akshardham Temple, Qutub Minar,
Mughal monuments etc. But, a trip to Delhi should always contain a visit to some of the museums. Delhi has a handful of museums. These museums
are awesome in giving details of the art and history of India. These informative trips to the museums always make a visitor more informed about
Indian culture and heritage. Out of several museums in Delhi, there are two museums worth visit – National Museum &
Doll Museum. The entry fee
for the National Museum is Rs 300 and it also includes an audio tour. It is open on all days of the week from Tuesday to Sunday and remains
closed on every Monday. It is open for the tourists from 10 am to 5 pm. There are enough artefacts and information about the country in this
museum to look forward to. Doll Museum too is a different kind of experience for the tourists. It has about 6500 plus exhibits from 85 countries.
The Indian section of the museum has 500 dolls in different outfits from all over the city. It is a very cute place.
Listen Qawwalis in Nizamuddin Dargah: Nizamuddin Dargah is one of the top religious places in Delhi. Commenting on it as beautiful would be an understatement. The vibe of this place is extremely positive and no one would ever mind sitting here for hours and spending some solace time. Every Thursday, there is a qawwali session held in the Dargah. Qawalli is a Muslim devotional music which is particularly associated with the Sufis. This traditional soul stirring music is delightful to listen to. Not only Muslims but people of all castes do visit the ‘dargah’ to attend this music session. It is very difficult to miss this Sufi session once anyone has attended. It is like a craving for the soul and ears. A lot of Bollywood films have been shot here in this ‘dargah’. It shows how beautiful the ‘dargah’ would be that even Bollywood has not been able to keep away from it.
Do Watch the Change of Guard: The Change of Guard is a ceremony that is held in the Rashtrpati Bhawan. It is held on every Saturday and Sunday. This ceremony is basically a military tradition where from the time immemorial, guards and sentries at forts, palaces, and defence establishment change periodically. This is done so that a fresh body of troops takes charge of protecting the structure they guard. Basically, the new guard takes over the duties of sentries and guards. The end of this ceremony is marked with the equestrian display by PBG and playing of the national anthem. This ceremony has been revamped lately to look more visually appealing for the public.
Taste North Indian Cuisines & Street Foods: Delhi, fondly called the heart of India, is known for the best food, fashion and experiences. Amazing food experiences of the city are hallmarks of Delhi. The city has a lot of amazing eateries and high class cafes and restaurants. In addition to it, Delhi has a variety of lip smacking street food. The best North Indian cuisines can be relished in Delhi only and once one starts loving the Delhi food, there is no looking back. While in Delhi, one got to try some of the best street food of Delhi like Chaat, Chhole Bhature, Samosa, momos, Pakodas, Rajma Chawal, Golgappe, Aloo Paratha, etc. There are a lot of major street food places like Parathe Wali Gali, Khan Market etc where one must go and try out these mouth watering food items.
Visit Historical Monuments in Delhi: Historical monuments of Delhi are symbol of India’s architecture
and heritage. Most people who visit Delhi have a plan of visiting the monuments of the city as the prime task.
The historical side of the city is extremely rich with Mughal monuments and other historical buildings. Famous
monuments in Delhi to explore are Red Fort, India Gate, Rajpath, Rashtrapati Bhawan, Safdarjung Tomb, Humayun’s
Tomb, Qutub Minar, Lotus Temple, Jantar Manatr, Jama Masjid, Bara Mahal, Sultan Ghari, Sabz Burj and Qudesia Bagh.
Visiting and exploring these historical monuments is one of the best ways to explore more of Delhi and know about the
ancient stories, history, and early traditions of the city. Since Delhi was an important city during the reign of the
Mughal, a lot of Mughal monuments are there to explore. Delhi city was also official capital of the Mughal rule before
they shifted it to Agra.
Ho Ho Bus Tour: Finally, one of the best things to do in Delhi is going for a Delhi Darshan Tour in Ho Ho bus tour. The tour is carried out in a fully air conditioned bus. This one is a hop-on-hop-off tour. The bus goes for the entire Delhi and covers 25 plus tourist places across the city of the travellers’ choice. The travellers just have to pay at once, take the ticket, sit back and relax while the bus takes one for the tour in the whole city. The bus journey starts from 7.30 AM. There are various time slots to book the bus for the entire day tour. It is a great, inexpensive, and hassle free way for exploring the entire city with all the major places to visit. There are different types of tours like 1 day tour, 2 day tour, morning to evening tour etc which the travellers can chose by themselves. The price varies depending upon the tour. A guide is also provided in the tour whose price is included in the package who explains about different tourist spots.