Walk down memory lane with these heritage walking tours, monuments, and restored hotels.
A 130- year-old courtyard building, Haveli Dharampura bristles with late Mughal details like scalloped arches, wrought-iron balustrades, and arabesque tile work.
1. Walking Tours
INTACH Walks
The Delhi chapter of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage organizes expert-led walks through Mehrauli Archaeological Park each weekend.
Delhi Heritage Walks with Sohail Hashmi
Writer, academic, and historian Sohail Hashmi is a font of knowledge about Delhi’s oldest quarters; check his Facebook page for upcoming events.
Delhi By Foot
Run by a group of self-confessed ghoomakars (a Hindi word for “wanderer”), these heritage walking tours include everything from the oldest bazaars and shrines in Delhi to the “cursed forts” of Tughlaqabad and Adilabad.
2. Must-see Monuments
The city’s most evocative building is Humayun’s Tomb in South East Delhi. From here it’s a short distance to Lodi Gardens, whose beautifully manicured grounds are dotted with the 14th-century tombs of the last sultans of Delhi. And if you’re in town on a Thursday night, stop by the 700-year-old Sufi shrine of Nizamuddin Dargah for a Qawwali performance.
3. A Hotel with History
Located down a narrow lane in Old Delhi’s Chandni Chowk area, Haveli Dharampura occupies a recently restored and converted 19th-century mansion. It may not come with all the five-star trimmings, but it is arguably the most atmospheric place to stay in the city (91-11/2326-1000; doubles from US$168).
This article originally appeared in the December 2017/January 2018 print issue of DestinAsian magazine (“Restoration Drama”).
