The best time to visit Delhi is in October and November, and in February and March, when the nights are cool and the days filled with mellow sunshine. December and January can be a little gloomy in Delhi while mid-summer (May, June and July) is very hot with temperatures over 113°F (45°C); it is a dry heat and is sometimes accompanied by dusty desert winds. Most of the rain falls between July and September but they are not the tropical rains you'll experience in India's coastal cities.

For centuries, Delhi has been a thoroughfare for traders, and this interaction between different cultures has strongly influenced the cuisine in the city. North Indian cuisine is the most popular and has a strong Persian/Turkish influence, especially in Mughlai and Punjabi dishes. However, there are also a number of good international restaurants based in New Delhi. Traditional North Indian delicacies include various korma dishes, tandoori chicken, seekh kebabs, kofta(meatballs) and biryani.

Fleets of metered taxis, auto-rickshaws and cycle-rickshaws clog the streets of Delhi providing transport for locals and visitors. Rates fluctuate, but drivers should have rate charts available and tourists should ensure the meter is reset, or a price negotiated before departure. A ring railway starts and ends at the Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station with trains running in both clockwise and anti-clockwise directions around the city. Delhi Transport Corporation runs a large fleet of buses covering the entire city, but these are always overcrowded. The frequency of buses drops during the off-peak time between 1pm and 2.30pm. There are night service buses on selected routes and from the three main railway stations between 11pm and 5am. The first line of an ambitious Mass Rapid Transport System (MRTS) was recently opened covering 14 miles (22km) and18 stations between Shahdara, Tri Nagar and Rithala. A further two lines are under construction and the entire project is scheduled for completion by 2021.

There's no question about it: Delhi is hot, crowded and intense - not the best place for kids on holiday. But there are a number of interesting and exciting attractions for children in Delhi to enjoy. The Shankar's International Dolls Museum is located in Nehru House, on Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, and has one of the largest collections of costume dolls in the world - a wonderful tourist attraction for young girls. On the other hand, Delhi's National Rail Transport Museum, in Chanakyapuri, is a great attraction for young boys. There are a number of bowling alleys in Delhi to take the kids to, including the Kool Kidz Little Tikes Play Zone in Gurgaon, Leisure Bowl in Vasant Kunj, and Little Paradise in Faridabad. Other fun activities include camel and balloon safaris in the nearby Thar Desert. Whatever you end up doing with the kids, one thing is for sure - Delhi is a city that children seldom forget, providing an exciting and colourful experience that will live on in their memories forever.

Although English is generally used for official and business purposes, Hindi is the official language and is spoken by about 40 percent of the population. Urdu is the language common with the Muslim demographic. India has a total of 22 official languages

The currency is the Indian Rupee (INR), which is divided into 100 paise (singular paisa). Major currencies can be changed at banks, and authorised bureaux de changes. It is impossible to obtain rupees outside India, but no matter what time you arrive in India there will be an exchange office open at the airport. It is illegal to exchange money through the black market and it is advisable to refuse torn notes, as no one will accept them apart from the National Bank. It is best to change money into small denominations. Travellers cheques and major credit cards are widely accepted, particularly in tourist orientated establishments. ATMs are not generally available.

Over the past 15 years or so, Delhi's nightlife scene has undergone a major transformation - and there are now hundreds of trendy bars, nightclubs and lounges ready to roll out a good time to revellers in the nation's capital. Most of the best places are located centrally, in the areas surrounding Nehru Park (close to Niti Marg). Vibey spots, usually full of student-types and keen dancers, include Orange Room, Dublin Nightclub, Decibel and Athena Bar. Note that some clubs in Delhi institute a couples-only entrance policy, and that some places might be a little unsafe for foreign tourists. Trust your intuition: if a place feelsseedy, don't hang around.

Delhi is a fantastic shopping destination, with shopping centres, malls and markets offering a variety of well-priced holiday buys. Sought-after Delhi souvenirs include local hand-woven oriental carpets and rugs, beautiful silk fabrics, and jewellery with precious gems and stones. Authentic Indian handicrafts can be found in shops along Baba Kharak Singh Marg, available at affordable (government-controlled) prices. Goods such as shawls, pottery and paintings are available from the Crafts Museum on Mathura Road, while there are handicrafts and handloom items to be found at Dilli Haat, also a food bazaar. There are also a few antique shops to explore in Sunder Nagar and a visit to the bustling Chandni Chowk shopping area is a must. Dariba Kalan has some excellent jewellery stores, but be wary of gem scams: if an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is. Fashion accessories and upmarket goods can be found at the Connaught Place, Sarojini Nagar and Janpath shopping centres. Ansal Plaza shopping complex is a very modern and trendy shopping destination, as is Hauz Khas, which is an unlikely mix of medieval ruins and posh shopping. Delhi's range of shopping centres and bazaars are sure to send you home with mountains of excess baggage. Bargain hard in the markets and remember to shop around before you commit to a sale.

Travellers visiting the magical city of Delhi will be overwhelmed by the sightseeing opportunities available to them. Figuring out where to begin will be the hardest part of the journey. A holiday to Delhi is best enjoyed between the months of November and March, when the weather is warm, sunny and tolerable in comparison to the rest of the year.

Start off at the Red Fort, Delhi's signature attraction, reminding travellers visiting the city of the Mogul Empire that once ruled here, before checking out the majestic Jama Masjid in Old Delhi's bustling streets - India's oldest mosque, and a breathtakingly beautiful building to look at or photograph. While you're in the area, stop in at the market in Chandni Chowk for an authentic shopping experience; or, and especially if you can't quite make it to the Taj Mahal in Agra, visit Humayun's Tomb, another classic example of Mogul architecture. A must-see while visiting Delhi is Rashtrapati Bhavan, a palace larger than Versailles and the residence of the Indian President, where visitors can watch the changing of the guard and marvel at the building's architecture, built by Herbert Baker and Edwin Lutyens between 1921 and 1929. Other worthwhile attractions include the beautiful Lotus Temple; and Rajpath, the main route leading from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate, a memorial monument built for the Indian soldiers who died in World War I - and where visitors can relax on the grassy lawns and soak up the scenery.

A great way to visit many of the sights around Delhi is on the Hop On Hop Off Bus, which leaves every 30 minutes and stops at close to 20 of Delhi's top tourist destinations. Tourists pay a once-off fee of Rs 300, and can hop on and off at a variety of monuments, gardens, bazaars, museums and galleries.