Begin at Red Fort (8 am, 2 hrs) before the crowds arrive; walk through Chandni Chowk sampling street breakfast at Paranthe Wali Gali; visit Jama Masjid and climb the minaret; cycle-rickshaw through the spice lanes of Khari Baoli. Afternoon: India Gate and Kartavya Path. Sunset at Hauz Khas Village. Evening dinner at Bukhara (ITC Maurya) for world-renowned dal makhani.
Morning: Humayun's Tomb (2 hrs) + stroll through Nizamuddin neighbourhood and dargah. Afternoon: Qutub Minar complex (2 hrs) + Mehrauli Archaeological Park. Evening: sunset walk at Lodi Garden. Dinner at Indian Accent or Threesixtyone for new Indian cuisine.
Early morning: dawn at Nizamuddin Dargah. Mid-morning: Akshardham Temple (3–4 hrs; deposit cameras at entrance). Afternoon: National Museum (3 hrs). Evening: langar at Bangla Sahib Gurudwara. Sunset: Lotus Temple. Night market at Sarojini Nagar.
Morning: Crafts Museum + breakfast at Café Lota. Mid-morning: National Gallery of Modern Art. Lunch at Soda Bottle Opener Wala (Parsi cuisine). Afternoon: Garden of Five Senses. Dusk drinks at Hauz Khas Village rooftop. Dinner in Defence Colony's restaurant lane.
Depart 5 am by car or 6 am Gatimaan Express. Taj Mahal at sunrise (2.5 hrs). Agra Fort (2 hrs). Optional: Fatehpur Sikri en route back (1.5 hrs). Return to Delhi by 8 pm. Recovery dinner: butter chicken at Moti Mahal in Daryaganj — the restaurant that invented the dish in 1948.