Delhi layers the Red Fort, Humayun's Tomb, Old Delhi's alleys and street food with modern museums, while Agra holds the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort. October to March is the best season; summers are very hot.
Good to know
- See the Taj Mahal at sunrise on a day other than Friday, when it is closed.
- Use the Delhi Metro for sights; it is fast, cheap and air-conditioned.
- Drink bottled water and favor busy stalls for street food.
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Places the planner can use
Mark places as a must or something to skip. The itinerary is built only from this list; ★ marks the destination’s highlights.
Shah Jahan's white marble mausoleum, quietest and most luminous in the first light of the day.
Red sandstone Mughal fortress with palaces and a view of the Taj in the distance.
Garden across the Yamuna with an uninterrupted view of the Taj Mahal at dusk.
Imposing 17th-century fort with audience halls, gardens and a nightly sound-and-light show.
Sample parathas, kebabs, chaat and jalebi in the lanes behind the Jama Masjid.
India's largest mosque, with a minaret climb and a courtyard that holds thousands.
Treasury of Indian handicrafts, textiles and folk art, with village courtyards on the grounds.
Garden tomb that inspired the Taj Mahal, calm and photogenic in late afternoon.
Soaring 13th-century minaret with an iron pillar and ruins in a landscaped park.
Sprawling collection of Indian art, sculpture and textiles across five thousand years.
Massive stone temple complex with carvings, exhibits and a water-and-light show.
Medieval ruins beside a lake, surrounded by cafes, boutiques and rooftop bars.
Tomb-studded park where locals jog, picnic and practice yoga.