Delhi 3-day Itinerary
India
Where to go and what to see in Delhi to get the most from your trip – a 3-day itinerary from destination expert and leading travel writer Amar Grover.
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Overview >Bucket list experience:
Red Fort
Delhi, India
Last updated: 01 November, 2022
Delhi’s largest historic monument was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in the 1640s, and the massive sandstone walls still bristle with crenellations between the elegant cupolas. Within lies a 250-acre complex of gardens, audience halls, pavilions, royal apartments and a small white-marble mosque.
Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the fort personifies the scale and power of the dynastic Mughals whose three-century reign profoundly influenced the history and culture of North India.
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Destination Guide >Price from: £5
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 13+
When: All year around
Getting there & doing it
The Red Fort is around 500m northeast of the Friday Mosque (Jama Masjid), and right next to Lal Qila metro station.
Tickets are available at the kiosk beside the main Lahore Gate entrance opposite Chandni Chowk.
Most people visit independently, though local guides often tout for custom by the entrance and are worth considering for a more informed visit – you MUST agree a fee beforehand.
When to do it
The fort is open all year Tuesday-Sunday from sunrise to sunset. Closed on Mondays.
Early mornings and late afternoons will generally avoid the day’s heat and lend better light for photography.
May and June can be very hot and uncomfortable. Also, avoid weekends and public holidays when the crowds can sometimes be overbearing.
Recommended itineraries by our writers that include this experience
Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity
Red Fort & Old Delhi: Half Day Heritage Walking tour
New Delhi
Discover the Mughal era’s Old Delhi through its heritage and food. A guided walking tour exploring the history of Red Fort and Jama Masjid, ...
$77 | Rating 5 / 5 [8 ratings]
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Tour supplied by:
Red Fort Skip-the-Line E-tickets & guide
New Delhi
Book tickets in advance to avoid waiting in long lines. Enjoy a hassle-free visit to Red Fort in Delhi.
₹25,000 | Rating 4.84 / 5 [13 ratings]
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Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first
Haveli Dharampura
Delhi, India[0.9 miles]
Elegant boutique hotel in the heart of Old Delhi which lends a more immersive experience to this fascinating corner of the capital.
Official star rating:
Imperial New Delhi Hotel
Delhi, India[4.1 miles]
Superb, centrally-located property whose refined ambience and vintage decor distills the glamour and flair of the Raj’s high-point in creating New Delhi.
Official star rating:
ITC Maurya Hotel
Delhi, India[9.3 miles]
A solid and dependable luxury hotel with top-notch facilities, including an ayurvedic spa, a lovely swimming pool and famous restaurants.
Official star rating:
Leela Palace
Delhi, India[9.9 miles]
Modern, high-rise and self-consciously palace-styled hotel, set beside the capital’s genteel diplomatic enclave with an ‘Indo-baroque’ vibe, slick service and rooftop infinity pool.
Official star rating:
Destination guides including or relevant to this experience
Delhi
India
India’s intense sight- and monument-filled capital is a compelling blend of the modern Raj-influenced New Delhi, and the sights, sounds and smells of Old Delhi’s heaving and exotic lanes and bazaars.
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India’s Golden Triangle
India
India’s cultural essence combined with its most iconic sights and greatest bucket list experiences, all distilled into one compact, diverse and vibrant region.
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Overview >Our writer’s recommendations of other bucket list experiences our writer says you must do in this destination, closest first
Friday Mosque
Delhi, India[0.9 miles]
Completed in 1656 by Emperor Shah Jahan, this is one of India’s largest and most beautiful mosques.
Best for ages: 18+ | £3
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National Museum of India
Delhi, India[5.3 miles]
The National Museum houses five millennia’s worth of Indian culture alongside an eclectic collection of its celebrated art forms.
Best for ages: 13+ | £7
Akshardham Temple
Delhi, India[6 miles]
An extraordinary modern temple complex, drawing on traditional religious architecture and design.
Best for ages: 13+ | Free
Humayun’s Tomb
Delhi, India[7 miles]
Stunning mausoleum and precursor to the Taj Mahal, with tranquil well-maintained gardens.
Best for ages: 13+ | £1
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Overview >Other worthwhile experiences near this experience if you have time or interest..
Experience
National Gallery of Modern Art
Delhi, India[5.1 miles]
Formerly a palace belonging to the Maharaja of Jaipur, the gallery is now a superb repository of Indian paintings, sculpture and even photography.
Best for ages: 18+ | £5
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Experience
Indira Gandhi Memorial Museum
Delhi, India[7.1 miles]
The former bungalow residence of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi is now a slightly macabre museum. Assassinated here in 1984 by her bodyguards, even that very spot remains spotted with blood.
Best for ages: 18+ | Free
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Qawwali singing
Delhi, India[7.2 miles]
A unique opportunity to experience traditional devotional music, performed in the courtyard of an ancient Sufi tomb-shrine in south Delhi.
Best for ages: 13+ | Free | 1 hour
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Experience
Lodi Garden
Delhi, India[7.3 miles]
Among Delhi’s quietest and leafiest parks, Lodi Gardens contain several 15th- and 16th-century tombs and monuments, most relating to the Afghan Lodi dynasty, which was eventually replaced by the Mughals.
Best for ages: 13+ | Free
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