text:
Delft

Delft is a mid-sized city in the west of the Netherlands. It's a beautiful, unspoiled town with traditional architecture, canals and bikes. It's also home to the world famous blue and white ceramics. Delft makes a great destination for a day-trip or can serve as a base to explore the region. And if the bustling crowds of Amsterdam are not really your thing, Delft is a lovely alternative, offering an equally interesting insight into the cultural wealth of old "Holland", on a far more intimate scale.

Understand
Delft is more than 750 years old. Its name is derived from the Dutch word 'delven' which means delve or digging. Delft's oldest canal is called The Old Delft (de Oude Delft). Delft expanded around it; later on many other city-canals were dug as life lines through the city. These grachten are still the pride of Delft.

In 1246 Delft received city rights, granted by Holland's Count William II. Delft grew prosperous and new neighbourhoods were added to the city. In 1355 it reached the size it would remain at until the 1900s.

In 1536 a great fire destroyed 2300 houses. The most likely cause was lightning striking the tower of The New Church. About 100 years later, in 1654, an explosion destroyed large parts of town; a warehouse with 36 000 kg of gunpowder blew up. A new warehouse (Kruithuis) was later built, outside the city perimeter.

Delft has long been a centre of art and science. With the foundation of the Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie (East India Company) in 1602, Delft also became a trading center. The VOC was at one time the largest trading company in the world, with a huge fleet and offices all over Asia. One of the Dutch offices was in Delft.

In 1842, the Royal Academy for Civil Engineering (Koninklijke Academie ter opleiding van Burgerlijke Ingenieurs) was founded. Now known as Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), it is Delft's biggest employer. About 13,000 students study in Delft.

By plane
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is 45 min away by direct connection train. If you prearrange a taxi to pick you up at Schiphol, expect to pay at least €60 to Delft. As such, the train is the best option.

Rotterdam The Hague Airport is only a few kilometres away but since there is no direct public transport connection it takes around 45 minutes. Travel via Rotterdam Centraal station, where you can take a train. Either take bus 33 directly to Rotterdam Centraal, or the other direction to Meijersplein Metro where you can take metro line E to Rotterdam Centraal (direction Slinge).

When taking an airport taxi from Rotterdam The Hague Airport, expect to pay about €35 for the trip. Other, cheaper, options are prearranged taxis from Delft.

By train
There are 2 railway stations in Delft.

By tram
On the trams you must use the OV-chipkaart or day-pass.

From The Hague
Delft is a short tram ride from The Hague by tram. Tram runs from Scheveningen, through the middle of The Hague and Den Haag HS to Delft. Travelling time is approximately 30 min from The Hague (Centrum) to Delft. From Scheveningen to Delft the journey takes 45 minutes.

From Leidschendam-Voorburg
You can take tram from Leidschenhage to its end point at Delft's train station. From Leidschenhage to Delft it takes 40 minutes. Leidschenhage is on the route of trams and.

By car
Delft, between the A4 and A13 motorways, is easily reached by car. Both highways are easily accessible both from Amsterdam/Schiphol and from Rotterdam. Delft has three exits off the A13 motorway. The city centre is best reached via exit Delft (exit 9). During the weekend this exit can be busy with IKEA shoppers. Then take the North exit (exit 8), or the South exit (exit 10) to reach the University. From the A4 motorway, take exit 14. Then, go along the Kruithuisweg (N470), until the third stoplight. Turn left, then follow signs to 'centrum'. Once you are there, follow the 'P' of your choice. It is best to go to P Zuidpoort.

By bus
Buses from The Hague and Rotterdam terminate at Delft railway station. Tram line from Den Haag (HS) runs to Delft and has stops near the city center and railway station.

By public transport
Local public transport in the town is a part of the public transport system of the Hague. As said, the historical centre of Delft is small enough to be explored on foot, but local public transport could be used to reach the Hague and come back. HTM travel cards are also valid here.

There are two frequent tram routes that run north of the city center, although there are several suburban/regional bus routes operated by EBS as well. These are better suited to travelling between towns not directly connected by rail.

By foot
Walking - the centre is small enough to walk across in ten minutes. Most streets in the city centre are pedestrianized. But do take care: taxis are allowed to use these streets. Especially at night they drive at inappropriate speeds. When walking through town make sure you leave room for traffic on bikes. The locals are zooming around going about on their daily business.The locals are usually aware of tourists looking up at the gables and are ready for unsuspended side steps, but do try to keep an eye on the traffic. A collision with a bike can ruin your whole day. Walking around without a top is considered uncouth.

By bicycle
The Netherlands is a perfect country for cycling. The land is flat, the views broad and cycle paths are everywhere. For the Dutch cycling is not only useful for the daily commute but also considered an excellent leisure activity. Inexperienced cyclists are few and far between. Cyclist are expected to ride their bikes in an assertive way. If you have a wobbly and uncertain trajectory, cars tend to overtake. This would make the cycling experience a harrowing experience. But realize that even if you have right of way, a car is still a lot harder than you.

Inside the Delft canal streets, most locals will mount the pavement shortly to let cars past on the canals where possible. This is just courteous because the next time when you are driving the car you hope to be let through as well.

At the train station in Delft you can rent bicycles. To rent a bike you will need a valid ID and a deposit (€50 for a simple bike or €145 for a tandem). The rental fee for a normal bike with a back-pedal brake will be per day. (including insurance cover for theft). Often it is possible to rent a bike with gears or one with electric assistance. Especially if you are with a group it is best to reserve the bikes per telephone (015-2143033) beforehand. (Please) Make sure you understand the traffic rules before you set off.

By taxi

 * Call-taxi telephone: 015 2625425
 * A Taxi Delft telephone: 015 2612121
 * Deltax telephone: 015 2191919
 * Lextax VOF telephone: 015 2621211

By car
In brief, getting around by car in Delft is, similar to many other Dutch cities, discouraged through spatial planning and parking fares. The old city has been made largely car-free, but there are three large car parks at the edge of the city centre (Parkeergarage Zuidpoort, Markt and Phoenix). These car parks are expensive, but parking on the few public parking spaces on the streets in or near the city center can be even more expensive. The parking policy differs per area and is not always clear. Beware of the signs "alleen vergunninghouders" (permit holders only) in some streets in the vicinity of the city center, especially in residential areas. Sometimes only a floor tile with a "P" is visible. This means Permit parking. Many tourist assume "P" means parking and end up with a parking fine. Parking is energetically policed. Unauthorized parking will cost you about €70. A 10-minute walk from the centre parking for free can be found at the Nijverheidsplein. The University area will have space in the weekends.

Traffic rules on priority consider the vulnerability of the mode of transport. This means a car has to give way to a bike to avoid a collision. Even a bike travelling the wrong way up a one-way street, without lights, driven by someone clearly over the limit colliding with a car will put that car driver at fault. Because of the risk to the cyclist, the car should have done everything to avoid the collision, or he is at fault.

Be sure to check the mirrors before you make a right turn. There is a good chance a cyclist is between you and the pavement.

Markt square and around

 * , on Markt. On the market you will find the statue of Hugo Grotius (1583–1645). Grotius is the Latin version of the Dutch name Hugo de Groot. Grotius was a jurist in the Dutch Republic. He laid the foundations for international law and law of the sea. In 1618 Grotius was sentenced to life imprisonment to the Loevestein Castle, about 75 km south east of Delft. Grotius managed to escape in a book chest. Both the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam and the museum Het Prinsenhof in Delft claim to have the original book chest in their collection.
 * , on Markt. On the market you will find the statue of Hugo Grotius (1583–1645). Grotius is the Latin version of the Dutch name Hugo de Groot. Grotius was a jurist in the Dutch Republic. He laid the foundations for international law and law of the sea. In 1618 Grotius was sentenced to life imprisonment to the Loevestein Castle, about 75 km south east of Delft. Grotius managed to escape in a book chest. Both the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam and the museum Het Prinsenhof in Delft claim to have the original book chest in their collection.

Hofjes
In Netherlands towns hofjes (almshouses) were built to host single women.

Do

 * Stroll through town: suggested streets: Oude Delft, Boterbrug, Wijnhaven, Hippolytusbuurt, Choorstraat, Vrouw Jutteland, Rietveld, Kerkstraat, Markt ending at the Beestenmarkt for a refreshment.
 * Rent a bike and visit De Delftse Hout, a park/leisure area to the east of Delft. Cycle through the woods, sail on the lake, have a picnic, walk through the parks
 * Visit the bric à brac Markets around the central streets (Hippolytusbuurt, Vrouw Jutteland and Voldersgracht) and canals of Central Delft, every Saturday, April - October (free to visit)
 * Visit the Delft Library. DOK Vesteplein 100. This library was set up very different from other libraries. The books are in cupboarts on wheels. It won several national and international prizes because of its innovative layout and the other facilities and activities available. The reading room with the childerens books is very special. The reading room (and coffee corner) on the first floor has a fantastic glass ceiling spanning the whole library. There are many international newspapers and magazines available. Open Monday from 12:00 till 18:00 other days mostly 10:00 till 18:00. Closed on Sundays. More details on their (Dutch) website
 * Every week, Studium Generale organises lectures on a wide range of subjects. Usually these are in Dutch, but roughly once a month there may be one in English too. The lectures aim at the interest of students, but other people interested may often attend as well. Admission is usually free.

Attractions

 * Petting Zoo (Kinderboerderij Delftse Hout) on the Korftlaan 3, is a 15 minutes walk from the city centre, via the "Koepoort" Bridge. Opening hours 10:00-16:00. Admission free.
 * Waterpark, next to the Petting Zoo Delftse Hout. You will find this park geared towards young children. A beach, swings, slides, a cable slide, clean toilet facilities and a maximum water depth of 40 cm (1 ft 3) and free admission make this a popular destination on sunny days. Same entrance as the Petting Zoo. The gate to the waterpark is half-way on the left.
 * Play grounds. Delft has five outdoor play grounds. These are outdoor areas with swings and various climbing frames. Target audience: 2-12 year olds. The biggest is the one on the Beukenlaan 1. The admission is free. It has toilet facilities and a simple shop for coffee, drinks and ice cream. On sunny days the volunteers sometimes run blow-up paddling pools. Opening hours, Monday till Friday from 13:30 till 17:30.
 * Kids Playground Delft (Kleveringweg 35 2616 LZ Delft Tel. 015-2190673) On the other side of the A13 motorway behind the McDonald's restaurant is an indoor playpark. Although staff motivation and facilities both need a polish it can provide a channel for excess child energy on rainy days. Wednesday to Sunday 10:00-18:00 admission €7 children and €1.80 per adult.
 * Play grounds. Delft has five outdoor play grounds. These are outdoor areas with swings and various climbing frames. Target audience: 2-12 year olds. The biggest is the one on the Beukenlaan 1. The admission is free. It has toilet facilities and a simple shop for coffee, drinks and ice cream. On sunny days the volunteers sometimes run blow-up paddling pools. Opening hours, Monday till Friday from 13:30 till 17:30.
 * Kids Playground Delft (Kleveringweg 35 2616 LZ Delft Tel. 015-2190673) On the other side of the A13 motorway behind the McDonald's restaurant is an indoor playpark. Although staff motivation and facilities both need a polish it can provide a channel for excess child energy on rainy days. Wednesday to Sunday 10:00-18:00 admission €7 children and €1.80 per adult.

Theatres and cinemas

 * There are a few theaters in the inner city; Theater de Veste, Vesteplein 1 is the largest theater, with shows almost every night (except during summer). The Microtheater, next to the New Church is a small theatre with around one show per week. On the rietveld there is a small theater called the Rietveld theatre.
 * There are two cinemas in Delft. Filmhuis Lumen is a small pleasant cinema run mostly by friendly volunteers. It has a very nice foyer. It shows mostly non-Hollywood and art-house movies. Also the film "Girl with a pearl earring" is shown here once a week. Doelenplein 5 . Hollywood blockbusters can be seen in Pathé Delft, Vesteplein 5 . This is a new, large scale cinema near the Theater de Veste in the Zuidpoort (big screen, large comfy seats, expensive drinks and pre-made perfectly round popcorn).

Tours

 * The Canal taxi boat takes you to all the main tourist spots. You can flag a boat on the canals or you can order one by phone on 06 - 22 99 2795. Single fare per person. It is also possible to rent the whole boat for €35 per hour for max 8 persons, it will pick you up from where you want.
 * Tour the sights of Delft in a horse-drawn tram if you like a bumpy ride surrounded in the smell of manure. It starts on the market square.
 * Tour the sights of Delft in a horse-drawn tram if you like a bumpy ride surrounded in the smell of manure. It starts on the market square.

Events
Especially during summer there are several annual events to visit, most of them are in the open air and free to visit. For a list of upcoming events, you can check out the Event calendar:. An incomplete list of annual events:
 * Mooi Weer Spelen, creative event with street theatre (free), exhibitions and theatre shows on special locations (some of them are free), one entire weekend, usually somewhere in June
 * Taptoe, National event of non-military marching bands performing parades and demonstrations, usually the first weekend of September (free)
 * Westerpop, (rock) music festival with local, national and international artists, usually the last weekend of August (free)
 * Varend corso, flower decorated boats sailing from the Westland (the glasshouse area where special flowers are grown) to Delft, usually a Sunday in the beginning of August (free)
 * Lichtjesavond ("evening of lights"), evening with Christmas atmosphere, where Christmas songs are sung, a large Christmas tree on the central market square and many, many lights. Usually on a Tuesday evening, halfway December (free)
 * Open Monumentendag ("day of the open monuments"), on this national event, many monumental buildings can be visited for free, which are otherwise closed to the public. This includes climbing to the top of "Molen De Roos", the windmill on Phoenixstraat 112, and visiting the former city prison and torturing room (backside of the City Hall), where the alleged murderer of William of Orange was tortured in 1584. It usually takes place on a Saturday. Inform at the tourism office when the next open monumentendag is held.
 * Muziek op de Gracht ("Music on the canals"), in July and August free concerts are given on boats on the Vrouw Jutteland Canal.

Buy
The shopping area in the city spreads roughly from the "Zuidwal" on the south to the "Choorstraat" on the north. The national and international stores like C&A, H&M and McDonald's concentrate on the southern part of the city, while the more alternative small stores and gift shops can be found more to the north. Apart from some supermarkets, shops are usually closed on Sundays and on Monday mornings.

 * Vrouwjuttenland: In this short street along a canal, near the New Church, alternative clothing and gift stores can be found. Pipe or cigar smokers should definitely visit "Van Renssen". The street also contains an organic/health food supermarket. On summer evenings, once a week there are performances of musical artists, performing from a boat on the canal. Check the health food supermarket for the exact dates.
 * Choorstraat: Just around the corner from the Vrouwjuttenland, the Choorstraat can be found. This pleasant small street offers a variety of stores, like a drugstore selling all sorts of tea, an international gift store selling everything from tajines to Buddha statues, a chocolate store, a gameshop and a large book store with many international newspapers.
 * Hippolytusbuurt: At the end of the Choorstraat, until Wijnhaven is Hippolytusbuurt. This is one of the two major canals. It boasts the one of the oldest shops in the world. The Fish shop dates from 1342. The Tourist information point is here. A funny little sweets shop, two toy shops, two hairdressers, a Moroccan butcher with an excellent selection of olives and tapanades and two upmarket restaurants.
 * Bastiaansplein: The newest shopping area in town, consisting of a large supermarket (7 days a week open until 22:00) and several clothing stores. Tiles in the street light up at night.
 * Voldersgracht: For those who need good advice on tasteful alcoholic beverages, they definitely should visit the store Wines and Whisky's. Furthermore, the Voldersgracht holds a large record shop, which sells a wide range of LP's and CD's from all ages. The street also has a religious gift shop, the Bijbel-In.
 * Martinus Nijhofflaan: The "Hovenpassage" is a covered shopping area, 15 minutes of walking outside the city centre. The shops are smaller and less alternative, but it contains a wide variety of stores and a large supermarket, the "Jumbo". Another large supermarket, the Albert Heijn, is on the other side of the street.
 * Oude Delft: Wine shop "Van Dorp" is near the Old Church. The shop is in the vaulted basement of a monumental house. The atmosphere inside is cool and tranquil and worth a visit by itself. The shop has an extensive selection of wine in every price category. The customer service is highly personal and very friendly. Because the shop doesn't lend itself to much browsing the shopkeeper (a wine connoisseur himself) will try and find out what is to your liking and then recommend a suiting wine without pushing expensive wines. The venue can also be hired for wine tasting sessions. A visit here will cure you from supermarket wine forever.

Delftware
Delfts Blauw (Delft Blue) is a traditional Delft pottery. In the 18th century the city was famous for its porcelain. Around 1750, 32 earthenware factories were located in Delft. Avoid anything that says "Holland" on it, or depicts windmills. Check out the antique stores if you want something really traditional.

Eat
Restaurants on the central marketplace can be more expensive than those in back-streets.

Markets
On Thursday (at the Grote Markt and brabantse Turfmarkt) and Saturday (at the Brabantse Turfmarkt only) a market is held in Delft centre. Fresh produce, fish and flowers and non-food at bargain prices. Services like watch repair and mobile phone unlocking are also available. Try the sweet smelling freshly made "Stroopwafels" (syrup waffles). Try a herring or "Kibbeling" deep-fried battered fish. Every Tuesday a market is also held at the Papsouwselaan.

Budget
If you are on a really tight budget, many student societies provide food, for a modest price (around €4). To check what is on offer look here.

Drink

The city centre of Delft is full of small bars, finding seating is sometimes a challenge. In summer the grote markt, Beestenmarkt and Brabantse turfmarkt are filled with terraces, other bars have terrace barges out front. The great beer history is alive and well again in Delft. Many bars feature an extensive beer menu, and one can try a beer from the local brewery (De Koperen Kat) or the historic brew 'Delftse Mueselare Bier'
 * Al fresco at one of the many bars around the market square, or on a floating terrace (apparently unique to Delft) on a canal.
 * "De Beestenmarkt"; around this square in the city centre are many pubs and bars. In the summer it is filled with people drinking a beer under the maple tree canopy.
 * Many students get a drink at their fraternity (extremely cheap). Mostly you need to be a member or be introduced.

Specific cafés

 * Jazzcafé Bebop, Kromstraat, a good café where the music is not so loud that you can't hear each other speaking, where the bartender is friendly and the visitors are on average around 25-30 (outside the weekends maybe somewhat older). It has a wide variety of beers and during summer the patio at the back is open.
 * Knus, Zavelpad 3, 015–2122990. In the forest next to Delft lies a pleasant establishment for coffee and snacks. Most people arrive by bike after a tour around the woods. There is a sandpit with water for the children and a few other play things. It has water bikes for rent. Popular with children.
 * Café du Midi, Noordeindseweg 70, Delfgauw, 015 2157469. In the fields next to the Delft forest (behind Ikea) lies a relaxed café. It takes great pride in serving high quality local products. Petting zoo on the premises. Walkabout chickens everywhere. Tree shaded sitting area. usually busy. Also pleasantly priced. Most visitors are cyclists. Certainly worth a visit if you have a bike. (it also is accessible by car)

Nightlife
There are a few places to go out and dance:
 * The Koornbeurs (alternative student fraternity and youth society, no membership needed) has regular live music on Friday, and the occasional parties on Saturday.
 * The Lorre. This is a student disco that belongs to a fraternity (DSC). It is not always open to the public.
 * Cine Dans Cafe (still under construction, not open yet). This one is near the theatre (theater de Veste).

Cannabis
Use of cannabis, weed or hashish is legal in small amounts (5 grams or less) in the Netherlands. Dutch law enforcement tolerates its use in so-called coffeeshops. There are 5 coffeeshops in Delft. The Future in the Peperstraat 8, de Vlouw on the Vlouw 27, The Game on the Breestraat 30, 't Keldertje on the Kromstraat 22a and De Boeddha on the Achterom 19a. The Game and The Future are both exceptional places for Lattes and herbs.

Bed and breakfast
There are several bed and breakfasts in Delft.

Holiday rental houses
There are several international websites offering canal houses for rent. Mostly these rentals need to be organised some time in advance. Because they are only slightly more expensive then a hotel room, they can work out to be cheaper for families with children who want their own room. Add the privacy and the facilities and they can be a very good alternative to a hotel or B&B. The three mayor websites competing are:, and

Long-term rentals
Most estate agents in the Netherlands are a working together. This means real estate for sale and rent are pooled on a website covering nearly everything on the market. The advantage is that one website has most properties. The disadvantages of a near monopoly are also obvious. Long term stay houses for expatiates and PhD students can be found here.

Camping
There are three campgrounds in Delft.
 * Camping Delfse Hout is located near a small artificial lake, suited for swimming. A camping spot for two persons, including a car costs between and €24. Cabins (for three/four persons) are also available for €36. Cottages can be rented for €265 per week. Services include a restaurant, recreation room, supermarket, launderette, playground, table tennis, bike rent, swimming pool. This is not a quiet place. Korftlaan 5, tel: 015 2130040.
 * Uylenburg does not offer camping spots anymore but there is a very pleasant guesthouse. Rooms are €80/115/130 for 1/2/4 persons including breakfast as of 2021., e-mail: herberg@uylenburg.nl.
 * Even smaller is De Grutto. This is definitely only for the real nature lover. You have to be a member of NIVON to camp here. There are only 25 spots. For more information call Mrs. W. Klunder (18:00 - 20:00). Directions, take bus 64 from Delft Station. Ask the driver to let you out at Rietzangerstraat, it is a 30-minute walk from there.

Stay healthy
The European telephone number for emergencies is 112. Fire, ambulance or police can be called out on this number. Mobile phones without caller credit can still call this number.

General practitioner
Family doctors (GPs) outside working hours (08:00 till 17:00) and for non-registered patients can be found at the "huisartsenpost", Reinier de Graafweg 3a, 2625 AD. (the white portacabin, next to the ambulance entrance), telephone (015) 251 19 30. Call before you visit. Visit: €65.14, consultation at home: €97.40. Paid parking on hospital grounds.

For prescription medication outside working hours, got to Apothecary "Buitenhof Apotheek" on the Rossinistraat 1, 2625 AP Delft. Telephone: (015) 245 42 00.

Cope

 * Delft City Government website

Religious services
There are several church services available also in English. Some of them offer partly English spoken services, others offer translations by a headset or written on paper (both handed over at the entrance). The list below is not complete, but gives an impression of the possibilities.

 * International Reformed Evangelical Fellowship (Ecumenic service), Heilige Geestkerkhof 25. Su 12:00 (in English)
 * Delft Christian Fellowship (Evangelistic/Charismatic service), Cort van der Lindenstraat 1. (Indonesian, English, Dutch)
 * Levend Water (Evangelistic/Charismatic service), Hermesstraat 65. Su 10:00 (Dutch, English)
 * Gereformeerde Kerk vrijgemaakt (Reformed), Schoemakerstraat 1. Su 11:00 (Dutch, with English translation on paper)

Go next

 * The beach at Scheveningen — Tramline 1 takes about 1 h and terminates right on the beach (the same trip by train is faster, you have to change in The Hague).
 * The Hague is a city worth a visit on its own (and it's on the way to Scheveningen). You can cycle to The Hague in 30 min. Start at the Oostsingel and follow the canal. It is well-sign-posted, and The Hague is visible as soon as you leave Delft.
 * Schipluiden is a very small town on the outskirts of Delft, with a large canal with beautiful bridges and colorful boats. It's a popular watering hole for cyclists. There are also kayak and paddleboat rentals (€6 for first hour, €2/hr after).
 * Schiedam is the next small city south along the train line. The small historic city centre is an undiscovered gem.
 * Hook of Holland has a quieter and cleaner beach than Scheveningen's, and it faces the Port of Rotterdam so is nice when you want to see the big seagoing ships: Great views. Cycling from Delft takes you past farms, sheep, and greenhouses. If you only want to cycle one way there is a train station at the Hook of Holland. You can take your bike on the train for about €7.50.

title: Delft


text:
Delfzijl

Delfzijl is a pleasant harbour city on the northern coast of the Netherlands. It's in the north-eastern part of Groningen Province and is home to some 20,000 people. It's not a major tourist destination, except when once every 5 years the town in turned into the bustling decor for DelfSail, a major maritime event attracting almost a million visitors who come to admire ships from all around the world. In other years, a much smaller but still fun event is held, called the Havendagen or Harbour days.

Understand
The city has a large industrial area, a busy port, a tiny beach and a few attractions to entertain the (mostly accidental) visitors. The place is not recommended for a longer stay, but has plenty of shops, a few hotels and a well stocked public library with internet facilities.

Delfzijl gained national notoriety in 2005 and 2006 because of political turmoil caused by its bickering local politicians. One of the last mayors to leave town in a hurry (Ms. Marritje Appel), bitterly denounced the city as "Sicily of the North".

During the local elections of 2006 30% of all voters in the city of Delfzijl submitted an "abstain vote".

Get in
There's a train connection from Groningen, which leaves every half-hour (€6.80, 37 minutes). It stops at Delfzijl's central station and at Delfzijl-West. The trains are operated by Arriva.

There are also bus connections to and from Winschoten, Uithuizen, Appingedam, Groningen (city) and many hamlets and villages in the area.

Good provincial roads lead to all directions:
 * N360 direction Groningen
 * N362 direction Winschoten
 * N997 direction Losdorp
 * N992 direction Woldendorp
 * The N33 leads to Eemshaven and (in the other direction) to Assen.

As a harbour town, Delfzijl is well reachable via water if you have your own boat. The main water ways are the large Eemskanaal and the smaller Damsterdiep, which is almost exclusively used for private boats. There's a yacht harbour called "Het Dok" in the so-called "Oude Eemskanaal".

In summer, there are daily ferry crossings (also for cars) to the German island of Borkum and the German town of Ditzum.

Get around
The city centre and the harbour area are small enough to explore on foot. If you have a bike, that can be convenient if you want to head to the surrounding hamlets or are up for a bike tour along the coast. If you want to rent one you'll have to inform at the tourist office however, as there are no regular bike rental companies in town.

See
The town centre has a number of interesting structures. Just strolling around will lead you past most of them, as the centre is small and easy to navigate. There's the windmill Adam (with an exhibition centre on the ground floor), a monumental train station (1884) and the former town hall (located at the Oude Schans, built in 1899. The former munition building is the oldest building in town, originating in 1591.

 * Near the Damsterdiep canal, a 10-minute walk from the centre, there is a small statue of Maigret. Georges Simenon created the character of the sleuth Maigret while staying in the town in 1929. He based his story "A Crime in Holland" in Delfzijl.
 * Near the Damsterdiep canal, a 10-minute walk from the centre, there is a small statue of Maigret. Georges Simenon created the character of the sleuth Maigret while staying in the town in 1929. He based his story "A Crime in Holland" in Delfzijl.
 * Near the Damsterdiep canal, a 10-minute walk from the centre, there is a small statue of Maigret. Georges Simenon created the character of the sleuth Maigret while staying in the town in 1929. He based his story "A Crime in Holland" in Delfzijl.

Do

 * Stroll along the sea side promenade, watching ships heading in or out. It offers fine views of the harbour, where there's always something going on
 * If you're here at the end of August or early September, you might be in time for the Havendagen, an annual maritime event attracting some 55.000 visitors.
 * Once every 5 years, the much larger DelfSail festival is held, bringing a lively mix of ships, music and side events to town. Almost a million visitors make the trip north, mainly to admire the impressive collection of historic and modern ships of all sizes.

Buy
Delfzijl offers the usual Dutch main street shopping experience (Blokker, Hema, Zeeman, etc.).

Eat
Some of the best restaurants in town belong to hotels. The Eemshotel and Hotel Boegschroef deserve a quick mention here, as they offer good dinner options. Hotel-Restaurant Boven Groningen is another good choice. See the sleep sections for details.

Go next
There is a ferry service for people and bicycles (but no cars) to Emden in Germany. The boat runs only Wednesday, Friday and Saturday and only from May to September. Reservation is possible, but not necessary.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Delfzijl


text:
Delhi

Delhi (Hindi: दिल्ली Dillī, Punjabi: ਦਿੱਲੀ Dilī, Urdu: دلّی Dillī) is India's capital and seat of government. It forms the National Capital Territory of Delhi, rather than being part of a state. Delhi is one of India's largest cities, and the core of one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world, with over 28½ million inhabitants (2018). Within India it is a major centre of arts, commerce, education, tourism, and transit. As the capital of several empires over the last 2000 years, Delhi also contains a striking array of well-preserved historic sites for tourists to visit.

Districts
Delhi is officially divided into 11 districts. For travel purposes, some government districts are combined into bigger districts in this guide. The colours of the districts represent the colour of the main metro line that travels through them:

Understand
Travellers with little experience of visiting developing megacities will find Delhi to be chaotic, crowded and for much of the year, polluted. Air pollution is a major problem in Delhi since the 1980s, with much of the day dominated with a very unhealthy amount of particles. During the late spring and early summer months, the city is scorchingly hot. Dig a little deeper however and you will get a glimpse of order beneath the chaos as well as India's traditional and modern cultural richness flourishing side by side. First-time visitors feeling the culture shock are recommended to not compound that by visiting during adverse weather conditions, and get a decent hotel room so you can stay in comfort between your sightseeing trips.

History
With evidence of continuous settlement dating back to the 6th century BC, Delhi is one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world. Thought to have been built and destroyed eleven times, evidence of at least eight distinct settlements can still be seen in Delhi. The most well-preserved historic sites are from the periods of Muslim and British rule, between 1193 and 1947.

The legendary city of Indraprastha from the epic Mahabharata is said to have been situated where Delhi now lies, but no remains of it have been found.

From the 10th to 14th century, the city was centred in what is now South Delhi:

 * — Built in the 9th-10th century on what is now the far southern outskirts of Delhi. A large water reservoir can be seen, well preserved.
 * — Founded in perhaps the 11th century as a city named "Lalkot" under Hindu rule, in the current Mehrauli area. In around 1180, Hindu ruler Prithviraj Chauhan expanded this city and renamed it Qila Rai Pithora. Some of the ruins of the fort ramparts from this period are still visible around Qutb Minar and Mehrauli.
 * — Shortly afterwards, in 1192, Muslim leader Muhammad Ghori defeated Prithviraj Chauhan in battle. Ghori left his slave Qutb-ud-din Aibak as his viceroy, who in turn captured Delhi the subsequent year. After Ghori's death in 1206, Qutub-ud-din proclaimed himself the ruler of Delhi and founded what is known as the Slave Dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate. Qutub-ud-din contributed significantly in terms of architecture by building Mehrauli. His most prominent contribution is the starting of Qutb Minar (which was finally completed in 1220). The tombs and other buildings near the Qutb Minar also date to this period.
 * — The Slave Dynasty was followed by the Khilji (or Khalji) dynasty. In 1303 they established Siri, first as a military camp to protect against possible Mongol invasion, and later as a fortified city. Nowadays Hauz Khas complex (north of Mehrauli) contains ruins of Siri Fort, a madrassa, and other buildings from the period.
 * — After the Khiljis there was chaos until Ghiyasuddin Tughluq (a Turk governor) invaded Delhi in the 1320s, started the Tughlaq dynasty, and founded a new capital Tughlaqabad, in South East Delhi. His son Muhammad Bin Tughluq created another city called Jahapanah in the area between Siri and Qila Rai Pithora, uniting them into one city. Tughlaqabad continued, however, to be the main capital city.

Starting in the 14th century, new areas were built further north, near the current city centre:
 * (Feroz Shah Kotla) — built by Muhammad bin Tughlaq's son, Feroz, in 1354. There still are some ruins which are visible around the Feroz Shah cricket stadium in Central Delhi, near the river. The city was an enclosed large area and contained many palaces, mosques, pillared halls, and a multi-floored water reservoir. Firoze also erected a 1500-year-old Ashokan Pillar (previously erected in Meerut by Samrat Ashok) on top of the palace. Firoze was buried inside a lofty tomb in Hauz Khas. After his death, the sultanate became unstable and weak, and Delhi was conquered and sacked by Tamerlane. The Sayyid and Lodhi dynasties who ruled Delhi after the Tughlaqs did less building, and the only relevant architecture visible from this period are the tombs at Lodhi Gardens. The last of the Lodhis was defeated by Babur, who then proceeded to establish the Mughal Empire in 1526.

 * — In 1533, Babur's son Humayun built the new city of Dinpanah, near the river south of Firozabad. In 1540 Humayun was defeated by Sher Shah Suri and forced to withdraw from Delhi. Sher Shah Suri established the new city Shergarh on the ruins of Dinpanah. Shergarh is what you see at Purana Qila today, near the Delhi Zoo. Humayun later reconquered Delhi and returned to power. He then completed the construction and proceeded to rule from Shergarh.
 * (Old Delhi) — the following emperors moved away from Delhi and made Agra their capital. Shahjahan (Humayun's great-grandson) returned to Delhi and established Shahjahanabad, including the Jama Masjid and the Red Fort. Much of the city wall, and three of its six gates, still exist today.
 * — New Delhi was established in 1911 after the British decided to move India's capital from Calcutta. It is a planned city, designed by architect Sir Edwin Lutyens.

Demographics
Not all descendants of the builders of Delhi's many Muslim monuments live in Delhi. Many of them migrated to Pakistan during the Partition, with the community in Old Delhi that is keeping old courtly traditions alive smaller than it once was. The city is rich in monuments, including 174 ASI protected monuments.

The population of Delhi is a heterogeneous mix of people originally belonging to different parts of North India and beyond. Among the prominent North Indian communities are the Punjabis. Delhi also has a prominent South Indian Community, primarily in neighbourhoods like Karol Bagh, RK Puram, Mayur Vihar and Munirka. A Bengali settlement, the Chittaranjan Park in South Delhi, is the Mini Kolkata of Delhi. Quality education also draws students from different states, making up one of the most diverse student populations in the country.

Orientation
Like the rest of the Gangetic Plains, Delhi is relatively flat. The only geographical features of any significance are the river Yamuna, which flows down the eastern side of the city, and the Delhi Ridge which form a wide but low arc across the west. On the west bank is the crowded and congested Old (Central) Delhi and, to the southwest, the broad, tree-lined avenues of New Delhi, built by the British to rule their Raj. The rest is an endless low-rise sprawl of suburbia and slums, with South Delhi generally wealthier.

Climate
The climate in Delhi goes through five distinct seasons. Winter, from December to January, is cold (the temperature drops to near freezing at night though the days are warm) and is notorious for the thick layer of smog that hangs over the city, resulting not only in cancelled flights and delayed trains, but also warnings to stay indoors and wear high-quality masks if you need to venture out. Spring, in the months of February and March, is pleasant with warm days and cool evenings. Summer, in April and May, is uncomfortably hot with temperatures soaring as high as 45 °C. Temperatures moderate during the monsoon season (June to September), but it is humid. Autumn, from October to November, brings warm days with relatively cool nights.

Read

 * Delhi – India Charming Chaos by Johnny Fincioen. This book concentrates on today's power centre of New Delhi and its historical context. The text and the 117 original pictures offer the reader a holistic view of the way of life in the capital of India.
 * Kultar's mime : stories of Sikh children who survived the 1984 Delhi massacre, Sarbpreet Singh's book on the 1984 genocide against Sikhs by anti-Sikh mobs. (ISBN 9781523834136)
 * When a tree shook Delhi : the 1984 carnage and its aftermath, Manoj Mitta; a book on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. (ISBN 9788174366191)
 * Tibetans in Delhi, by S. Khurana, about refugees from Tibet living in Delhi. (ISBN 9781542954198)
 * Delirious Delhi, Dave Prager; a portrait of Delhi by an expat resident. (ISBN 1611458323)

Tourist information

 * Delhi Tourism website

Talk
The native language of the Delhi area is Hindi, which also happens to be the main official language of the Union Government. Hindi is spoken by almost all locals, quite often with Bihari and Punjabi accents. Most educated people are also fluent in English, and many shopkeepers and taxi drivers have a functional command of English. Punjabi and Urdu are also the official languages of Delhi, both of which are widely spoken/understood by the locals. The Hindi spoken in Delhi is quite Persianized, similar to the Hindi spoken in Western Uttar Pradesh, and much less Sanskritized than the Hindi spoken in Madhya Pradesh. Signage is usually bilingual in Hindi and English, and some road signs (especially in South and Central Delhi) are in Hindi, English, Punjabi and Urdu. Announcements on the metro are in Hindi (male voice) and English (female voice). Unlike other major cities, locals are not multilingual, and local tour guides do not speak other Indian languages. Though people from all over India live in Delhi, finding a person who can speak other Indian languages is not so easy.

By plane

Due to massive growth in air travel, a new airport is being built at Jewar, near Noida.

By bus
Buses arrive from Kathmandu and Chitwan in Nepal (36 hr+) and virtually every city in India. Although not as comfortable as the trains, buses are the only choice for some destinations, mainly those in the mountains.

Delhi has three major Inter-State Bus Terminals (ISBTs) - Kashmere Gate ISBT, Sarai Kale Khan ISBT, and Anand Vihar ISBT. The Delhi Transport Corporation is the major operator, but every state also runs its own buses and there are some private operators too.

By train
Once you have purchased a ticket either at the ticket office or on-line prior to the trip, all you need to do is go to the rail car labelled with your class of service purchased. You can either get on and sit in the first available seat or, for higher classes of service, they will often post a passenger list on the car when it stops. Look for your name and go to the assigned car, cabin and seat. There is never a need to get a boarding pass so if anyone comes out of the crowd to tell you that, don't listen to them; it is a scam. If you're brave, you can simply purchase a general 2nd class ticket and then get on any car where there is availability. The conductor will come by and check your tickets after the train starts moving. If you are in a higher fare class than you are ticketed for, all you have to do is simply pay the difference in fare to the conductor. The only risk here is that the train could be full and you could be stuck in the lowest fare class which can be very crowded with little room to sit.

Ticket buying: The easiest way is to book online through the IRCTC booking website. Registration requires verification of an e-mail address and a mobile phone number.

Do not trust strangers who appear out of the crowd to help you; ignore them. Always ask for assistance at the enquiry counter or policemen (in khaki uniform). Anyone who approaches you spontaneously should be completely ignored. Use one of the porters (in orange uniforms with metallic arms badges) to find your train and carry your luggage, in exchange for a tip.

New Delhi railway station
Transport options to and from New Delhi station:
 * By metro: New Delhi station is served by Yellow and Orange  lines of the Delhi Metro. Metro exits are at the Ajmeri Gate (second entrance) side near platform 16.
 * By taxi: Depending on traffic, a taxi fare costs you about ₹400. Pre-paid taxi booth run by Delhi Police. If you are arriving at the station, and want to take a taxi, head to the Delhi Police pre-paid taxi booth. Unfortunately, this booth is at the extreme far north end (about 50 m from the station main exit) of the taxi parking and you will encounter touts claiming to provide prepaid taxi; just ignore them and find the pre-paid taxi booth run by the Delhi Police which are safe and least expensive. There is some chance that the booth clerk, who works for the police, will shortchange you less than anyone else who handles cash in Delhi. You can also take prepaid rickshaws and taxis from the plaza outside the main entrance.

By rapid rail
Rapid rails, officially known as RAPIDX, are faster than local and express trains. As of 2024, the Sahibabad–Duhai stretch of the Delhi–Meerut rapid rail is operational and you have to wait until 2026 to use rapid rail to arrive Delhi. The trains used on the rapid rails are called Namo Bharat.

Get around
Getting around Delhi is always an adventure. Traffic is, by and large, horribly congested and many drivers will think nothing of quoting ten times the going price to a tourist. Use the prices below as broad guidelines and agree on prices before setting off. The best way to travel is via metro, where there are separate cabins for women (which prove to be very useful during rush hour). Metro is clean, efficient, and typically ridden by relatively affluent middle-class students or commuters en route to/from work; there is almost nowhere in the city that you cannot get to by metro.

By metro

The fast-growing Delhi Metro network provides a cheap, quick, hassle-free and air-conditioned way of zipping around the city. As of May 2018, the following lines are open:

 * Red Line : Dilshad Garden–Rithala
 * Yellow Line : Samaypur Badli–HUDA City Centre
 * Blue Line : Dwarka Sector 21–Noida Electronic City
 * Blue Line branch: Yamuna Bank–Vaishali
 * Green Line : Mundka–Inderlok
 * Green Line branch: Ashok Park Main–Kirti Nagar
 * Violet Line : Kashmere Gate–Ballabhgarh
 * Orange Line : New Delhi–IGI Airport–Dwarka Sector 21
 * Pink Line : Majilis Park–Shiv Vihar
 * Magenta Line : Janakpuri West–Botanical Garden
 * Grey Line : Dwarka–Dhansa

Fares range from ₹10-60, just buy a token, change lines as necessary, and deposit the token in the slot as you exit. Tokens can be used only from the station they are bought, so you can't buy two and use the second to return home. If you're planning on sticking around for a while, you can buy a "Smart Card" for ₹200, which is worth ₹150 and includes a ₹50 deposit; using this saves 10% and, more importantly, lets you avoid the queues. There is also a "Tourist Card" allowing unlimited use for ₹150 (1 day) or ₹300 (3 days), but it's highly unlikely that you'll travel enough to make this pay off. Special fares apply for travel on the Airport Express. During rush hour, you might have to queue up for 20min+ due to security checks, especially in the central stations.

The Yellow Line, in particular, is useful for getting to the Delhi Junction (Chandni Chowk, Jama Masjid) and New Delhi railway stations, the ISBT bus terminal, the backpacker ghetto of Paharganj, Hauz Khas and Qutb Minar. The Blue Line is also handy for visiting Akshardham, Botanical Garden and accessing the western parts of Paharganj through RK Ashram Marg station. The Magenta Line is also useful for getting to the Terminal 1 of Delhi Airport and visiting Hauz Khas, Lotus Temple, Okhla Bird Sanctuary and Botanical Garden.

Beware: Metro stations all use the new, official, Indianised names, so Connaught Place is "Rajiv Chowk", Delhi Junction is "Chandni Chowk" and ISBT is "Kashmere Gate".

The first coach in every train is reserved for women only, violating it incurs a penalty. Male passengers accompanying females are forbidden too.

Be aware that if you wish to exit at a main station during rush hour, you will have to tackle your way through in order to get out before the opposite flow of passengers push you back inside. Don't be afraid of using your strength to push yourself out.

By local train
There are limited commuter services on Delhi's railways, but the facilities are a far cry from the user-friendly Metro stations. For the most part, train stations are inconveniently located. There is no passenger service on the Delhi Ring Railway outside rush hour.

By bus
All parts of Delhi are well connected by buses and with tickets ranging from ₹5-25 they are very cheap, but they are also quite crowded most of the time. The red and blue buses are air-conditioned and the green and orange ones are not. As bus stops do not have bus routes written properly, it can be difficult to find your way. Asking other people at the bus stop is often the best way to find out about bus routes to your destination. However, the buses are pretty frequent, running every 15-20 min or so on most routes. There are two kinds of buses in Delhi:

 * Government run DTC buses (red and green with big windows)
 * Privately run Blue-Line buses (orange)

If you have a choice, opt for a DTC bus. They will stop less frequently and will generally be less crowded too. Note that many buses, DTC ones too, will stop pretty much anywhere if there are enough people getting on or off.

Board buses at the back and pay the ticket seller sitting right next to the door. Be sure to hang onto your tickets, as ticket checks are fairly frequent. Some seats on the left side of the bus may be reserved for women and the handicapped. When it's time to disembark, move to the front of the bus. As you might expect, all these guidelines are regularly ignored when buses are very crowded.

By taxi
A taxi or hired car (usually with driver) is required to see many of the far-flung sites within and around Delhi. However, the metro is a far cheaper and equally comfortable option.

Most Delhi taxis are old but reliable CNG-run Ambassadors or Omnis in distinctive black-and-yellow livery and a green stripe. The hired family car of choice is usually a Toyota Innova or Chevrolet Tavera. While all are equipped with meters and should cost ₹15 for the first km ₹8.5 per km, the meters are often rigged and it's better to agree on the price in advance. Most trips around the city should be ₹200-500, while a trip to the airport would be higher, depending on starting location. An eight-hour charter should cost around ₹1,500, and a tip is expected if the driver is helpful. The prices would also depend upon the vehicle size too. Black and yellow taxis are not air-conditioned. Even if they do have air conditioning, you will be charged extra (and the rates are up to the driver, so bargain hard).

Modern radio taxi services: at ₹20/km, they're more the list price of the competition, but they use modern vehicles with air-conditioning and GPS and can be dialled 24 hr/day. The flag fare is ₹20, and the fare increases by ₹5 for every 250 m after the first km. If you need an SUV, you need to inform the company in advance, but the fare remains the same. Night charges (25% extra) apply between 11PM to 5AM. Book up to a few hours in advance. Many corporate people rely on these cabs for their daily commute and they may be booked during office hours. Tipping is not expected. After booking, you will receive an SMS with the car licence plate number, and the driver's name and mobile number. Usually the driver will call you and inform you that they have arrived. Many drivers speak English at a very basic level, so use short phrases.

You can use TaxiPixi services and avoid all the hassle. Download the app on your iPhone/Android.

Don't take non-official taxis, they might take you to wrong hotels, or to a "tourist information centre", and try to sell you overpriced things. To be on the safe side, Check that whether the driver has their official documentation or not.

Taxi rides involving tourists in Delhi almost always involve minor scams. Most of the time, the driver will demand more money than originally agreed. During the ride, prepare a sum of money that is at least the agreed fare and put in your shirt pocket or comparable spot. At the destination, get your belongings out of the car first and leave the door open to slow the driver down if he follows you. Hand the money to the driver without stupidly asking for change and then immediately walk away as quickly as you can in the direction that would be most difficult for him to follow.

By car
Delhi, The road conditions are generally better than in the rest of India. Traffic jams is a major concern in Delhi. For travelling in Delhi, you can hire a car.

Transportation Network Taxis
Delhi is also serviced by various transportation network ("ridesharing") companies including Uber and Ola Cabs. Make sure to check the tariffs in these before you pay. While most of these services accept cash, many can also be linked to online wallet services like Paytm, so overcharging is rarely a risk.

By auto rickshaws

Auto rickshaws (also called three-wheeled scooters, tuk-tuks or simply autos) are good for shorter trips. Always in a distinctive yellow-and-green livery, auto rickshaws are three-wheeled partially enclosed contraptions that run on CNG and can seat three people in the back. In general, they are much cheaper than taxis and can be hailed from the street. Although by law the rickshaw drivers should charge according to the meter in their vehicle (₹25 for the first two km, ₹8/km after), this rate is unrealistically low and they will almost always try to haggle for price. Try to negotiate a price before entering the vehicle. As rules of thumb, expect even the shortest journey to cost ₹30-40/person regardless of the meter, but you should never need to pay over ₹150 for any trip within the city. If you're overquoted, don't be afraid to walk away. It's usually easy to find another one soon, usually with a driver who won't rip you off.

If you have any trouble with drivers, go to any of the numerous tourist police stations in the city centre and they will give you a complaint slip which will result in a ₹500 fine for the auto driver. There should also be a telephone number written on the vehicle to call in case of any complaint.

There are a number of "Pre-paid" auto stands run by the Police. Tell them where you want to go and pay them upfront. The charge will include ₹5 for the service. You then take the coupon and stand outside where a policeman will direct you to the next available Auto. When your journey is completed you hand the coupon to the auto driver and that's it. Nothing more to pay (despite what they may say).

By cycle rickshaws

Cycle rickshaws are three-wheeled, pedal/electric powered rickshaws with seats in the back to seat passengers and a driver in the front. They are good for short distances, or places which are too far to walk but too short for taking a bus/taxi/auto rickshaw. Cycle rickshaws don't use meters, so establish a price before getting on. ₹20-50 is reasonable for most journeys of a few km.

Cycle rickshaws are best to use in Old Delhi to visit the intricate galis (walkways) and to enjoy the smells and sounds of the city.

By electric rickshaw
Electric rickshaws, popularly known as tuk-tuk or e-rickshaws, are also used to enjoy the streets of Old Delhi. These are battery-operated alternatives to auto rickshaws and cycle rickshaws because of their low fuel cost, and less human effort compared to cycle rickshaws.

By foot
Much of Delhi is quite pedestrian-hostile. Distances are long, road signage is poor, and in the more tourist oriented areas, you'll be constantly accosted by beggars and touts. Crossing roads often involves wading across multiple lanes of heavy traffic. Try your best to move in a predictable straight line, so vehicles can weave around you. Better yet, latch onto a group of locals and cross in their shadow. If you really want to walk around, these places would be good:

 * Walk from Rashtrapati Bhavan (President's house) to India Gate on Kartavya Path (a walk of close to 3–4 km).
 * Walk from Jama Masjid to Red Fort in the Chandni Chowk area.
 * Far South Delhi go walk about in the forest. Try starting from south of Indian Institute of Technology through Sanjay Van to Qutub Minar. Note however that Sanjay Van is not always safe, and it is advisable to go there in a group, preferably during daylight.
 * South Delhi-Green Park-Hauz Khas Village, then to the Hauz Khas ruined madrasa, offers a newer shopping area, an up-market arts village, old ruins, and some quality gardens.

See
Delhi is known for its impressive range of structures — fortifications, mosques, and tombs — built during the centuries when Delhi was the centre of large Muslim empires. There are dozens of notable sites scattered around the city, and several of them are internationally famous as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The most visited sites are the Red Fort (the 17th century palace of the Mughal emperor), Jama Masjid (a vast and beautiful 17th century mosque), the Qutub Minar (a 73-meter high tower, dating to the 13th century but still with well-preserved intricate carvings), Humayun's Tomb (the vast 16th century tomb of a Mughal emperor), and Purana Qila (a 16th-century Mughal citadel).

Newcomers are often confused about the relationship between Delhi and New Delhi. In fact, New Delhi, the capital of India, is actually one of the districts of Delhi. New Delhi was built in 1911–12. Being centrally planned in the modern era, it features wide boulevards, large parks, and roundabouts between its government buildings. Popular sights here are the India Gate, Kartavya Path "national mall" connecting the main government buildings, and Rashtrapati Bhavan (presidential palace). Many of the most important museums in Delhi are located here too.

Another popular attraction is the Bahá'í Lotus Temple in South East Delhi, a modern structure built with a flower-like shape. It is arguably the most visited building in the world.

Detailed listings of all sights in Delhi can be found in the district articles.

The staff at the Delhi tourist office is very helpful, and the office has a lot of free information:

Do

 * Take a walk at Connaught Place (CP), the heart of New Delhi. The British-designed colonial equivalent of a shopping mall, it's laid out in two concentric rings divided into blocks, all bursting with shops and lots of pampered pigeons waddling about. Long neglected, the area received an upsurge after the opening of the major Metro junction of Rajiv Chowk under it, and it's going more upmarket by the day. At the centre is a small but pleasant park, while on one edge is the notorious Palika Bazaar, an underground den of cheap wares, many pirated or smuggled from overseas. The area is surrounded by tall office buildings on nearly all sides. Train fans will want to check out the Metro Museum inside the (Patel Chowk) station, open Tu-Su 10AM-4PM (free with valid Metro ticket).

Learn
Delhi is a key centre of learning in India. The most famous universities in Delhi are JNU, DU, IGNOU, DTU, JMI and IIT. The official website of the Delhi Government's Directorate of Education is a good starting point for learning more about study opportunities in Delhi.

Apart from undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral courses, there are many training and diploma-level institutes and polytechnics that cater to the growing demand for skill-based and vocational education. Besides conventional educational institutes, more and more foreigners also make the effort to learn Hindustani language (Hindi-Urdu) and Delhi is these languages.

Work
Delhi's economy is expanding rapidly. In analogy many interesting work opportunities emerge. Monster, Jobted and other online job platforms are a good starting point to see what kind of jobs are on offer. Traditionally foreigners often work in the social sector or in teaching. Increasingly, however, expats work for multinational companies and even local Indian companies.

There is a great variety of employment opportunities in Delhi for foreigners, whether they would like to work in business, NGOs, educational institutes, or even government. Still, there is one caveat: the labour market in Delhi is highly competitive and so at many prestigious organisations, the number of applicants far exceeds the number of positions available, which allows employers to receive highly talented applicants for rather meagre salaries (especially when compared to other international destinations).

Buy
If you're not afraid to haggle and bump elbows in bazaars, Delhi is a great place to shop. Most of the well-known bazaars are located in the most central parts of Delhi, both Central Delhi and New Delhi. Western-style malls are plentiful and are found further south - in South Delhi and South East Delhi, as well as the suburbs of Gurgaon and Noida. Many shopping districts are overcrowded on Saturdays and closed on Sundays.

Clothing
For clothing, you can go either to the bazaars or to Western-style shopping malls (mostly in the southern areas).

Computers
For computers and software, the best place to look is Nehru Place IT market complex in South East Delhi, an interesting combination of modern technology products and old world marketplace sales techniques. You can find cheap hardware here as well as both original and pirated software. There are also several similar markets in other parts of Delhi, mostly in the Western districts.

Books
The Indian book industry is huge, producing annually about 15,000 books in English, and obviously far more in Hindi and other native languages. Delhi is a hub of this industry, so there are small, specialist bookstores that abound. Locally produced books can be very inexpensive and many popular Western titles are published and available here for a fraction of their original cost.

In general, good places to buy books are in Central Delhi (Daryaganj neighbourhood and the Nai Sarak Bookshop Area), plus shopping malls in the south of the city.

The Daryaganj Sunday Book Market is a flea market-book market open on Sundays from 10AM to evening, with a vast selection. Bargain for best prices.

Eat

Delhiites complain about many things in their city, but the food will satisfy even the most demanding gourmet. Not only can you find some of the best Indian food on the subcontinent, but there is also an increasing number of excellent (if often pricey) international restaurants offering cuisine from around the world. When ordering, do remember that Delhi is about 1,000 km from the nearest ocean, so vegetarian, chicken and mutton dishes are the way to go.

Do visit Paranthe Wali Gali in Chandni Chowk. This street has shops that make and sell solely parathas (stuffed Indian bread). These are available in all the possible flavours and stuffing you may imagine, with hundreds of varieties from bitter gourd to ice cream.

Delhi has arguably the best street food in India. However, do not eat unhygienic or open food. There are plenty of restaurants offering street food in a potentially more hygienic environment.

You can join local groups of foodies who go out regularly to sample and savour what new and old dishes the city has to offer. If you want a fully customized food tour tailored specifically for you, then Food Tour In Delhi is a good choice. The guests can explore the street food of Delhi in a fun and safe manner. Their tours cover food joints which are in business for 50 to 120 years and serve some of the best street food in the world. The tours cover winding streets of Old Delhi as well as swanky upscale markets located all over the city. The food tours are led by chefs and culinary experts with extensive experience and offer facilities such as pickup and drop, unlimited food which covers all major varieties of food available in the city. Another one of the most active groups is Food Enthusiasts of Delhi. They organize regular food walks, better known as Raids to various parts and joints in the city. It's a non-commercial group, brought together by their passion and love for food.

The best place to go for chaat is the Bengali Market (near Mandi House Metro Stn) near Connaught Place in the centre of town. The restaurants are high quality and the food is great. There are ATMs as well. One of the best known restaurants there is Nathu's. But for the really good chaat, you have to make your way to Old Delhi, and particularly to Ashok's near Chawri Bazaar. While connoisseurs insist that the best chaat is prepared on the street, most travellers try to find a comfortable middle ground between hygiene and authenticity.

Drink
Delhi's nightlife scene has changed in the last decade. There are plenty of modern, cosmopolitan places to separate you from your rupees. In a desperate attempt to keep the sex ratio vaguely equitable, many lounges and clubs have couples only policies (that is, no single men or men-only groups), enforced with varying degrees of strictness. While everything is supposed to shut down by 1AM, things can keep going much longer.

The coffee culture in Delhi consists mostly of large, heavily standardised chains. The two most common, Barista and Cafe Coffee Day, can be found in multiple locations across the city, most notably around Connaught Place. The UK-based Costa Coffee and the US-based Starbucks have also made a foray into the market. For listings of independent coffee shops, see the district articles.

Sleep
Prices quoted may not include taxes of up to 22.5%, calculated based on the published rack rates - not necessarily the price that you actually pay, which could be discounted. Smoking is not allowed in Delhi hotels.

Budget
Delhi has plenty of budget accommodation options, priced from ₹400-2,500. Many of them are located in the city centre (Central Delhi and New Delhi), while others are further south, in the affluent southern areas or towards the airport.

Mid-range
Delhi's chronic lack of quality hotels has led to a mushrooming of guest houses of widely varying quality and price. The new official 'Delhi Bed and Breakfast scheme' has also contributed a range of private rooms available for bed & breakfast accommodation. These rooms range from cheap dumps to classy rooms in the best areas of Delhi.

Splurge
Most of Delhi's expensive hotels are in New Delhi, roughly along the axis between Connaught Square and the airport. A few are located in areas further south and west. Prices in this category are generally over ₹8000.

Stay safe

Many first-time travellers to India find themselves falling victim to scams and touts, and unfortunately Delhi has a lot of both. Be on guard for anybody trying to help you by giving you unsolicited directions or travel advice. Do not blindly rely on the advice of taxi and auto drivers. If this is your first time to India, do not openly admit it, as this will make you more vulnerable to touts.

Delhi is among the three unsafest cities for women in India. It is considered as the 'rape capital of the world'. It is not uncommon in some areas to receive lewd remarks or even physical touching. If you are arriving into Delhi at night, stay in either the airport lounge or well lit areas until daybreak if this is your first trip to Delhi and if you haven't booked a hotel. Try to avoid walking around alone in lanes without many people after sunset and be cautious when hiring cabs at night. Dress conservatively (preferably in Indian clothing so as to blend in). Learn to shout and consider carrying mace/pepper spray.

Carry your cash, passport, and cards in a secure money belt, with only enough cash for a few hours at a time in your wallet or other accessible place. Some recommend carrying an expendable wallet with a few ten rupee notes in it in an obvious place such as your hip pocket as a decoy to Delhi's ubiquitous pickpockets.

Several tourist agencies have been known to swindle tourists, such as by changing their travel plans or charging them extra commissions and fees. The best way to secure train tickets is by navigating through Indian Railways' website. If you have problems booking online - the Indian Railways site is unreliable - you can buy tickets in person. The best place to do so is at the Tourist Information Centre, these are located within transit hubs. Be very careful, there are many scammers surrounding the train station looking for anyone on foot and out-of-place who will "help" you find a "ticket office for foreigners," usually located in a nondescript building some blocks from the train station, where you will be overcharged and cajoled into signing up for cars, tours, etc. When in doubt, look at reviews for the information centre you are at (for example, on Google Maps). Some scammers will stand at the entrance to the train station and physically try to block you from entering, demanding to see your tickets (never mind that you need to enter the station to buy tickets!). Remember - you should be able to enter any train station just by going through a metal detector. Nobody will check your tickets before you get on a train (As a measure to control crowding at stations, many train stations may require you to purchase a platform ticket (usually costs ₹10-20) if you are just visiting and do not have a railway ticket with you.

You should also book your flight tickets online, as all the airlines have online booking systems. Otherwise, prepare to spend a good hour sorting through the charges that the tourist agency will charge.

If arriving late at night at the airport or train station, be very wary of taxi drivers trying to scam tired and unprepared tourists. A common scam is to drive you an area of town where there are roadworks or a roadblock, and tell you that the path to your hotel is blocked off and it's not possible to take you there. They'll then suggest to take you to another hotel, where they receive a commission for bringing customers. They may take you to a number of hotels first which all say they are full up, so as to increase your desperation, and hence openness to paying more. There have been reports also, of bringing tourists to a "travel agent", who will feign ringing your booked hotel to confirm that either the way is blocked, or they are overbooked and there is no room available. If you've let on that you were only staying in Delhi for the night, they may also try to convince you, that there are no hotel rooms available anywhere, and sell you an extremely overpriced private car ride to your next destination. This can be a very confusing and tiring process if you've just come off a long flight, short on sleep.

If you're arriving after midnight, it is therefore highly advisable to have accommodation pre-booked and arrange pick-up from the airport or station with your hotel, or at least have the phone number with you, so that should you get lost or caught in a sticky situation you have someone reliable to call up.

Practically everyone who handles your cash in Delhi will shortchange you, including the clerks at the police taxi kiosk at the airport and ticket sellers at historic sites and museums. It will be your word against theirs, so the only protection is to just not need change. Learn the money ASAP. Count out the smallest sum you can produce that is at least the price you need to pay. If they claim you didn't pay what you actually paid, write the cash off, walk away, and go somewhere else.

Delhi Police
The Delhi Police is a 70,000-strong force serving the capital region. While some of the police officers are honest and helpful, others may be corrupt and unhelpful.

For police assistance during an emergency dial 100.

Police vehicles (called PCR vans) are parked on almost every major intersection.

For non-emergencies, or to report a crime, visit the nearest police station.

Stay healthy
Summer begins in early April and continues till the end of June, with the heat peaking in May. By the latter part of April or during early May. The temperatures regularly exceed 40 °C (104 °F), meaning that proper hydration is of the utmost importance. Keep yourself covered in summers to avoid a heat stroke. Drink a lot of water — around 3 litres a day — particularly in the summer.

Winter arrives in Delhi by late November or early December and continues till mid-February. In winter there can be seasonal fog; on particularly foggy days, it can be difficult to see across the street. If you are flying in or out Delhi during the winters, be aware of fog-related flight delays.

Drink only packaged bottled water to avoid water-related illness. Sticking to freshly- and well-cooked food will lessen your chances on acquiring the "Delhi belly".

Delhi is one of the most polluted cities in the world, with pollution levels often in the "severe" or "hazardous" range. Keep an eye on air quality data and consider wearing a surgical mask or other approved N95/N99 mask, especially if spending an extended time in Delhi or North India.

Connect
Cell phone coverage in the city is excellent. There are three major service providers offering a wide variety of plans. Among them are Airtel, Vodafone and Jio. It might be a good idea to buy a cell phone and use one of those prepaid plans to get yourself connected while you are in the city.

Phone numbers in Delhi begin with 011, typically followed by eight digits. To call Delhi from outside India you will need to dial the international prefix for your country, followed by India's country code 91. If you want to dial a landline no. from a mobile, then you have to add 011 before the number.

Delhi emergency numbers
Here are the Delhi emergency contact numbers

Cope
Power outages and water shortages are common in Delhi, often occurring multiple times a day with summers being particularly bad. Better accommodation have water tanks and generators to alleviate the inconvenience, but keep a flashlight handy at night and do your part by not wasting too much water.

 * Laundry service is offered in most hotels, even in budget accommodation. If you would rather save the money and do it yourself, buckets are found in almost all bathrooms - but perhaps wash it out well first.
 * Exercising outdoors is not recommended due to the level of pollution and swimming in rivers is also not recommended. Instead, look for a hotel with a gym or a pool since many offer day passes. You can always try a morning or evening walk in the parks.

Embassies & High Commissions

 * 🇦🇫 Afghanistan
 * 🇩🇿 Algeria
 * 🇦🇴 Angola
 * 🇦🇺 Australia
 * 🇧🇩 Bangladesh
 * 🇧🇪 Belgium
 * 🇧🇹 Bhutan
 * Brunei
 * 🇰🇭 Cambodia
 * 🇨🇦 Canada
 * 🇨🇳 China
 * 🇨🇿 Czech Republic
 * 🇪🇬 Egypt
 * 🇫🇮 Finland
 * 🇫🇷 France
 * 🇩🇪 Germany
 * 🇬🇷 Greece
 * 🇮🇩 Indonesia
 * 🇮🇷 Iran
 * 🇮🇪 Ireland
 * 🇮🇱 Israel
 * 🇮🇹 Italy
 * 🇯🇵 Japan
 * 🇲🇰 Macedonia
 * 🇲🇾 Malaysia
 * 🇲🇻 Maldives
 * 🇲🇽 Mexico
 * 🇲🇳 Mongolia
 * 🇲🇲 Myanmar
 * 🇳🇵 Nepal
 * 🇳🇱 Netherlands
 * 🇳🇿 New Zealand
 * 🇳🇴 Norway
 * 🇵🇰 Pakistan
 * Palestine
 * 🇵🇾 Paraguay
 * 🇵🇪 Peru
 * 🇵🇱 Poland
 * 🇷🇴 Romania
 * 🇷🇺 Russia
 * 🇷🇼 Rwanda
 * 🇸🇬 Singapore
 * 🇸🇰 Slovakia
 * 🇿🇦 South Africa
 * 🇰🇷 South Korea
 * 🇪🇸 Spain
 * 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
 * 🇸🇪 Sweden
 * 🇨🇭 Switzerland
 * 🇹🇷 Turkey
 * 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates
 * 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
 * 🇺🇸 United States

Go next
Delhi is a major international transit hub for trains, planes and buses as well as a great connection point for domestic destinations within India. It's also a great base for exploration of the famous Hill Stations.

 * Agra and the Taj Mahal are a 3-6 hr drive or 2-5 hr train ride each way. By road, the Taj Mahal can be reached in 3 hrs through Yamuna Expressway from Delhi. Book tickets in the train cars with seats far in advance, and look for the seats put aside especially for tourists. You can also rent a car and driver for the day and shouldn't pay more than ₹5,000 roundtrip (if not less). The Taj Mahal is closed on Friday.
 * Bandhavgarh National Park and the Bandhavgarh Fort are the tiger reserves in Madhya Pradesh. This is a tiger preservation project and has the highest density of tigers in India.
 * Char Dham - Delhi is the starting point of the famous pilgrimage centres Badrinath (the abode of Vishnu), Kedarnath (the abode of Shiva), Gangothri and Yamunothri (the origin of sacred rivers Ganges and Yamuna respectively).
 * Corbett National Park, the first national park of the country, is around 5 hours' drive from Delhi
 * Dharamsala, the seat of the Dalai Lama's government in exile, is 10-12 hr to the north. Tickets can be purchased from Main Bazaar Tourist offices, Majnu ka Tilla Tibetan Settlement or the I.S.B.T.
 * Gurgaon (Gurugram) a southern suburb of Delhi, is a 1 hr drive or a metro ride away.
 * Jaipur and Rajasthan are reachable by plane or overnight train.
 * The holy cities of Haridwar and Rishikesh, in the foothills of the Himalayas, are a 5-6 hr bus or train ride away.
 * Lahore, in neighbouring Pakistan, also houses Mughal-era architecture and is connected through the Delhi–Lahore Bus or the Samjhauta Express.
 * Kathmandu, in neighbouring Nepal, is a roughly 36+ hr by coach, or longer (but more comfortably) on a combination of train and coach.
 * Ride the Maharajas' Express, a luxury train running between Delhi and Mumbai.
 * Mussoorie - one of the original British hill stations in India; also known as The Queen of the Hills.
 * Nainital - another beautiful hill station in the Kumaon hills with the magnificent Naini Lake.
 * Shimla - the summer capital of British India, now the state capital of Himachal Pradesh. It has many scenic and historic locations and is about an 8 hr drive or 10 hr in a bus. A direct flight from Delhi takes just 1 hr to reach Shimla.

title: Delhi


text:
Delhi (disambiguation)

There's more than one place called Delhi :

India

 * New Delhi - the capital of India
 * Delhi - a major city in northern India. New Delhi is one of its districts.

United States of America

 * Delhi (California) - a town in California

title: Delhi (disambiguation)


text:
Deolo Hill

Deolo, also spelt Dello, is a low-lying hill in the West Bengal. At a height of 1914 m and only 6 km away from Kalimpong, it is a perfect getaway amidst the majestic mountains for tourists who want a day off from their busy schedules. At Deolo, you are in for a treat of a lifetime - a quiet romantic evening atop a picturesque landscape overlooking the Teesta valley, followed by one of the best views of the Kangchenjunga range the next dawn - a must-try for everyone visiting Kalimpong!

Get in

 * Kalimpong is the nearest terrain vehicle/bus stand (only 6km from Deolo), which is well-connected by terrain vehicle/bus to both Siliguri (2-3 hours) and Darjeeling (2 hours). One may reserve a car for Deolo from the main bus stand of Kalimpong (₹200–300 in June 2012). The 6-km journey from Kalimpong to Deolo passes by a beautiful array of landscapes, through the properties of Dr. Graham's Home, and it takes only about 15-20 minutes by car. The uphill road also offers a fair temptation for a trekking enthusiast, but hiking up this path is not recommended for the naive, especially during the monsoons when the roads tend to be unpredictable.
 * Bagdogra is the nearest airport, about 2-3 hours away from Kalimpong, and about 14 km (20-30 minutes) from Siliguri.
 * Siliguri is the nearest major city with a strong railway network - the main railway station being New Jalpaiguri (NJP). One may also plan to arrive at Darjeeling by the heritage Toy-Train (from Siliguri), and then come down to Kalimpong and Deolo.

Get around
A casual evening stroll is what it takes to cover Deolo. Tourists mostly take a walk in and around the Govt. Guest House (of DGHC) compound, or a short horseback ride nearby.

See and do
In a nutshell, Deolo is at best a one-night stint, but of course, a highly recommended one. Although Deolo is mostly projected as a single-day picnic spot near Kalimpong, a one-night stay at Deolo is highly recommended, just for the unforgettable views of Kangchenjunga and sunrise. Deolo offers you a perfect getaway, without worrying much about missing out on sight-seeing points and must-be-done activities. However, you may always choose to enjoy the following at Deolo.

 * In season time, during October–February: Get up at 5AM to enjoy one of the best views of Kanchenjunga, right from your bedroom or the guest house/hotel compound. Follow it up with a stroll within the DGHC Guest House compound filled with seasonal flowers, bathed in dewdrops.
 * In off-season, mostly during monsoons: Spend the evening on the guest house/hotel porch with your loved ones, looking at the misty mountains and valleys that form a mesmerizing romantic ambiance to die for.
 * In season time, during October–February: For the adventurous souls, Deolo offers an exciting opportunity of Paragliding, overlooking the curves of the picturesque hills and valleys. Contact the main desk of your guest house/hotel to get the details.

Buy
There are no markets in Deolo. The basic necessities like snacks, batteries and other essentials are met at the Guest House or Hotel itself. One may take a 3- to 4-km walk to reach 14th Mile market, which offers some local shops. It is recommended to carry medicines and baby-food from Kalimpong, if required.

Eat
Meals and snacks are served in the guest house/hotel itself, as there are no restaurants in Deolo. The quality of food and beverages is decent, both in vegetarian and non-vegetarian categories. Bite-size snacks and soft drinks are also available in the guest house/hotel. For meals according to not-so-common diet plans and food habits, please contact your guest house/hotel beforehand to check if they may provide the same.

Recommended:
 * Momo (especially beef/pork momo)
 * Thukpa
 * Chilly chicken and Chicken fry

Drink
Regular beverages like tea, coffee and soft drinks are available within the guest house/hotels. There are no liquor shops in Deolo, and thus it is recommended to carry your liquor from Kalimpong. However, the guest house/hotels offer quite good range of liquors at a reasonable price. Please avoid drinking in public places like roads or guest house/hotel compounds, unless permitted by the authorities.

Recommended:
 * Darjeeling tea (preferably without milk and sugar)
 * Ginger tea or Masala tea (with milk and sugar)

Go next

 * Rishop - 20 km
 * Lava - 30 km

title: Deolo Hill


text:
Del Mar

Del Mar is a seaside town of 4,000 people (2020) in the north of San Diego County in Southern California. It has a Bavarian style village and the prettiest beach in California next to Carmel, dotted with old cypresses and clean, light sand, along with views up the coast to Orange County and down the coast to La Jolla.

By car
Travelling by car, Del Mar is just off Interstate 5, 30 km north of San Diego.

By bus
NCTD runs hourly buses between Oceanside and La Jolla, in northern San Diego.

By train
While Amtrak and commuter Coaster trains pass by Del Mar, there has not been a station in the city for more than two decades. Instead trains call at nearby Solana Beach, three kilometres north of Del Mar.

Go next

 * Solana Beach
 * Encinitas
 * Carlsbad
 * San Diego/La Jolla

title: Del Mar


text:
Delmenhorst

Delmenhorst is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany with almost 75,000 citizens. It is first cited in a document from 1247. In the late 19th century, Delmenhorst became an industrial city among other factories with the city's biggest factory, Nordwolle. In the present days a traveller can find a lot of exhibits of the history in the now-modern city.

Understand
Due to its long history, the style of buildings vary in the city's centre. Around the turn of the century, the city planners wanted to create an 'ideal city' with new building styles. Many buildings at the city's main shopping street, Lange Straße, look very different yet interesting.

By plane
The nearby airport from Bremen. There is a connecting hourly train service from the Bremen central station.

By train
There is a regular train service from Bremen, Oldenburg and other cities.

By car
The heavily used motorway 1 (Autobahn 1 - A1) connects to Bremen in the northeast or Cologne in the southwest. If you're coming from the Netherlands, then the quieter A28 is your choice.

On foot
In the center everything is really close together.

By bike
Riding a bike is one of the preferred means of transport. Bike paths are in excellent condition and usually exist next to every street and pavement. There are routes available for day trips in and around Delmenhorst. See the Do section of this article.

By bus
Buses are widely available. The company for the buses is called Delbus (, German). The central bus station (ZOB – Zentraler Omnibusbahnhof) is located next to the central train station. Normally every bus stop has its own map of the bus system. There is one schedule for the weekday ("Tag", every 15 minutes) and another one for evenings and weekends ("Freizeit", every 30 minutes).

The pricing system is connected to the over-regional VBN (Verkehrsverbund Bremen-Niedersachsen, Travel Association Bremen-Lower Saxony). Prices may have changed, so look here for more information (, English). Adult starts at €1.60, depending on the zones you travel through. Feel free to ask, but don't expect everyone to speak English.

By taxi
This is the most expensive but also the most flexible alternative. If you want to get back to your place, just ask the bar or restaurant you are in to call a taxi for you. In downtown there are stations for taxis at the central station. Tipping the driver (10% of the fare) is a nice gesture.

Talk
German obviously is the first language. However there are quite a lot of people who can also speak some English. You might want to try to speak a little slower, as it might increase your chance to be understood ;). Especially young people speak English. So, if you have a problem, there will probably always be someone who can help you out by translating. Also you might have the chance to speak Turkish at some places, like the numerous kebap shops.

Eat
You can find a variety of different food styles in the city. Greek, Italian, Turkish, Asian, Mexican and of course German cuisine is served. Fast food chains are also present. Additionally, you can find many typical Turkish snack bars which serve Döner Kebap. Some of them are located in the Lange Straße.

Drink
In Delmenhorst, there are many little bars scattered all over the place. There you can drink some German beers.

Connect
In the city's main shopping street, Lange Straße, you can find some cafes with wireless. Also internet cafes are available.

Stay safe
Use caution at night at the central station. Avoid talking to the groups there. Use your normal precautions generally, and you will be safe. You can talk to any police officer in the city. Normally they are wearing black-blue uniforms; however, there still might be some wearing the old green-white ones.

Go next

 * Bremen – Home of the worldwide known Beck's beer and of the soccer team Werder Bremen. The beautiful, quiet city has an interesting history, a lot of nature and more. City is its own state.
 * Hamburg – The city with the biggest harbour in Germany. Great nightlife and a lot of things to see. Also own state.
 * Hanover – The state capital of Lower Saxony surprises with much things to do and to see.
 * Oldenburg – A smaller city to the west. Oldenburg has a nice downtown part.

There is a special ticket for public transportation in Lower Saxony, called Niedersachsen Ticket. Please read here for more information.

title: Delmenhorst


text:
Del Norte County

Del Norte County is the northwesternmost county in California, in the North Coast region of the state. The county is known for its rivers, rocky coast, and redwood forests. It is where the famous footage of Bigfoot was captured on film in 1967, and became the home of the Ewoks when portions of Return of the Jedi were filmed in the county in 1982. Wildlife enthusiasts will enjoy the many protected areas in the county, where herds of Roosevelt elk, sea lions, seals, whales, and 431 species of birds can all be seen.

Get in
By plane

 * Del Norte County Regional Airport It is served by one airline with one destination: Contour Airlines from Oakland.

Go next

 * - Del Norte County's eastern neighbor is dominated by 14,179 ft Mount Shasta, the west coast's second-tallest volcano, towering nearly 10,000 ft above its surroundings; while a summit climb requires advanced mountaineering skills, its lower slopes are great for hiking, backpacking and cross-county skiing. The Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway links Mount Shasta to Lava Beds National Monument in the county's northeast, home to over 800 lava tube caves, several of which are open to exploration.  The county is also a premier destination for birdwatchers, with nearly two million birds passing through Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge and Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge during migrations, and North America’s largest concentration of snow geese arriving in spring.
 * - Located to the south of Del Norte County, rural Humboldt County is a land of giant trees, seaside mountains, and quirky towns. Redwood National Park lies in the county's northern region and is home to the world's tallest trees; a walk among the redwoods is an experience that won't soon be forgotten.  Backpackers will delight in hiking the remote 25 mile Lost Coast Trail in the county's southwestern corner, a three-day trek through the Kings Range along a roadless and undeveloped section of rugged coastline.  For those looking for more urban activities, the towns of Arcata and Eureka feature an impressive number of Victorian homes that date back to the late 1800s.
 * - Located to the south of Del Norte County, rural Humboldt County is a land of giant trees, seaside mountains, and quirky towns. Redwood National Park lies in the county's northern region and is home to the world's tallest trees; a walk among the redwoods is an experience that won't soon be forgotten.  Backpackers will delight in hiking the remote 25 mile Lost Coast Trail in the county's southwestern corner, a three-day trek through the Kings Range along a roadless and undeveloped section of rugged coastline.  For those looking for more urban activities, the towns of Arcata and Eureka feature an impressive number of Victorian homes that date back to the late 1800s.

title: Del Norte County


text:
Delos

Delos is an island in Greece's Cyclades, 3.5 km southwest of Mykonos.

Understand
Delos, sometimes spelled Dilos, was the most important Panhellenic sanctuary, and, according to mythology, the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis. The first signs of habitation on the island date from the 3rd millennium B.C., and important remains of the Mycenaean period have been uncovered in the area of the sanctuary. In the 7th century B.C. Delos was already a known Ionic centre because of its religious importance as the birthplace of Apollo. The Delos archaeological sanctuary is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site as one of mankind's most important cultural and historical sites.

A narrow channel separates Delos from the island of Rhenia, where there is an important burial ground.

The Cyclades received their name in antiquity because they form a rough circle (κύκλος/kyklos in Greek) round the sacred island of Delos.

Get in
There are daily boat excursions from Mykonos except Monday, because the archaeological site is closed that day.

The site is open from 8:30AM to 3PM, so have an early start if you want to see it all.

Boats leave at 9AM, 10AM and 11AM from the pier at the west side of the harbour, right behind the little church of Agios Nikolaos. The boat trip takes about 30 minutes. Boats return at 12:15PM, 1:30PM and 3PM.

Boat trips to Delos are also organized from Platys Gialos and Paranga Beach.

The cost is €22 for the boat trip plus €8 for the entrance (free for students and €4 for those over 65). A guided tour, departing at 10AM from the pier in Mykonos, will cost €60 (including boat trip and entrance fee).

The Cyclades are notoriously windy. As the boats going from Mykonos are relatively small, boat trips can be cancelled due to strong wind.

In summer routes are also available from Tinos, Naxos and Paros.

Only some small cruise ships dock at the commercial Delos port of call.

Get around
You will get a good map with different coloured tours. You can walk around by yourself or explore the exhibits with a guide.

You can buy guidebooks at the ticket booth at the entrance of the excavation. Some shops in Mykonos sell the same books for double the price.

See
Archaeological sites cover almost the entire island, starting from the harbour at the west side. The most important ruins in this district are:
 * The temples of Apollo: the three temples dedicated to Apollo;
 * The Altar of Dionysos: remains of a huge phallic monument;
 * The Lion Terrace: the famous lions of Delos, a gift from the Naxians;
 * The sacred lake: the place where Apollo was born;
 * Cleopatra’s House: a building (2nd century BC), which took its name from the two headless statues of Cleopatra that where found in it;
 * The theatre: built in 2nd – 3rd century BC, it could seat 3,000 to 5,000 spectators;
 * House of Dionysos, House of the Masks and House of the Dolphins, all of which contain marvelous mosaics.

The Museum of Delos has sculptures of the Archaic, Classical, Hellenistic and Roman periods, and a collection of vases from various periods. It is open from 8:30AM to 3PM. Admission is included in the entrance ticket of the site, but keep your ticket with you as it will be checked at the museum entrance. As of 2022, the museum is closed for renovation works.

Do

 * Escape the crowds and climb Mount Kynthos. From the top of the mountain you will have a panoramic view of the many surrounding islands.

Buy
Since Delos is uninhabited, there are no shops there except for the small gift shop at the entrance.

Eat
The small tourist center in the Sanctuary of Apollo has a restaurant and a bar. Beware of high prices.

Drink
Bring plenty of water.

Sleep
Overnight stay on Delos is forbidden. The only "inhabitants" of the island are security personnel and archaeologists. The closest accommodation options are in Mykonos.

Stay safe
Be aware there is no protection from the sun on the island so take the usual precautions.

title: Delos