Delhi & Agra

Delhi is a vast city where the broad green avenues and gardens of New Delhi sit beside the bustling bazaars of its old quarters. Highlights include the soaring Qutb Minar and the Red Fort, both UNESCO-listed, along with museums, craft shops and street food such as chaat (crisp snacks with spices and chutneys). Agra is a few hours away by road or rail.

In Agra the Taj Mahal, a 17th-century mausoleum built in white marble, rises above the river — loveliest at sunrise and in the evening light, seen from the gardens on the far bank. Nearby are the massive red-sandstone Agra Fort and the abandoned city of Fatehpur Sikri, both also UNESCO-listed. The most comfortable months are roughly October to March; summer on the plains is hot.