Red Fort

What it is

Shah Jahan built the Lal Qila in the 1640s when he moved the Mughal capital from Agra to his new city of Shahjahanabad. You walk in through the Lahori Gate and the covered Chatta Chowk bazaar, then out into the gardens. Inside are the Diwan-i-Am, where the emperor heard petitions, the marble Diwan-i-Khas and a row of palaces facing the river. The Yamuna has long since moved away. Museums in the old British barracks cover the 1857 uprising and the freedom movement.

The Prime Minister speaks from its ramparts every Independence Day. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Getting there

Lal Quila station on the Violet Line is the closest. Chandni Chowk on the Yellow Line is a walk or a cycle rickshaw away. Driving is a poor idea, since the roads around it are crowded and Chandni Chowk itself is closed to motor vehicles from 9 am to 9 pm.

When to go

Go in the morning on a weekday, from October to March if you can. Summer afternoons on the open lawns are tough. There is an evening light and sound show with its own ticket.

Good to know

Buy tickets online, which saves money and the queue. Children under 15 go in free. Security checks at the gate are thorough, so carry little. The fort closes to visitors for some days before 15 August while the Independence Day stage is set up.