Delhi

One of the oldest cities in the world, Delhi is also one of the largest. Emblematic of India in the paradoxes it holds, the city is a modern metropolis where you encounter antiquity at every bend. With a history spanning over 5000 years that saw several dynasties, invasions, migrations, destruction, construction and the Partition, Delhi is a cultural conundrum. The best way to relish Delhi is not to try to unravel its idiosyncrasies but enjoy the cultural patina it offers.

You haven't seen Delhi if you haven't seen its monuments. Ubiquitous as the ruins are, scattered over the city, do visit tomes such as the Red Fort, Jama Masjid, Rashtrapati Bhavan, the Qutab Minar and Humayun's tomb. Even though they are a bit of a cliche, the breadth of history they represent will leave you dizzy with cultural overload.

If you manage to be in Delhi when the weather is cooler, walk through the city - battle your way through the maze of Chandni Chowk and then amble along the Janpath savouring the incredible sense of space in Lutyens' tree-flanked Delhi. Pad across the grass at the Lodhi Gardens littered with ruins or haul your way up the Ridge area also called the lungs of Delhi, offering dense forests and an occasional fox. They city has so much to offer that the smell of tarmac later will always remind you of your Delhi days.

Whatever be the season, do not forget to sample the food here. Astounding variety and outstanding flavours. What you cannot miss are the kebabs around Jama Masjid, the chaat at Chandni Chowk, momos at various shacks around the city and the sinfully indulgent Mughlai and Punjabi food.

What Delhi also offers is exemplary shopping. Traditional wear, ethnic-chic, trinkets, furnishings, antiques, ostentatious jewellery, chromatic pajamas, designer wear and labels, posh bookshops and second hand treasures, flea markets, curios, handicrafts - Delhi has it all. It is, after all, the capital of the republic of India.