Matt Munro

Jaipur

Enthralling, historical Jaipur, Rajasthan’s capital, is the gateway to India’s most flamboyant state.

The city’s colorful streets ebb and flow with a heady brew of old and new. Buses dodge dawdling camels, cycle-rickshaws leisurely hold-up swarms of motorbikes, buzzing autorickshaws hawk for unhurried walkers. In the middle of this cacophony , the splendors of Jaipur’s majestic past are islands of relative calm evoking a different pace and another world.

At the city’s heart, the City Palace continues to house the former royal family; the Jantar Mantar, the royal observatory, maintains a heavenly aspect; and the honeycomb Hawa Mahal gazes on the bazaar below. And just out of sight, in the arid hill country surrounding the city, is the fairy-tale grandeur of Amber Fort, Jaipur’s star attraction.

Explore Jaipur

  • City Palace

    A complex of courtyards, gardens and buildings, the impressive City Palace is right in the centre of the Old City. The outer wall was built by Jai Singh…

  • Hawa Mahal

    Jaipur’s most-distinctive landmark, the Hawa Mahal is an extraordinary pink-painted, delicately honeycombed hive that rises a dizzying five storeys. It…

  • Jantar Mantar

    Adjacent to the City Palace is Jantar Mantar, an observatory begun by Jai Singh II in 1728 that resembles a collection of bizarre giant sculptures. Built…

  • Isarlat

    Piercing the skyline near the City Palace is this unusual minaret, erected in the 1740s by Jai Singh II’s son and successor Iswari. The entrance is around…

  • C

    Central Museum

    This museum is housed in the spectacularly florid Albert Hall, south of the Old City. The building was designed by Sir Swinton Jacob, and combines…

  • M

    Maharaja Sawai Mansingh II Museum

    The Maharaja Sawai Mansingh II Museum comprises several buildings and courtyards within Jaipur's City Palace complex. The Mubarak Mahal (Welcome Palace)…

  • R

    Royal Gaitor

    The royal cenotaphs, just outside the city walls, beneath Nahargarh, feel remarkably undiscovered and are an appropriately restful place to visit. The…

  • Nahargarh

    Built in 1734 and extended in 1868, this sturdy fort overlooks the city from a sheer ridge to the north. The story goes that the fort was named after…

  • P

    Philatelic Bureau & Museum

    At the rear of the main post office, this curious little museum has historical stamps, telegrams and artefacts, including brass belt buckles and badges…

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Jaipur.

  • See

    City Palace

    A complex of courtyards, gardens and buildings, the impressive City Palace is right in the centre of the Old City. The outer wall was built by Jai Singh…

  • See

    Hawa Mahal

    Jaipur’s most-distinctive landmark, the Hawa Mahal is an extraordinary pink-painted, delicately honeycombed hive that rises a dizzying five storeys. It…

  • See

    Jantar Mantar

    Adjacent to the City Palace is Jantar Mantar, an observatory begun by Jai Singh II in 1728 that resembles a collection of bizarre giant sculptures. Built…

  • See

    Isarlat

    Piercing the skyline near the City Palace is this unusual minaret, erected in the 1740s by Jai Singh II’s son and successor Iswari. The entrance is around…

  • See

    Central Museum

    This museum is housed in the spectacularly florid Albert Hall, south of the Old City. The building was designed by Sir Swinton Jacob, and combines…

  • See

    Maharaja Sawai Mansingh II Museum

    The Maharaja Sawai Mansingh II Museum comprises several buildings and courtyards within Jaipur's City Palace complex. The Mubarak Mahal (Welcome Palace)…

  • See

    Royal Gaitor

    The royal cenotaphs, just outside the city walls, beneath Nahargarh, feel remarkably undiscovered and are an appropriately restful place to visit. The…

  • See

    Nahargarh

    Built in 1734 and extended in 1868, this sturdy fort overlooks the city from a sheer ridge to the north. The story goes that the fort was named after…

  • See

    Philatelic Bureau & Museum

    At the rear of the main post office, this curious little museum has historical stamps, telegrams and artefacts, including brass belt buckles and badges…

Guidebooks

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