Friends Visiting? This Is The Ultimate Itinerary To Show Them The Best Of The City

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What Makes It Awesome?

By virtue of my job {working at Little Black Book}, I get asked all the time for recommendations of what to do, where to go, especially for friends visiting from out of town/the country. These requests are especially excessive during wedding season; I have a set email that I forward to all my friends and friends' friends to make their trip to Delhi as exciting as possible. Sharing it here if it can be of help to you!

For context, the four things I get asked by anyone visiting from out of town/out of the country are - What are the historical places I should actually see? Which places are great for Indian food? What can I do beyond site-seeing; what's cool and new as far as shopping, activities, and experiences are concerned? And, how do I do all of this in {usually} 3-4 days?

Here's what I recommend:

Day 1:
Chandni Chowk: Though it is super chaotic, it's a really different {and old} part of Delhi that must be explored. The two tour groups to explore Chandni Chowk with are Masterjee Ki Haveli {http://bit.ly/2Gr9tKz%7D?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost and More Than Just Curry {http://bit.ly/2Ct8JSt%7D.?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost

While in Chandni Chowk, I'd recommend going to Haveli Dharampura {http://bit.ly/2C6anhi%7D?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost and having a margarita in a 200-year-old haveli that's been converted into a hotel. There's a bunch of really cool stores in Chandni Chowk- a quick search of Chandni Chowk on LBB will give you a bunch of options {including a record store}.

Go here for: Shopping + history + food {but if you have stomach issues, I'd recommend you stick to only cooked/fried food which gives you zero chances of falling sick}.

Day 2:
Lodhi Garden + Qutub Minar + Humayun's Tomb
Though there's a bunch of beautiful and unexplored monuments, tombs and historical spots in Delhi, these three should be a good place to start. You could cover all of these in a day, along with eating at some of the best places in town.

I'd recommend starting at 11 or 11.30 am at Humayun's Tomb {http://bit.ly/2Cv5L00%7D,?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost followed by a leisurely lunch at Indian Accent {http://bit.ly/2ET83uS%7D.?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost Next, go to Khan Market and explore boutique shopping at Amrapali {http://bit.ly/2HsHcEB%7D?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost & Silverline {http://bit.ly/2EBM78g%7D?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost for Jewellery, AM:PM {http://bit.ly/2HsHxHn%7D?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost and Ruwaa {http://bit.ly/2o9Kpkq%7D?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost for really nice tunics/Indian wear {for women}, Fabindia {http://bit.ly/2bR1f2Q%7D,?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost and pick up luxury ayurveda at Forest Essentials {http://bit.ly/2ol1uHw%7D?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost or Kama {http://bit.ly/2EF1ugw%7D.?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost You can also stop by Anokhi {http://bit.ly/2HtETRx%7D?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost and Good Earth {http://bit.ly/2Cva5MR%7D?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost for home-decor.

Go to Qutub Minar {http://bit.ly/2oipMlk%7D?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost at 3:30 - 4 pm {it shuts by 5; most monuments shut by 5ish}. If you want to see expensive but stunning designer wear, go to One Style Mile {http://bit.ly/2sz9zxi%7D.?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost Check out Sabyasachi {http://bit.ly/2Hvda2O%7D,?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost Tarun Tahiliani {http://bit.ly/2a3Dqli%7D,?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost Anamika Khanna {http://bit.ly/1RAZrsZ%7D,?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost Nikasha {http://bit.ly/2sDivC9%7D,?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost Anita Dongre {http://bit.ly/2HppqSx%7D,?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost Rahul Mishra {http://bit.ly/2EGjSWc%7D,and?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost Ogaan {http://bit.ly/2FeYjc6%7D.?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost They're all stunning!

Next, you can go to Cafe Dori {http://bit.ly/2C8TXVv%7D?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost which is about 10 minutes away, for coffee and supper/early dinner. They serve really great coffee and have one of the most well-designed spaces in our city.

Depending on how much time you have, you can do a quick drive-by on Rajpath {http://bit.ly/2CtOBQl%7D?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost to see India Gate {http://bit.ly/2CwGJxn%7D?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost and Rashtrapati Bhawan {http://bit.ly/2oa3ym9%7D.?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost If you're up for a night out, go to Town Hall {http://bit.ly/2Gs7kxQ%7D?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost or Perch {http://bit.ly/2GpPewG%7D?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost in Khan Market - both the places have a really great vibe.

Day 3:
Start your day with yoga! I go to Seema Sondhi's- The Yoga Studio {http://bit.ly/2BCVC4q%7D,?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost and it's in Hauz Khas Market. They have an 8 am and 9.30 am class {call in advance}. Mondays and Thursdays are my favourite days to go because the classes are super hectic. They provide mats, and the teachers are lovely.

For lunch, go to Cafe Lota {http://bit.ly/2C4HVfT%7D?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost or Coast Cafe {http://bit.ly/2HutIbi%7D.?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost Up for a pottery class? I love this place called The Clay Company {http://bit.ly/2EB0Ro5%7D?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost in Nehru Place; or you can also check out Sanskriti Kala {http://bit.ly/2ojKjWv%7D?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost on MG road. Alternatively, make your way to National Gallery of Modern Art {http://bit.ly/2oflpbF%7D.?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost It's seven levels of Indian contemporary art, and also has these really interesting {and highly Instagrammable} installations by Subodh Gupta.

Post this, you can stop by Meherchand Market- another great place for boutique shopping. Check out Play Clan {http://bit.ly/2ogYagl%7D,?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost Cord {http://bit.ly/2EGArRC%7D,?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost Nappa Dori {http://bit.ly/2oa53AN%7D,?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost Bhane {http://bit.ly/2EAxAG4%7D,?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost Outhouse {http://bit.ly/2HsKKGV%7D,?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost Basanti {http://bit.ly/2o7H9WQ%7D,?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost The Shop {http://bit.ly/2Gtxb8X%7D.?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost If you're in the mood to shop, head over to Kunafa {http://bit.ly/2HsFJy1%7D?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost for Baklava and Turkish coffee. Their baklava is amazing!

If you can squeeze in a trip to Bikaner House {http://bit.ly/2HvhmzA%7D,?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost make it happen. They have a beautiful and very well curated store called Vayu {http://bit.ly/2BEEPhF%7D,?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost and a restaurant called Chor Bizarre {http://bit.ly/2C7oqTK%7D?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost for Kashmiri food.

Day 4:
Go for a run to Lodhi Garden {http://bit.ly/2EQaxu8%7D?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost in the morning. Post which, head to Saravana Bhawan {http://bit.ly/2ofTsiU%7D?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost for an EPIC South Indian breakfast! If you're tired and looking for some R&R, I'd highly recommend the spa at Asian Roots {http://bit.ly/2GrBEJe%7D?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost or The Lodhi {http://bit.ly/2ENKvI6%7D?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost {I'm a massage junkie so I've been everywhere}.

Other fun things you can do during the day:
- Shahpur Jat: it's a bit of a maze, to be honest, but if you're up for exploring a "modern village" of sorts, check out Shahpur Jat {http://bit.ly/2ECoJaF%7D!?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost They're GREAT for their stores/indie labels. They also have this really nice vegan restaurant called Greenr {now shifted to Gurgaon} which I love.
- Daytime drinking: Perch has some of the best cocktails in town {there's one in Khan Market and in Vasant Vihar}.
- Sanadige {http://bit.ly/2EFgWcx%7D/Coast?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost Cafe: For awesome Coastal food and really nice cocktails.
- Janpath: this is basically street shopping at its best.

In a nutshell:
Through the course of your trip, you should cover at least two to three monuments. The key areas to explore:
- Chandni Chowk
- Lodhi Road/Khan Market
- Hauz Khas area/Shahpur Jat
- India Gate area
- Super south Delhi: which is Qutub Minar area/called Mehrauli

Must-do cuisines and restaurants:
Indian fusion: at Indian Accent
Pan-Indian: at Cafe Lota
Coastal: Sanadige, Coast Cafe, Thaliavar {http://bit.ly/2Gso5ct%7D%3Cbr%3EParsi:?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost Rustom's Parsi Bhonu {http://bit.ly/2ET8nKs%7D%3Cbr%3EKashmiri:?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost Chor Bizarre
South-Indian {veg}: Sarvana Bhawan, Carnatic Cafe {http://bit.ly/2EDMz1M%7D,?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost Royal Dakshin
Punjabi/North Indian/Mughlai: Bukhara {http://bit.ly/2CweUFk%7D,?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost Hav-More {http://bit.ly/2FdkCyY%7D%3Cbr%3EBihari:?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost Bihar Niwas/Potbelly {http://bit.ly/2ofNxdy%7D%3Cbr%3ENorth-Eastern:?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost Nimtho {http://bit.ly/2GrGwOw%7D%3Cbr%3EBurmese:?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost Burma Burma {http://bit.ly/2oiy7p8%7D%3Cbr%3ECocktails?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost with pizzas and live music: Piano Man {http://bit.ly/2Gt4l8K%7D%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EContemporary/Asian/Italian:%3Cbr%3EItalian:?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost Artusi {http://bit.ly/2Gsqx2F%7D%3Cbr%3EItalian,?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost European {also has great cocktails}: ATM {http://bit.ly/2BzOA0t%7D%3Cbr%3EFor?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost pizzas and wine: Cafe Diva {http://bit.ly/2ECRl3D%7D%3Cbr%3EAsian:?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost Guppy {http://bit.ly/2ECyiX9%7D%3Cbr%3EContinental:?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost Townhall
Asian: Yum Yum Cha {http://bit.ly/2sDkOou%7D%3Cbr%3EREALLY?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost good Vietnamese {run by a Vietnamese brother-sister duo}: Little Saigon {http://bit.ly/2GqsUTt%7D?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost
Brunch: Fig & Maple {http://bit.ly/2oi5GYe%7D%3Cbr%3EBrunch?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost {they're farm to table, and source really good produce from all over India}: Annamaya at Andaz {http://bit.ly/2GrwSeA%7D%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EThere?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost's a bunch of awesome Japanese & Korean food places in Gurgaon. Search LBB for more recommendations.

Cafes:
Blue Tokai {http://bit.ly/2BCfSTP%7D%3Cbr%3ECafe?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost Dori {http://bit.ly/2C8TXVv%7D%3Cbr%3ECafe?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost Turtle {http://bit.ly/2ogZSOX%7D%3Cbr%3EPerch?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost {http://bit.ly/2FcDC0s%7D%3Cbr%3EThe?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost Coffee Bond {http://bit.ly/2EB5MW5%7D%3Cbr%3EElma?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost's {http://bit.ly/2BF1fiM%7D?utm_source=LBB&ref=lbbpost

What's My Pro Tip?

Uber and Ola will take you places. If you're up for an Incredible India experience, give the metro a try.