All direct flights to Delhi from the UK & Ireland

Mark Says

Never mind the fabled Delhi belly, the real culture shock experienced by first-time travellers to the Indian capital is how densely populated it all is. Those arriving in India to find some kind of inner peace are unlikely so to do in such perennially bustling marketplaces as Chandni Chowk or Dilli Haat, with its open-air performances. Nor is there much relief from the brand names of the Western world in Connaught Place, the city's premier shopping attraction. With festivals taking place throughout the year, from Vacant Panchami in Spring to Diwali in Winter, there's also nearly always some form of song and dance going on. Colourful, lively, a city that stops for its gods, but no man - this is modern Delhi. Delhi's status as a travel hub, the first port of call for those looking to explore more exotic areas of the Indian sub-continent, means there's always a staggering number of spiritual types and Gap year students waiting for their next bus, train or flight out. But there are plenty of reasons to stick around for a while. Delhi boasts a selection of once-seen-never-forgotten monuments and buildings: Humayoun's Tomb, the Jantar Mantar observatory, the Jama Masjid mosque, one of the largest and most striking in the country. The Red Fort, a staggering sandstone construction, stages memorable light and sound shows after dark. Even if you are simply passing through Delhi, it's worth trying to synchronise your visit with a meal time or three. The city has the reputation of being a glutton's paradise, provided you're a glutton with the spicier kind of palate. From roadside dhabas to the clay tandoori ovens, there's always something cooking, with Punjabi cuisine (chaat, kulche, bhalle) especially popular amongst the locals. Peace lovers hungry for more have the Tibet House Museum or the Gandhi Smiriti Museum to turn to: the city's true keepers of the pacifist flame.