Delhi & Agra

If Rajasthan is the storybook, Delhi and Agra are the footnotes that give it depth — the history, the noise, the contradictions. In Delhi, the past and present collide on every street corner; in Agra, time slows for beauty. Between them, you’ll find a tale of empires, devotion, and daily life that never quite stands still.

Size & Population

Delhi

• Area: 1,483 km², of which 783 km² is rural

• Comparable to: New York City

• Population (2024): Approximately 33.8 million

Agra

• Area: 603 km²

• Comparable to: Slightly smaller than urban Auckland by around 70 km²

• Population (2024): Approximately 2.5 million

Famous Foods

Delhi

Street food heaven: Chaat (Pani Puri, Aloo Tikki), Chhole Bhature, Paranthas, Butter Chicken, Kebabs, Dahi Bhalle, Kathi Rolls, Rabri Falooda.

Agra

Sweet and savoury indulgence: Petha (a translucent sweet made from white pumpkin), Mughlai cuisine (Kebabs, Biryani), and street snacks at every turn.

Top Things To Do

Delhi

• Explore Qutub Minar, the tallest brick minaret in the world.

• Visit Gandhi Smriti Museum, dedicated to the life of Mahatma Gandhi.

• Discover Humayun’s Tomb, a precursor to the Taj Mahal.

• Visit Jama Masjid, a vast mosque in the Old City.

• Experience Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, a serene Sikh house of worship.

Agra

• Marvel at the Taj Mahal, the world’s ultimate symbol of love.

• Visit Agra Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

• Explore Fatehpur Sikri, the former Mughal capital.

• See Itmad-ud-Daula’s Tomb — often called the ‘Baby Taj’.

• Watch artisans practising the fine art of marble carving.

And Did You Know…

Delhi

• Delhi has been the capital of several empires, including the Mughal and British.

• It’s home to Qutub Minar, the world’s tallest brick minaret and a UNESCO site said to have inspired the Taj Mahal.

• The Red Fort was originally white — the British painted it red to protect the sandstone.

• Delhi is the second-most bird-rich capital in the world after Nairobi.

• Delhi and New Delhi are not the same. New Delhi is the official capital; Delhi (officially the National Capital Territory of Delhi) contains it.

Agra

• Agra is home to three UNESCO World Heritage sites: the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, and Fatehpur Sikri.

• It’s the birthplace of Urdu and Hindi literature.

• Agra is the world’s second-largest shoe exporter after China — a quiet fact few tourists know.

Nicola’s Story Around a Corner in Delhi & Agra

Delhi is one complicated city. A huge green belt of trees and mansions surrounds the diplomatic enclave. There are over 18,000 parks and gardens — and yet, traffic-choked highways and air pollution that can turn the sky grey. But the history of the old city, the temples, mosques and churches within a few hundred metres of each other, the buzz of life — I love it.

I recently learnt to fly a kite — not just any kite, but a bright orange one — on the rooftop of my hotel in Old Delhi. My teacher? The hotel waiter from breakfast, who also happened to be a local kite-flying champion.

From the rooftop, I looked out over Old Delhi’s patchwork of roofs — kids and adults alike stepping out to play. It’s tougher than it looks. The pros use string coated with powdered glass, sharp enough to slice an opponent’s line.“Let it out! Pull it in!” came the instructions. Simple enough — until I realised keeping that kite aloft (and out of others’ way) was an extreme sport for both the neck and nerves. Just as I thought I was safe — snap! My line dropped, and my kite fluttered away on the warm air. Hopefully, some child on a nearby roof caught it, and the orange kite lives to fly another day.

Agra as a city can be a little challenging, but the treasures it holds use every superlative you can think of. Of course, there’s the Taj Mahal — I won’t even try to describe the feelings that come with seeing it. But I love Itmad-ud-Daula’s Tomb. A wonderful, petite (after the Taj, it really is petite) architectural gem.

A guide in India isn’t just useful — they’re your backstage pass to a world you’d never see alone. And when they say, stop and take your time, you never regret it.

Queueing at sunrise to enter the Taj, moving slowly through security, excitement bubbling: will it really be that good? Will I love it as much as everyone says? Then, walking toward the Darwaza-i-Rauza, the Great Gate… and hearing, “Stop now.”

Forget the crowd. Take one step at a time toward the open space ahead — and then the Taj reveals itself. That moment never loses its magic. I’ve been more than ten times, and I do it every single time. It’s pure joy.