Delhi or Kathmandu?

Neither city has any beach. Delhi lies on the northern plains, far inland, and Kathmandu sits in a high valley in a landlocked country, so in both a swim means a hotel pool.

The difference is what you do about it. In Delhi, a pool is a real relief in the scorching months before the monsoon, and travellers who want sea usually fly on to Goa or Kerala. Around Kathmandu, the cold mountain rivers are for rafting, not bathing.

Delhi is by far the better place to eat. The lanes around Chandni Chowk and Jama Masjid serve nihari, stuffed parathas and kebabs off the coals, butter chicken and dal makhani were invented here, and South Delhi adds regional kitchens from across India and refined tasting menus.

Kathmandu's best food is Newari, such as choila, bara and yomari with rice beer, eaten in small places around the old bazaars and in Patan. Momos and Tibetan thukpa near Boudhanath round it out, but beyond that the choice narrows to Thamel's patchy tourist menus and a handful of hotel restaurants.

Both are outstanding for heritage, but the kind of heritage differs. Delhi's is imperial and monumental: the Red Fort, Humayun's Tomb and the Qutb Minar, then the ceremonial sweep of Kartavya Path and the national collections of art. The sights lie far apart, so seeing them means crossing the city on a planned route.

Kathmandu's heritage is closer together and still part of daily worship. Pilgrims circle Boudhanath, cremations take place at Pashupatinath, and the Kumari lives above Durbar Square. Patan's square and museum show Newari craft at its finest, though outside Patan the museums are small.

Neither is a destination for nights out, but Delhi has more to choose from. Its rooftop bars in Hauz Khas Village, the pubs under the colonnades of Connaught Place and the larger clubs and brewpubs in Gurugram cater mainly to young professionals. Each area is a taxi ride from the next.

In Kathmandu, going out effectively means Thamel, where trekkers celebrate in rooftop bars, pool halls and a few dance clubs until around midnight. It's relaxed and easy to join, but the rest of the city is quiet by evening.

This is where Kathmandu clearly comes out ahead. Oak and rhododendron forest covers the valley rim, the Chandragiri cable car and the sunrise viewpoints at Nagarkot and Dhulikhel look out to the snow peaks, and rafting rivers and trekking routes start within a few hours.

Delhi has only gardens and scrubland: Lodhi Gardens and Sunder Nursery for morning walks, the Ridge forest and Sanjay Van. Winter birdwatching at Okhla and Sultanpur is the highlight. Heat, monsoon and smog limit time outdoors, and the mountains are a long journey north.

Delhi has the most famous day trip in India. An express train reaches Agra in under two hours for the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort, Fatehpur Sikri can be added on a long day, and the Krishna temple towns of Mathura and Vrindavan offer something quite different.

Kathmandu has one excellent outing, to Bhaktapur's brick squares and tiered temples, with Changu Narayan on the ridge above it. After that come Kirtipur, Bungamati, Pharping and Panauti, all pleasant but all variations on Newari valley life, reached on slow roads.

Neither city is easy with small children, but Delhi has more to entertain them. The open-air steam engines at the National Rail Museum, the zoo beside Purana Qila, the science centre and the water parks in Noida and Gurugram can fill several days, and the Akshardham water show adds an evening outing.

Kathmandu has the monkeys at Swayambhunath, prayer wheels to spin and a small zoo in Patan, and not much else for children. Its narrow lanes without pavements and its dust make it hard work with toddlers. It is better suited to older children heading on to a trek or a national park.

Delhi is much easier to get around thanks to its metro, which is air-conditioned, signed in English, has stations near most of the main monuments and runs an express line to the airport. Distances are enormous and the roads are jammed, but autos and app taxis cover the gaps between stations.

Kathmandu has no metro or tram, and its crowded microbuses are hard for visitors to work out. The old city and Thamel are best on foot, sharing the lanes with motorbikes. Trips to Patan, Boudhanath or the airport rely on taxis or ride-hailing apps, and traffic makes them slow.

Delhi has the broader and better shopping. Crafts from every state fill Dilli Haat and the fixed-price government emporiums, Old Delhi has specialist bazaars for fabric, wedding trim and spices, and Khan Market and Shahpur Jat stock Indian designers, with luxury brands in the South Delhi malls.

Kathmandu is more focused and works well for a few particular buys. These include Tibetan carpets and thangkas around Boudhanath, bronze statues made in Patan's own workshops, and pashmina and singing bowls in Thamel, though much of the Thamel stock is copies. It has no fashion or luxury shopping.

Both are very cheap by international standards, and Kathmandu is cheaper still. Guesthouses in Thamel and Boudhanath, plates of dal bhat or momos and taxis cost very little. Most of the spending goes on trekking permits and mountain flights rather than daily life in the city.

Delhi keeps everyday costs low through street food, the metro and plenty of mid-range rooms. But its grand hotels and stylish South Delhi restaurants charge close to Western prices, which makes it easier to overspend there.

Delhi has the far richer stage scene. In the cooler months the auditoriums around Mandi House and the cultural centres on Lodhi Road host Hindustani recitals and Kathak and Bharatanatyam, and the National School of Drama makes the city India's theatre capital. Thursday qawwali at the Nizamuddin shrine is free and unforgettable.

Kathmandu has little formal stage life. Live music mostly means cover bands in Thamel bars and cultural dinner shows. The memorable performances follow the religious calendar, such as the masked dances of Indra Jatra and evening devotional singing at the temples, along with an annual autumn jazz festival.

Kathmandu is the better place to slow down, though the city itself is as loud and dusty as Delhi. The monasteries above Boudhanath, Kopan in particular, teach meditation and Buddhist philosophy to visitors, and yoga, singing-bowl sessions and cheap massage are easy to find.

In Delhi, calm is mostly found inside hotel spas offering Ayurvedic treatments, in the yoga centres of South Delhi, or early in the morning in Lodhi Gardens. Traffic, noise and winter smog never really let up, which is why people seeking a proper retreat often travel on to Rishikesh.