A visit to Delhi is a heady experience. The capital city of India has two distinct personalities: Old Delhi, with its chaotic, winding alleys, crammed with cycle rickshaws, colourful shops and noisy street traders; and New Delhi, built by the British in 1911 for unashamed Imperial display. Old Delhi is home to the bustling shopping artery of Chandni Chowk, Shah Jahan's Red Fort (Lal Qila) and the 17th-century Masjid Mosque, India's largest. In New Delhi, Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker's tree-lined avenues radiate out from Connaught Place and India Gate, blending colonial and vernacular styles. It has fine museums, gardens, temples and mausoleums. Humayun's Tomb, for instance, is one of the earliest examples of Mughal architecture in India, and is set in irrigated gardens full of neem trees and hoopoe birds. Delhi's shopping is unbeatable: from sari silks to contemporary fashion, and crafts to jewellery, an array of shopping can be found at market stalls, in old-fashioned shops and modern malls. A more recent phenomenon is the thriving nightlife, and an increasing number of trendy bars, clubs and restaurants are opening up across the city.
Delhi, North India