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Connaught Place: Delhi's colonnaded centre
The Colonnades
Connaught Place, CP to everyone in Delhi, is the ring of white colonial colonnades that New Delhi was built around, and a part of the city that works on foot. Spend the morning at the gurudwara and the observatory just outside the ring, the afternoon in its shops, and the evening under the arches, when the bars fill.
👥 Who it suits
first base cafes and bars shopping
Staying here
Yes, the city's most convenient hub: two metro lines and everything walkable.
🌙 In the evening
The colonnades come alive at night, with bars and old cinemas running late.
Getting there
Ⓜ Rajiv Chowk: 11 exits, check yours in advance
What to see
Where to eat
Shopping
👣 A day around CP
Start just outside the ring and walk in.
- Gurudwara Bangla Sahib
Begin at Bangla Sahib, open around the clock: kirtan (devotional singing) over the marble tank, and the langar kitchen, where anyone can sit for a free vegetarian meal or help roll rotis. Head covered, shoes left at the counter.
- Jantar Mantar
A few minutes away, Jantar Mantar, Jai Singh II's observatory of 1724: terracotta-red ramps and dials the size of buildings. It opens at sunrise, which suits a morning before the heat.
- Khadi and the Outer Circle
Walk into the ring to Khadi Gramodyog Bhavan in the Regal Building: hand-spun khadi by the metre, herbal soaps and oils, all at fixed prices. Then loop the colonnades past the old bookshops and cinemas.
- Lunch under the arches
Nizam's, in CP since 1948, is credited with bringing the kathi roll to Delhi. For a vegetarian meal, Rajasthali opposite the Odeon serves an unlimited Rajasthani thali whose menu changes daily, and Saravana Bhavan does dosas, often with a queue. Wenger's, a Swiss-style bakery counter since 1926, has no seats; eat the cream roll standing.
- Down Janpath, back for the evening
In the afternoon walk south down Janpath to the Janpath Market stalls (more on the Janpath page). Come back as the light goes: Tamasha's rooftop on KG Marg and the Ministry of Beer brewpub in M-Block fill with an after-work crowd.
The CP tout routine, and the real tourist office
CP is where Delhi's self-appointed "helpers" work hardest: fake guides, "tourism officers" and people who know a "secret market". Smile, keep walking, follow no one, and check any claim yourself. The Government of India tourist office is an office on Janpath, not a man on the pavement. The UK FCDO lists scammers and touts in tourist areas among its India-wide warnings; the rest is on safety in Delhi.
CP and the areas around it
CP is the hinge between two Delhis. South and west lie the wide avenues of government New Delhi: Janpath runs straight down to Rajpath and India Gate. A short walk the other way, Paharganj is already humming by the station, cheaper and louder.
From Rajiv Chowk, Chawri Bazar in the Old City is two stops on the Yellow Line. Rajiv Chowk has many exits, so check yours before you surface. Stays and budgets are on where to stay in Delhi, and the evening options on Delhi nightlife.
In May and June keep the walking to the morning; from November to January check the smog.
❓ FAQ
Which part of Delhi is CP in?
Central New Delhi: the ring was laid out as the business heart of the colonial capital, with government Delhi to the south and Paharganj to the north-west.
What to see at Connaught Place?
Gurudwara Bangla Sahib and Jantar Mantar just outside the ring, Khadi Gramodyog Bhavan inside it, the colonnades themselves, and the Janpath stalls to the south.
Which metro station is for Connaught Place?
Rajiv Chowk, on the Yellow and Blue lines. It has many exits, so look up the one for your block before you arrive.
Is Connaught Place a good area to stay?
Yes, for a first visit: two metro lines and the centre on foot. Paharganj next door is cheaper.
Is Connaught Place safe at night?
The colonnades are busy in the evening, with bars and cinemas running late. UK travel advice for India applies: be wary of touts and scammers in tourist areas, take care of belongings in crowds, and use an app cab rather than hailing a taxi on the street at night.
Facts checked: 8 October 2026. Prices and hours are approximate; check locally.
Other areas of Delhi
In the app: the city's areas on the map, the places inside and a route.
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