Luxury hotels in Jaipur

Jaipur guide

Jaipur: the Amber Fort and the Pink City

Palaces on the hill, the Hawa Mahal's façade at sunrise and the bazaars of the old city.

The Amber Fort, a palace of sandstone and marble above Maota Lake, is the most cited sight in Jaipur; go at opening, before the heat and the crowds. In the Pink City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Hawa Mahal's latticed façade is best photographed at sunrise.

The City Palace, still home to the royal family, and the Jantar Mantar observatory are side by side, and the bazaars are known for gems, textiles and block prints. October to March brings the most pleasant weather, and Jaipur is part of the Golden Triangle with Delhi and Agra.

The City Palace and Jantar Mantar

The City Palace, still partly home to Jaipur's royal family, is one of the city's most cited sights, with its painted Peacock Gate and textile and arms collections; private tours of the royal apartments can be arranged. Next door stands Jantar Mantar, an astronomical observatory built in the 1720s.

Its giant stone instruments, including the world's largest stone sundial, are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a guide brings them to life. The Albert Hall Museum, beautifully lit at night, and the Hawa Mahal are a short walk away.

Jaipur's crafts: gems, block prints and blue pottery

Jaipur is one of the world's great centres for gemstone cutting and jewellery, and the bazaars of the Pink City, above all Johari Bazaar, are the most cited place for shopping in Rajasthan. Reputable houses offer certificates, and a trusted guide helps avoid the commission shops.

In the villages of Sanganer and Bagru, artisans still print cotton with carved wooden blocks and natural dyes, and visitors can try it themselves. Jaipur's blue pottery, the Anokhi Museum of Hand Printing in Amber and the textile houses complete a crafts day.