NEW Delhi doesn’t ease you in. Noise and colour come at you from every direction, and it both rewards your curiosity and leaves you exhausted.
One moment you’re weaving through packed markets in a rickshaw, the next you’re sitting in quiet contemplation at the Lotus Temple, which is shaped like an open petal.
Entry is free (Bahaihouseofworship.in).
I also find calm at Crowne Plaza New Delhi Okhla in the south of the city.
Modern design is peppered with subtle Indian touches, and rooms are opulent with light streaming through large windows and bathrooms with big tubs and separate rain showers.
Plus, there’s a rooftop pool, where I take a refreshing dip before tucking into wok-tossed vegetable hakka noodles, £6.50, at the Edesia restaurant.
The fort that counts
Come morning, after feasting at the breakfast buffet on an incredible dosa with coconut curd and mouth-watering medu vada (a crunchy, lentil doughnut), a rickshaw ride through the narrow streets of Old Delhi’s Chandni Chowk proves not for the faint-hearted, but essential for soaking up the culture.
I pass street performers walking tightropes, while food vendors fry pakora and kachori at astonishing speed.
Wandering through Khari Baoli, a market dating back to the 17th century, I’m hit by clouds of fragrant spices, before I visit the Red Fort, a magnificent structure built from deep-red sandstone that served as the residence of Mughal emperors for almost 200 years.
Entry costs £4.80 (Asi.nic.in/pages/worldheritageredfort).
The next day, I explore the newer district of the city. Standing proud at the heart of the capital is India Gate, built in 1931 as a memorial to fallen soldiers.
A 10-minute taxi away is the free National Gandhi Museum, which is full of photographs, letters and personal items from Gandhi’s life (Gandhimuseum.org/museum).
And I find I need three hours at the Swaminarayan Akshardham temple, to wander the gardens and explore the exhibitions, which cost just £2.50.
The landmark also comes alive lit up at night with a spectacular fountain show, tickets cost 90p (Akshardham.com).
Chai and stop me!
Hauz Khas Village offers a different rhythm and is a brilliant labyrinth of shops, bars and cafes.
I find Chumbak, an adorable homeware shop filled with playful glassware, notebooks and ornamental plates (Chumbak.com), before unwinding with a masala chai at The Tea Room From Blossom Kochhar (Facebook/Thetearoomhkv).
After a stroll around the calm of Deer Park, home to monkeys, peacocks and a handful of spotted deer, I catch the sunset from the terrace at Hauz Khas Social.
Here, delicious momos – vegetable dumplings coated in rich masala sauce, £3 – pair perfectly with a glass of crisp chardonnay, £6.10 (Socialoffline.in).
Another evening, I head to Karol Bagh market, home to Hooter Restro & Bar, which offers superb paneer curry with buttered naan, £6 (@Hooter_restrobar), before watching live musicians performing on the buzzy rooftop at Epic Restro Bar (@Epicrestrobar).
India is also the birthplace of yoga, so before I set off to explore this intoxicating country further, I decide to join an early-morning class at Seema Sondhi, £10 (Theyogastudio.info).
It proves to be the perfect moment to reflect on an exhilarating and unforgettable city break.
FYI
B&B at Crowne Plaza New Delhi Okhla costs from £72 (Ihg.com/crowneplaza).
Direct UK flights to Delhi cost from £556 return.