Delhi is as dynamic, but not enchanted as Mumbai – nothing can beat the Bollywood’s home touch. However, New Delhi and especially South Delhi are opening a way to make the big metropolis more attractive and funny. With its more than 20 million inhabitants, many tourists referred to the City as Crazy Delhi.
This nickname is more related to Old Delhi, where it’s reigning the typical Indian organized chaos. It is always the same in the big cities all over the world, you find many different realities in one space. Maybe, if you arrive as a first-time tourist can be a little bit overwhelming, but give it a chance because for sure there is an area that you can love!
Smelling chilli in the early morning around Old Delhi
One of the best moments to discover a new place it is usually in the early morning, when daily life is just starting. To avoid the hustle of touring lost around Old Delhi with the map and not being sure of where you are, it is positive to contact a travel agency like Vasco Travel. They can tailor-make a suitable itinerary that begins in one of the biggest mosques of India, Jama Masjid. After visiting the stunning red and white marble building, the guide can take you to the spice market, before the stores are even open. Many men transporting sacks, bags, boxes and other kinds of goods for the trade.
Getting into alleys that the guide knows perfectly, the strong smell of chili awakes you and the bubbly red color stays in your mind for the rest of the day. Of course, he will take you to a very well-known store to buy teas from Darjeeling and dried fruits, because obviously all of that is good for your health.
The Gandhi Memorial and the coconut water man
There is one figure that is present everywhere in India, as a sculpture, street name, official building name or memorials. Mahatma Gandhi it is obviously part of India history and story. In Delhi there is a very nice memorial, The Raj Ghat, surrounded by perfect maintained green gardens and in the middle of it, you have a black marble platform that marks the spot of Gandhi’s’ cremation.
At the same time, it is a very touristic attraction, so on the surroundings you can find ambulant sellers as the coconut water man. He just needs a little stall which usually has two wheels for being able to move depending on the demand of fresh coconuts. He takes one piece and makes a hole placing a stroll for you to drink the delicious water. Once you drink the water there, he proceeds with a kind of machete knife to open the coconut and give you the pieces to eat them on your way. Nothing feels as tropical and good during a sightseeing tour under the heat of Delhi streets.
On the way to an observatory in downtown New Delhi
One of the best things of having a tour guide in India is that can tell you about all the curiosities and small details that you cannot find on the books and can advise you which street food to try on the right places. Leaving Old Delhi behind with the red fort, the next stops can be the Parliament Gate and The India Gate, not to confuse with The Gateway of India in Mumbai, which is a war memorial formerly called Kignsway.
To get impressed after this two more classical scenes, the Jantar Mantar appears in the middle of the traffic. An observatory from the XVIII century formed of thirteen architectural astronomy instruments. Actually, it is a very martian place with a special energy, young indian lovers and not that many tourists as maybe it is not on the must-see lists from Delhi. There are also different Jantar Mantars like in Jaipur or Varanasi and even though, the Delhi one is not the biggest one it deserves a visit. Good setting for a photoshoot or to improve your photo album from the holidays in India. This is more or less a half day tour, but depending on your energy and your guide, it can be shorter or longer. It is also very comfortable to stay the whole day as you are moving on a car with driver apart from a usually bubbly guide that will make the difference on your experience.
Contemporary South Delhi accommodation in white and yellow
Delhi has the most luxurious hotels that a capital city can host, but if you are looking for a mid-budget contemporary option in a really good area in New Delhi, then go for Bloom hotels. Spread between Delhi with two locations and Bangalore, the southern city known as the Silicon Valley of India. Bloomrooms Link Road branch is more quiet than the one next to the Railway Station and it is close to Defence Colony, Khan Market and the hipster area of Hauz Khas, a must go for trendy boutique shops and cool restaurants.
It is always a comfort to stay in a more minimal atmosphere that helps you to relax and rest when you are in a city like Delhi. The clear image of Bloomrooms makes it very recognizable with a white and yellow branding. From the white walls to the yellow window frames, staff uniform or the packaged of their complementary water, everything is curated by the hotel. There is an open air terrace and a common living room with many books and table games, also it is convenient for working with the laptop.
The café inside Link Road is an Amici Café, an Italian-Indian chain where you can have buffet breakfast, lunch or dinner depending your preferences. The rooms follow the design basis of all the amenities and they are perfect for a good night sleep with their all-in-white custom built Cloudbeds. The Standard Queen rooms feature a desk, but if you do not need it the Value ones are also more than enough.
Bloomrooms feels more like an occidental young hotel than an indian chain, but this one of their strong points. Oriented affordable design hotels for young business people or couples travelling for few days at ‘Crazy Delhi’.
