Start gently at Humayun’s Tomb in Nizamuddin East, which is exactly the right first stop for an arrival day: spacious, shaded, and never as overwhelming as the big monument headline suggests. Give yourself about 1.5 hours here; the gardens open early and are usually most pleasant before the heat builds. Entry is typically around ₹40 for Indian nationals and about ₹600 for foreign visitors, with small extra charges if you carry a camera. Best access is by cab or auto from most central Delhi hotels, and if you’re coming in from the airport, it’s an easy first orientation to the city’s historic heart. After that, walk or take a very short ride to Sundar Nursery, where the mood shifts from monument to park. It’s one of Delhi’s best “I need a breather” spaces: lakes, old tombs, birds, and wide paths that let you arrive in the city at a human pace. Budget another 1.5 hours and just wander without a plan.
For lunch, keep it unfussy and local at Maqbool Restaurant, close to Nizamuddin and handy after the morning’s sightseeing. This is the kind of place Delhiites go for proper kebabs, butter chicken, nihari, and straightforward North Indian food rather than a scene; most people end up spending roughly ₹400–700 per person. If you prefer to stretch the middle of the day a little, continue to Khan Market afterward for coffee, browsing, and a slow reset. It’s one of the city’s most reliable neighborhoods for an easy first-day drift: bookstores, bakeries, pharmacy stops, and polished-but-not-fussy cafés. Think of it as a practical pause rather than a “must-see” — a good place to sit, cool down, and let Delhi loosen up around you. An auto or cab between these stops is the easiest option and usually takes 15–25 minutes depending on traffic.
Save the day’s most recognisable open-air walk for India Gate & Kartavya Path, where the city opens wide and the atmosphere becomes more social toward sunset. This is when Delhi feels most alive: families on the lawns, vendors selling corn and ice cream, and the boulevard lit in that soft evening glow that makes even first-time visitors feel they’ve arrived somewhere important. Plan 1.5 hours here, and go by cab rather than trying to stitch it together by public transport on day one. For dinner, book Indian Accent at The Lodhi if you want a polished, celebratory start to the trip — it’s one of the city’s best modern Indian restaurants, usually priced around ₹3,000–5,000 per person, and worth reserving in advance. If you’ve had a long travel day, this gives you a comfortable ending without crossing the city again, and it closes the loop nicely from old Delhi gardens to contemporary fine dining.