Stand at the eastern end of Kartavya Path in the late afternoon and the arch of India Gate frames the whole ceremonial spine of the city, with the Rashtrapati Bhavan rising at the far end of the avenue. This is the New Delhi that Lutyens and Baker laid out, and much of it can be walked in a single day.
The city suits travellers who want monuments, museums and wide, walkable boulevards rather than a scramble through markets and lanes. It rewards slow mornings on the lawns and unhurried afternoons indoors.
This guide covers the sights and experiences the source material describes, with practical notes on how to combine them.
Top things to do in New Delhi
1. Kartavya Bhavan Area
The central administrative district, developed by Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker, is the main point of interest in New Delhi. It holds the India Gate, the Rashtrapati Bhavan and the Kartavya Path that connects them, with ministry buildings flanking the avenue on both sides.
Treat this as the frame for your day rather than a single stop: the monuments along it are best seen on foot, one after another. The newest of the flanking buildings are the Kartavya Bhavans.
2. Kartavya Path
The Path of Duty is the city's main parade route, lined by grassy lawns and leading from the Rashtrapati Bhavan to the India Gate. It is also one of the city's parks, and a natural place to walk between the monuments at either end.
Combine it with the India Gate and the Rashtrapati Bhavan in one continuous walk, since the avenue links the two. If you are in the city on 26 January, this is where the Republic Day Parade takes place.
3. India Gate
The monumental arch for Indian soldiers stands at the eastern end of the central axis, facing the Rashtrapati Bhavan along the Kartavya Path. It anchors the walk through the administrative district.
Approach it along the Kartavya Path so the arch and the avenue read as one composition. It pairs directly with the lawns of the path and with the Rashtrapati Bhavan at the opposite end.
4. Rashtrapati Bhavan
The residence of the President of India sits at the western end of the Kartavya Path, on Raisina Hill. It is the terminus of the city's central axis and the reason the avenue was laid out as it was.
See it as the end point of a walk along the Kartavya Path rather than a separate trip. The India Gate faces it directly across the avenue.
5. National Museum
One of the national museums that reflect India's history and cultural heritage, the National Museum sits right at the Kartavya Path. It is an indoor stop in the middle of the monumental district.
Pair it with the National Gallery next door, since the two sit together at the Kartavya Path. It works well as the afternoon half of a day built around the avenue.
6. National Gallery
The National Gallery also sits right at the Kartavya Path, alongside the National Museum. Like the museum, it is part of the group of national institutions that showcase India's history and cultural heritage.
Visit it in the same outing as the National Museum, as the two are neighbours on the Kartavya Path.
7. Samvidhan Sadan
The House of Constitution is worth visiting for the history of India's democracy. The building itself housed the Parliament of India until 2023, when the Parliament shifted to a building adjacent to it.
Tours are available, and you can sit and watch a live parliament debate when a session is ongoing. Check whether a session is running before you plan your day around it.
8. Connaught Place
Known as CP, this is the heart of New Delhi: a British-designed colonial equivalent of a shopping mall, laid out in two concentric rings divided into blocks, full of shops and pigeons. At the centre is a small but pleasant park, and on one edge is Palika Bazaar, an underground market of cheap wares.
Take a walk here rather than rushing through, and note that the area has gone upmarket since the opening of the Rajiv Chowk Metro junction beneath it. Tall office buildings surround it on nearly all sides.
9. Palika Bazaar
An underground den of cheap wares on one edge of Connaught Place, with many goods pirated or smuggled from overseas. It is a contrast to the upmarket turn the surrounding area has taken.
Combine it with a walk around the Connaught Place rings, since it sits on the edge of the circle. Know what you are buying before you commit.
10. Metro Museum
Train fans will want to check out the Metro Museum inside the Patel Chowk station. It is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10AM to 4PM, and entry is free with a valid Metro ticket.
Since it is inside a station, it fits naturally into a day that already uses the Metro, and the Rajiv Chowk junction under Connaught Place puts the rest of the centre within easy reach.
11. Central Park
New Delhi is the place to go for parks, and Delhi's Central Park is one of them. It offers open ground in the middle of the city's sights.
Use it as a break between the built stops of the day, particularly if you are walking the Connaught Place area.
12. Nehru Park
Nehru Park is a great place to hang out on a sunny afternoon in the winter. It is one of the city's parks and a straightforward way to spend a few unhurried hours.
Save it for a winter afternoon, when the weather suits sitting outdoors.
13. Republic Day Parade
The Republic Day Parade at Kartavya Path is worth watching. It begins on Republic Day, 26 January, and lasts for three days, opening with the flag unfurling by the President.
Military regiments march with their bands, and tableaux from various states signify their cultures. They march from the Rashtrapati Bhavan along the Kartavya Path to the India Gate, then north to the Red Fort in Old Delhi, with a beating retreat ceremony closing the parade.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at the Rashtrapati Bhavan and walk the Kartavya Path east towards the India Gate, taking in the lawns and the ministry buildings on either side. Continue to the India Gate at the end of the avenue.
Afternoon: Stay on the Kartavya Path for the National Museum and the National Gallery, then visit the Samvidhan Sadan for a tour, or to watch a live parliament debate if a session is ongoing. If time remains, take the Metro to Patel Chowk for the Metro Museum, open Tuesday to Sunday, 10AM to 4PM and free with a valid Metro ticket.
Evening: Head to Connaught Place to walk the two concentric rings, pause in the small park at the centre, and look into Palika Bazaar on one edge. If you are visiting in winter, Nehru Park is a good place to end a sunny afternoon.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Republic Day Parade held?
It begins on Republic Day, 26 January, and lasts for three days. It opens with the flag unfurling by the President, followed by military regiments and their bands and tableaux from various states, marching from the Rashtrapati Bhavan along the Kartavya Path to the India Gate and then north to the Red Fort.
Can you watch a parliament session in New Delhi?
Yes. Tours of the Samvidhan Sadan are available, and you can sit and watch a live parliament debate when a session is ongoing. The building housed the Parliament of India until 2023, when it shifted to an adjacent building.
When is the Metro Museum open, and what does it cost?
The Metro Museum inside the Patel Chowk station is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10AM to 4PM. Entry is free with a valid Metro ticket.
What can you see along the Kartavya Path?
The avenue connects the Rashtrapati Bhavan and the India Gate, and is flanked by ministry buildings on both sides. The National Museum and National Gallery sit right at the Kartavya Path, and the newest of the flanking buildings are the Kartavya Bhavans.
Use these notes to sketch your own route along the avenue and the rings of Connaught Place, and start planning your days around the monuments and museums that interest you most.