CityDekho
Jaipur

Jaipur

city · Rajasthan

Jaipur repays getting up early more than almost anywhere in Rajasthan, because by ten the coaches have arrived and Amber Fort stops being a fort and becomes a queue.

State
Rajasthan
Type
City
Best season
Winter
Things to do
6+

Jaipur repays getting up early more than almost anywhere in Rajasthan, because by ten the coaches have arrived and Amber Fort stops being a fort and becomes a queue. Be at Amber for opening. Walk up rather than taking the elephants — the welfare of those animals is a long-running problem and a jeep does the same job. Inside, the Sheesh Mahal is the room everyone photographs, but the Ganesh Pol above the second courtyard is the better piece of work. Hawa Mahal disappoints people, and it is worth knowing why before you stand in front of it: it is a screen, one room deep, built so the women of the household could watch the street unseen. There is almost nothing behind the facade. The good view is from the rooftop cafés opposite, looking back at it. Jantar Mantar is the one to book a guide for. Without someone to explain them the instruments are handsome shapes; with someone, they are a working observatory and the visit turns into the best hour of your day. For fabric go to Johari Bazaar, for everyday chaos and better prices go to Chandpole. October to March. April onwards the stone gets too hot to touch by mid-morning.

A short history

Founded in 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, an astronomer-king who planned the city on Vastu Shastra grid principles — one of India's first planned cities. It was painted pink in 1876 to welcome the Prince of Wales, a colour the city has maintained by law ever since.

Why Jaipur matters

The Pink City — capital of Rajasthan and the starting point of the Golden Triangle, famed for its forts, palaces and bazaars.

How many people come

70 lakh

city in 2024 · Rajasthan Tourism (estimate)

When to go

The ideal months to explore Jaipur are from October to March when the winter weather is pleasantly cool for fort sightseeing.

Why visit

Jaipur is an easy, rewarding introduction to Rajasthan — hilltop forts and palaces by day, heritage hotels and Rajasthani food by night, and some of India's best shopping for gems, textiles and crafts.

Cultural notes

Founded in 1727 by the visionary astronomer-king Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the city represents a high point of scientific planning in pre-modern India. It houses the Jantar Mantar, an extraordinary open-air astronomical observatory containing the world's largest stone sundial. The city remains a global capital for block-printed textiles, blue pottery, and hand-cut gemstone jewelry.

How to reach

Jaipur is directly served by Jaipur International Airport, located 12 km from the city center, and Jaipur Junction Railway Station. It is excellently linked via multi-lane expressways and national highways from Delhi and Agra, with regular deluxe AC state and private sleeper buses operating around the clock.

5 days in Jaipur

Take the whole plan, or add any single stop.

Day 1

Day 1

City Palace & courtyards

City Palace & courtyards

Hawa Mahal

Day 1

Hawa Mahal

Built in 1799 by Sawai Pratap Singh in red and pink sandstone, on the edge of the City Palace and joined to the zenana, the women's quarters. Its nine hundred and fifty-three lattice windows — jharokhas — let the women of the household watch processions in the street below without being seen, and the honeycomb of openings pulls air through the building, which is what keeps it bearable in a Jaipur summer. The famous view is from outside, facing east: go before nine, while the sun is on the front. Inside it is narrow ramps and small chambers, and much less than the facade promises.

Day 1

Johari & Bapu Bazaar shopping

Johari & Bapu Bazaar shopping

Amber FortDay 2

Day 2

Amber Fort

Begun in 1592 on the hill above Maota lake, in pale sandstone and marble, and the Sheesh Mahal is what the queue is for. The fort stands over the town of Amer, eleven kilometres from Jaipur, and Maota is not scenery — it was the palace's water supply. Ramparts, a sequence of gates and cobbled ramps carry you up through the courtyards, with the mirror hall off the third. Walk up rather than taking an elephant: the animals here have drawn repeated welfare complaints, and the climb takes about ten minutes. First hour or last hour is when the sandstone turns orange and the courtyards empty.

Day 2

Jaigarh & Panna Meena stepwell

Jaigarh & Panna Meena stepwell

Day 2

Nahargarh sunset over the city

Nahargarh sunset over the city

Day 3

Day 3

Jantar Mantar observatory

Jantar Mantar observatory

Day 3

Albert Hall Museum

Albert Hall Museum

Day 3

Block-printing at Sanganer/Bagru

Block-printing at Sanganer/Bagru

Day 4

Day 4

Chand Baori stepwell, Abhaneri

Chand Baori stepwell, Abhaneri

Day 4

Pushkar lake & cafes

Pushkar lake & cafes

Day 4

Return for a rooftop dinner

Return for a rooftop dinner

Day 5

Day 5

Patrika Gate photos

Patrika Gate photos

Day 5

Cafe brunch in C-Scheme

Cafe brunch in C-Scheme

Day 5

Last-minute textiles & gems

Last-minute textiles & gems

Food & cuisine

Signature dishes and local flavours to look for in Jaipur.

7 dishes

Pyaaz Kachori

Pyaaz Kachori

Crisp onion kachori, best hot

Lassi

Lassi

Thick saffron lassi in a clay kulhad

Mirchi Bada

Mirchi Bada

Spiced chilli fritter snack

Laxmi Misthan Bhandar (LMB)

Iconic veg thali & sweets

Suvarna Mahal

Royal fine-dining at Rambagh Palace

Dal Baati Churma

Dal Baati Churma

Rajasthan's signature baked wheat baatis with dal and a sweet churma

Ghewar

Ghewar

Disc-shaped honeycomb sweet soaked in syrup, at its best around the Teej festival

Suggested Itinerary

Day-by-day plans other travellers have published for Jaipur

Golden Triangle: Delhi, Agra & Jaipur

Golden Triangle: Delhi, Agra & Jaipur

5 days 15 stopsCityDekho Editorial

Jaipur guide & itineraries

Jaipur is perfect for

familycouplesheritageluxury

Nearby getaways

Ajmer & Pushkar

~2.5 hrs

Ranthambore

~3.5 hrs

Bharatpur

~3 hrs

Shopping

Jaipur is one of India's great shopping cities, and its walled bazaars are attractions in their own right. Johari Bazaar is the historic heart of the gem-and-jewellery trade — kundan, meenakari enamel work and hand-cut coloured stones — while the lanes of Maniharon ka Rasta nearby are known for lac bangles. Bapu Bazaar and Nehru Bazaar are best for block-printed textiles, quilts, mojari leather shoes and perfumes, and Tripolia Bazaar for lac and brassware. Jaipur is also the home of blue pottery and of Sanganeri and Bagru hand-block printing, both worth seeking out at source in the nearby villages. Bargaining is normal in the bazaars but not in fixed-price government emporiums; for gemstones, buy only from reputable, certified dealers to avoid the well-known resale scams.

Frequently asked questions

When is the best time to visit Jaipur?
October to March, when the days are cool and clear enough for fort-hopping. April to June is intensely hot (often above 43°C) and the July–September monsoon is humid, though it turns the surrounding hills green.
How do you get around Jaipur?
Autos and app cabs (Ola/Uber) are the easiest way between the forts and the old city — agree auto fares before you set off. A single Metro line runs through the newer parts of town but not to the main forts, and the walled-city bazaars are best explored on foot.
Is the Jaipur composite ticket worth buying?
If you plan to see several monuments, yes — the composite heritage ticket bundles entry to sites such as Amber Fort, Jantar Mantar, Hawa Mahal, Nahargarh and Albert Hall for less than buying them separately, and it stays valid for two days.
What should I buy in Jaipur?
Jaipur is famous for gemstones and kundan-meenakari jewellery (Johari Bazaar), hand-block-printed textiles from Sanganer and Bagru, blue pottery, lac bangles and mojari leather shoes. Buy gems only from certified dealers.
What are the best day trips from Jaipur?
The Chand Baori stepwell at Abhaneri and the temple town of Pushkar make popular day trips (roughly 1.5–3 hours each way); Ranthambore National Park, for tigers, is better as an overnight.
Is Jaipur safe for tourists?
Jaipur is broadly safe and very used to visitors. The main nuisances are pushy touts and gemstone resale scams around the bazaars and some unlicensed guides — decline unsolicited special deals and use certified shops and government-approved guides.
How many days for Jaipur?
2–3 days covers the highlights; 5 days lets you add day trips to Abhaneri, Pushkar and Ranthambore.
Is Jaipur walkable?
The old city is walkable in parts; use autos/cabs between forts.

Things to do

How to spend your time in Jaipur.

Tour Amber Fort

Elephant gate, mirror palace and ramparts

See Hawa Mahal

The honeycomb palace facade at sunrise

Jantar Mantar

Giant 18th-century astronomical instruments

Nahargarh sunset

City-wide views with a rooftop cafe

Explore the City Palace

Royal residence with courtyards and textile and armoury museums, still partly a royal home

Hidden gems

Panna Meena ka Kund

Symmetric 16th-century stepwell near Amber Fort, a striking and quieter photo stop

Popular attractions

The places in Jaipur most people come for.

Amber Fort

Amber Fort

Attraction

Hawa Mahal

Hawa Mahal

Attraction

Johari Bazaar

Johari Bazaar

Market

See all attractions

Tours & experiences

Things to book and do in Jaipur

Reviews & ratings

What travellers say about Jaipur

CityDekho traveller reviews

★★★★★★★★★★

No CityDekho reviews yet

Be the first traveller to review this place.

Sign in to write a review

Community

Ask questions and share tips about Jaipur

Sign in to ask a question or share a tip about Jaipur.

Loading…

Been to Jaipur?

Write what you would tell a friend — where you stayed, what you would skip, the thing you wish somebody had mentioned before you went. We read every submission before it goes up.

Share your story

More heritage & forts

More places you'll love

Karnataka

Daria Daulat Bagh (Srirangapatna)

Daria Daulat Bagh is the elegant summer palace of Tipu Sultan, the Tiger of Mysore, set in a garden on the river-island of Srirangapatna near Mysuru. Built largely of teak in 1784 in the Indo-Saracenic style, its walls and ceilings are covered in vivid frescoes, floral motifs and murals, including a famous depiction of Tipu's forces at the Battle of Pollilur.

Assam

Sivasagar

Sivasagar, once the capital of the mighty Ahom kingdom that ruled Assam for six centuries, is a town rich in monuments around its great tank. Its highlights include the Rang Ghar, often called Asia's oldest surviving amphitheatre, the Talatal and Kareng Ghar palaces, and the towering Sivadol temple.

Tripura

Neermahal

Neermahal is a striking water palace rising from the middle of Rudrasagar Lake near Melaghar in Tripura, built by the Manikya king in the 1930s as a royal summer retreat. Blending Hindu and Mughal architectural styles, its white-and-red pavilions are reached by boat and beautifully reflected in the lake.

Tripura

Unakoti

Unakoti, in the forested hills of northern Tripura, is an ancient Shaiva pilgrimage and archaeological site famous for its colossal rock-cut carvings and stone images dating back over a thousand years. Legend says there are one less than a crore of images here, giving the site its name, set amid waterfalls and greenery.

Delhi

Safdarjung's Tomb (Delhi)

Safdarjung's Tomb is a garden-tomb built around 1754 for Safdarjung, the powerful Nawab of Awadh and a prime minister of the Mughal empire. Set in a formal charbagh garden, its red-and-buff sandstone dome and symmetrical layout make it one of the last great monuments of the Mughal era.

Maharashtra

Bibi Ka Maqbara (Aurangabad)

Bibi Ka Maqbara in Aurangabad (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar) is a grand Mughal mausoleum built in the 1660s to 1670s for Dilras Banu Begum, the wife of Emperor Aurangzeb. Closely modelled on the Taj Mahal, its marble and stucco dome earned it the nickname the Taj of the Deccan.

Karnataka

Gol Gumbaz (Vijayapura)

Gol Gumbaz in Vijayapura (Bijapur) is the mausoleum of Sultan Mohammed Adil Shah, completed in 1656. Crowned by one of the largest masonry domes in the world, it is famous for its Whispering Gallery, where even a soft sound is carried clearly across the vast circular hall and echoes many times over.

Maharashtra

Daulatabad Fort

Daulatabad Fort (historically Devagiri) stands atop a steep 200-metre conical hill roughly 15-16 km northwest of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad), Maharashtra. It is a massive fortified hill-city built up over about 1,000 years, enclosed by three concentric fortification walls and two moats, best known for Sultan Muhammad bin Tughluq's failed 14th-century attempt to shift the Delhi Sultanate's capital here.

Delhi

Lotus Temple (Delhi)

The Lotus Temple is a Baha'i House of Worship and one of Delhi's most photographed modern landmarks, shaped like a half-open lotus with 27 marble-clad petals set among nine pools and landscaped gardens. Completed in 1986 and open to people of all faiths, it is kept silent, and that is the point of going.

Andaman & Nicobar Islands

Cellular Jail (Port Blair)

The Cellular Jail in Port Blair, known as Kala Pani, is a colonial-era prison built by the British between 1896 and 1906 to hold Indian freedom fighters in solitary confinement. Its original seven wings radiated from a central tower like spokes; today the surviving structure is a national memorial to the independence movement.

Delhi

India Gate (Delhi)

India Gate is a 42-metre war memorial arch on the ceremonial Kartavya Path, designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and completed in 1931. It honours around 74,000 Indian soldiers who died in the First World War and the Third Anglo-Afghan War, their names inscribed on its sandstone walls.

Gujarat

Shatrunjaya Hill

Shatrunjaya Hill, near Palitana town in the Bhavnagar district, is a world-famous sacred mountain rising above the Shatrunjaya River. It stands as a unique structural wonder, being the world's only mountain holding a fortified complex of more than 860 carved marble temples built over a millennium. Considered an entirely holy landscape by the Jain community, no vehicles are permitted past the base database, requiring pilgrims and travelers to scale approximately 3,500 stone steps to reach the mountaintop complex.

Trending in Rajasthan

Udaipur

Udaipur

Udaipur, the 'City of Lakes', sits among the green Aravalli Hills, built around a chain of interconnected lakes created over the centuries for water and defence. The largest, Lake Pichola, is the visual centre of the city, its shores lined with white marble palaces, bathing ghats and lakefront hotels. The grandest is the City Palace, which is really eleven palaces built against each other over four centuries by successive maharanas — which is why the inside is a maze of levels and courtyards rather than a single plan. Udaipur has a noticeably slower pace than Rajasthan's other big cities. In bad drought years Pichola has emptied completely, so if the lake is the reason you are coming, check before you book.

Jaisalmer

Jaisalmer

Jaisalmer is built from the same yellow sandstone it stands on, which is why at six in the evening the whole fort looks lit from inside — and why at midday it looks like nothing much at all. Time your first look for the last hour of light. The fort is one of very few in the world still lived in: several thousand people, with shops, homes, temples and plumbing inside the walls. That is what makes it extraordinary and also what is slowly destroying it, because the drainage was never built for modern water use and the bastions are being undermined. Conservationists ask visitors to sleep outside the walls rather than in the fort hotels. It is worth honouring. Patwon ki Haveli is the finest carved stone in the city. The Jain temples inside the fort are quieter and, to my eye, better. For the desert, the choice matters. Sam dunes at sunset is a full circus of camels, jeeps and loudspeakers. Khuri is further out, plainer, and gives you the silence people actually come to the Thar for. November to February. Nights in the desert get genuinely cold — bring more than you think.

Ajmer Sharif Dargah

Ajmer Sharif Dargah

Ajmer Sharif is the most revered Sufi shrine in India — the dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, the 12th-century saint who founded the Chishti order. Drawing millions of pilgrims of all faiths, especially during the annual Urs, it is a powerful symbol of India's syncretic spiritual culture.