Jaipur

A planned city, painted pink

The city was laid out by Vidyadhar Bhattacharya. Following Vastu Shastra, the ancient Indian principles of architecture, it was divided into nine blocks, which is why the old city's main streets still meet so neatly. The pink came much later. In 1876, ahead of a visit from the Prince of Wales, Maharaja Ram Singh had the entire city painted pink, and it's been called the Pink City ever since. The same Ram Singh commissioned the Albert Hall Museum in 1868, and it opened to the public in 1887. Its best-known pieces are a Persian garden carpet and an Egyptian mummy, and every night the whole building is lit up in color.

Hawa Mahal and the bazaars

Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh built the five-story Hawa Mahal in 1799. The 953 small windows, or jharokhas, covering its facade let the royal women watch street festivals on Johari Bazaar without being seen. Put your eye to a lattice on an upper floor, and you'll still see the street they once looked down on. It closes at 4:30pm. • Johari Bazaar — traditional Rajasthani jewelry, clothing and textiles. • Bapu Bazaar — mojari leather shoes and camel-skin footwear. • Chandpole Bazaar — finely carved marble statues. For block-printed textiles, Sanganeri, Bagru and Dabu prints are the best known.

City Palace and Jantar Mantar

At the heart of the old city, the City Palace was built between 1729 and 1732 and blends Rajasthani and Mughal styles. The royal family still lives in part of the Chandra Mahal. The Textile Gallery in Mubarak Mahal has been temporarily closed for restoration since March 27, 2026. Right next door, Jantar Mantar brings together 19 astronomical instruments that Jai Singh II built between 1728 and 1734. It's one of five observatories he set up across India, and a UNESCO World Heritage site. The largest, the Samrat Yantra, is a sundial reaching 27 meters, and it's said to tell the time to within 2 seconds. On a clear day, you can see its shadow inching across the scale.

Amer Fort on the hill

Eleven kilometers from the city, Amer Fort was commissioned by Maharaja Man Singh I in 1592. It was home to the rulers of Amer before Jaipur was founded, and today it's a UNESCO World Heritage site. Pass Maota Lake at the foot of the hill and climb into the fort, and courtyards and palaces follow one after another. Among them is the Sheesh Mahal, its walls and ceilings covered in pieces of mirror. The fort is open from 9am to 6pm, and there's a light and sound show in the evening (the English show is at 7:30pm). Nearby, Panna Meena ka Kund is a centuries-old stepwell. Its steps, worn smooth by generations of feet, descend tier after tier.

Jaigarh, Nahargarh and Jal Mahal

Overlooking Amer Fort, Jaigarh Fort was built by Jai Singh II in 1726 to guard Amer. Its cannon, Jaivana, is still known as the largest cannon on wheels. The name of Nahargarh Fort, completed in 1734, means 'abode of tigers.' Inside stands Madhavendra Bhawan, a two-story building divided into suites for the king and his queens, and from the ramparts the whole old city spreads out below. In the middle of Man Sagar Lake sits Jal Mahal, a palace rising straight out of the water.

Jaipur at the table

The dish that best represents Rajasthani food is dal baati churma: hard-baked wheat dough balls (baati) dipped in lentil dal, with sweet churma on the side to finish. For a snack, there's kachori, a stuffed, deep-fried pastry, and pyaaz kachori with its onion filling is the classic. If you eat meat, look for laal maas, a mutton curry flavored with red chilies. At festival time, people eat plenty of ghevar, a sweet made with flour and ghee.

Day trips and a 3-day itinerary

On the edge of the city, Galta Ji is a Hindu pilgrimage site honoring the sage Galav. It has springs that never run dry and seven sacred water tanks (kunds), and you may run into a troop of monkeys. If you have an extra day, head to Chand Baori in the village of Abhaneri. Built in the 9th century, this stepwell descends through 3,500 narrow steps that form a geometric pattern. Jaipur is about five hours from Delhi by road, and Jaipur International Airport also has international flights from places like Singapore, Abu Dhabi and Muscat. Day 1 — Amer Fort → Panna Meena ka Kund → Jaigarh Fort → Albert Hall Museum in the evening Day 2 — City Palace and Jantar Mantar → Hawa Mahal → Johari and Bapu bazaars Day 3 — Nahargarh Fort → Galta Ji → depart (or Chand Baori if you're staying another day)

What to eat

• Dal baati churma (Rajasthan's signature plate)
• Pyaaz kachori (fried pastry with an onion filling)
• Laal maas (mutton curry flavored with red chilies)
• Ghevar (festive sweet made with flour and ghee)

Handy tips

• City Palace tickets are sold at both entrances: Gate 1, near the Jantar Mantar ticket counter, and Gate 2, at Jaleb Chowk. The museum closes only on Dhulandi, the second day of Holi.
• Albert Hall Museum reopens from 7pm to 9:30pm, separate from its 9am–5pm daytime hours, so you can see the building lit up and then walk right in.
• Auto-rickshaw fares are officially set by distance, but in practice you'll often have to bargain, so agree on a price before you get in. If the driver tries to take you to a travel agency or hotel you didn't plan on, just ask to go to your original destination.