Delhi

Delhi holidays are visually powerful and overwhelming. Delhi is a vibrant city full of colours, green gardens, people to watch and museums full of history and art to fulfil even the most desirous of intellectuals. Throughout Delhi you’ll find many places to explore the life and works of Mahatma Gandhi. You can visit the National Gandhi Museum to learn about his works and while there, be sure to visit Gandhi’s Samadhi (the place where he was cremated). You can also visit the Gandhi Smriti, the home where Gandhi spent the last 144 days of his life and was ultimately assassinated. If your Delhi holiday leads you to explore the National Gallery of Modern Art, prepare your senses for extreme visual stimulation. The galleries contain modern artwork of varying styles that explore Indian culture from a foreigner's perspective, from the perspective of a native who was trained in the European art schools and some works that just make you question why and how they were made.

Delhi holidays will be full of sound; road noise and car horns will bombard your ears, chatting and laughing people will be ever-present as you wander the streets and music will periodically float by from street performers. Delhi’s overwhelming quality is part of what makes it interesting and piques the curiosity of first-time travellers. Though sound may seem ever-present in Delhi, there’s an easy way to escape; step into a temple. As you enter the Lotus Temple your ears will be blasted with total silence. This marvel of architecture and place of worship for people of all religions, as is philosophically aligned with the Bahá’í faith, is a great place to escape and meditate away from the sounds and heat of holidays in Delhi. The Qawwalis at Nizamuddin Dargah are known for their mesmerizing ability to sing Sufi devotional songs alongside traditional Indian instruments.

As you wind through the streets on your holiday in Delhi, your nose will be inundated with smells from each food establishment that you pass. The food of Delhi is known for being rich in spices and butter. While much of the population in Delhi is vegetarian, the culture is well known for inventing tandoori chicken which is heavily spiced and cooked in a tandoor, a cylindrical clay oven. The cuisine of Delhi is deeply rooted in the religious and cultural history of the place, with strong ties back to the Mughal Empire. Much of the food in India is tied to the region in where it was created, making a wide-range of traditional food throughout the country. In Delhi you’ll find lots of heavily spiced curries and fantastic street food. A favourite is saag paneer and butter chicken where bread is used for eating and soaking up every last bit of curry. While exploring the cuisine during your Delhi holiday, be sure to try some chaat or street snacks. Many travellers recommend the samosa, a fried pocket pastry, or kulle which is a fruit chaat consisting of hollowed out fruits or vegetables topped with pomegranate seeds, chickpeas, lime juice and chaat masala which is a salty tangy spice mix. For dessert, be sure to try a fruit or spiced lassi, which is a smoothie-like drink, or gulab jamuns, which are like fried doughnut holes covered in sweet syrups. The foods of Delhi are wide-ranging and will fulfil even the most adventuresome of gourmands.

One of the best ways to explore a place is in the markets, watching and seeing all the wares available for sale. Located in Old Delhi, Chandni Chowk and Chawri Bazar are the best places to explore and find gifts for taking home with you to family and friends. With so many shops, you might want a tour guide to get you through thereby guaranteeing that you find exactly what you’re looking for and so much more. The chaos and crowded sidewalks of the market can be over stimulating, but if you’re interested in buying a sari or other clothing from a shop, you’ll be welcomed in with open arms and offered a steaming cup of masala chai tea to help along your decision. Don’t forget to remove your shoes before entering a shop and make sure you haggle and haggle and haggle some more- until you get the price you want.

The weather in Delhi is as intense as the sights, sounds and smells of the rest of the city. Throughout the year you’ll experience temperatures as high as 47 degrees and rain showers during the monsoon season that can drop inches of rain and hail in minutes.

Despite the intensity of the weather, there are seasons during which your holidays in Delhi will be filled with sunshine and fabulous temperatures for walking around the city. No matter when you decide to visit Delhi, be sure to plan ahead and pack according to the temperature. You’ll find the most superb weather and beautiful flowers from October to March, which is the best time of year to holiday in Delhi.

Season for exploring the outdoors

Springtime is the perfect time of year for exploring Delhi outdoors. Delhi is home to many parks and gardens, which are great ways to escape the city. You can picnic, practice yoga, walk or just sit and watch the other people go by. During this time of year you’ll find the flowers in full bloom. During the day, the average temperature is a balmy 24 degrees, with temperatures getting down to 10 degrees at night. Be sure to pack a range of clothing to stay warm but not be sweltering in the sun.

Sunshine all the time

During the summer you can expect temperatures up to 47 degrees and only drop to 30 degrees at night. Though the temperatures are hot, touring Delhi in the summer can still be great. If your holidays take you to Delhi between the months of April and June, be sure to bring light cotton clothes, lots of sun protection and plan to spend the afternoons inside. By touring in the late afternoon and early evening, you’ll be able to avoid the hottest part of the day and still see everything Delhi has to offer.

Storms and saturation

Though not as wild as the coastal towns, Delhi does experience monsoon season. From July to mid-September you can expect to get wet during your holiday in Delhi. The monsoon season is still hot in Delhi with temperatures around 30 degrees, so you’ll find relief and coolness in the rain showers. The monsoon rains also bring a new glow to Delhi as they wash away all the dust and bring the smell of clean rain into the air.

Strolling the gardens

With temperatures hovering around 20 degrees, autumn is a great time to spend your holidays in Delhi. From September to November, you’ll experience dry, cool weather. This is another great time of year to spend your Delhi holidays outdoors. Whether you’re walking the streets, exploring the gardens or wandering the markets searching for the perfect gift for your loved ones back home, you’ll enjoy the cool, dry weather.

Sweaters and scarfs

December and January are the coldest months in Delhi with temperatures getting down to 8 degrees. Though rare, temperatures can dip below freezing during this time of year so be sure to bring warm clothing and bundle up while exploring the outdoor markets and being outside. December is the driest month in Delhi so you’re safe to leave your umbrella at home. Winter is a fantastic time of year to stay warm by eating all the spicy curries you can find and sipping on hot masala chai at every opportunity.