Here’s a typical two-day itinerary for a tourist:

NEWDELHI
DAY 1

1. From airport, drive by Gurgaon along the expressway to gave a glimpse of its urban architecture
2. Proceed to Chanakyapuri and Rajpath in central New Delhi; visit Teen Murti and 11 Murti.
3. Lunch in one of the state bhavans.
4. Drive by India Gate on the way to Bangla Sahib Gurudwara, Lakshmi Narayan Mardir, and the Jantar Mantar.
5. Proceed to Connaught Place for shopping and snakcks in one of the many eateries.
6. Go to Dilli Haat for a taste of Indian craftsmanship, and dine at its eateries.

DAY 2

1. Make an early trek to Ishkon Temple and the Lotus Temple in South Delhi.
2. If you prefer to spend the rest of the day at the malls, proceed to Saket or Vasant Kunj where India’s glitziest malls are located.
3. If you prefer a cultural affair, proceed to the Qutub Minar complex and pass by the Garden of Five Senses for lunch.

These two days of Delhi will give you a wide diversity of architecture, history, monuments, pampering, and religion.

KOLKATA
DAY 1

1. Visit the Eden Garden, stroll by the Hugli riverside to marvel at the twin bridges spanning the river, and do a one-hour walking tour of BBD Bagh.
2. Proceed to Belur Dakshineshwar, Kali Temple, and Jain Temple before having lunch at Flury’s on Park Street.
3. After lunch, MusicWorld next door to Flury’s and lap up the best selection of New Age and electronica music and Bengali DVDs that you can ever find in India.
4. Go to Park Street Cemetery a few blocks away and pay your respects to Rudyard Kipling and other historic figures.
5. For a taste of the legendary literary tradition of Kolkata, hie over to Landmark Book Store on Lord Sinha Street: it has the best collection of modern Western and Indian literature in the city.
6. Head back towards the Maidan to visit St. Paul’s Cathedral, and cap off the day with a light-and-sound show at the Victoria Memorial.
7. Dine at the Floating Restaurant by the riverside.

DAY 2

1. If you want to spend the day mall shopping, South City is the only choice you have. If you want to shop for east and northeast Indian fabrics and good leather ware, proceed to Dakshinapan.
2. Lunch at South City’s fastfood joints (try the Tibetan momos at Spencer’s Hypermarket) or at 6 Ballygunge Place for sumptuous Bengali cuisine.
3. Ride back to the airport. It’s a long way from the city.

These two days in Kolkata will give you good Bengali food, literature, parks and gardens, and religious sites.

Now, you decide between Delhi and Kolkata!