Jaipur, also known as the Pink City, is a city known for its magnificent palaces and forts, and vibrant markets. Although it’s a city that has a lot to offer, it’s actually possible to see the best of Jaipur in a single day. Of course, you won’t be able to see everything in Jaipur within such a short time frame, but you can at least get a taste of what this Indian city has to offer.
This guide is designed to provide a suggested itinerary for just a 1-day visit to Jaipur. Divided into two sections, these attractions can be visited in any order. However, we’ll be going with a recommended set of morning and afternoon visits.
Jaipur is Rajasthan’s capital and largest city, so there’s a lot to see and do. Get your bearings in the Pink City on foot, starting from Hawa Mahal, or the Palace of Wind.
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 was constructed in 1799 with the purpose of enabling the ladies of the royal household to watch the life and processions of the city. The top offers stunning views over Jantar Mantar and the City Palace in one direction and over Sireh Deori Bazaar in the other.
There’s a small museum (open Saturday to Thursday), with miniature paintings and some relics, such as ceremonial armour, which help evoke the royal past.
Claustrophobes should be aware that the narrow corridors can sometimes get extremely cramped and crowded inside the Hawa Mahal.
The admission is 50 Indian rupees, or about 60 cents in USD. But if you’re lucky like I was and visit on National Museum Day, admission is free.
After Hawa Mahal, it’s. a short walk to Jantar Mantar.
Jantar Mantar
Adjacent to the City Palace is Jantar Mantar, an observatory begun by Jai Singh II in 1728. At first glance, it resembles a collection of bizarre sculptures.
Built for measuring the heavens, the name is derived from the Sanskrit yanta mantr,meaning ‘instrument of calculation’, and in 2010 it was added to India’s list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Jai Singh liked astronomy even more than he liked war and town planning. Before constructing the observatory he sent scholars abroad to study foreign constructs.
He built five observatories in total, and this is the largest and best preserved, having been restored in 1901. Others are in Delhi, Varanasi and Ujjain. No traces of the fifth, the Mathura observatory, remain.
Paying for a local guide is recommended if you wish to learn how each instrument works.
The admission fee for foreigners is 200 Indian rupees, so about $2.50 USD.
Then we essentially cross the very busy street to reach the City Palace.
City Palace
A complex of courtyards, gardens and buildings, the impressive City Palace is right in the center of the Old City.
The outer wall was built by Jai Singh II, but within it the palace has been enlarged and adapted over the centuries. There are palace buildings from different eras, and is a striking blend of Rajasthani and Mughal architecture.
The price of admission includes entry to Royal Gaitor and the Cenotaphs of the Maharanis, as well as to Jaigarh, a long climb above Amber Fort.
One thing to note, photo and video isn’t allowed in the galleries and exhibits.
Mubarak Mahal
Entering through Virendra Pol, you’ll see the Welcome Palace, built in the late 19th century as a reception center for visiting dignitaries. Its multiarched and colonnaded construction was cooked up in an Islamic, Rajput and European stylistic stew by the architect Sir Swinton Jacob. It now forms part of the Maharaja Sawai Mansingh II Museum, containing a collection of royal costumes and superb shawls, including Kashmiri pashmina.
The Armoury
The Maharani’s Palace – houses the Armoury, which has one of the best collections of weapons in the country.
Many of the ceremonial items are elegantly engraved and inlaid, belying their grisly purpose.
Diwan-i-Khas (Sarvatobhadra)
Set between the Armoury and the Diwan-i-Am art gallery is an open courtyard. At its center is a pink-and-white, marble-paved gallery that was used as the Hall of Private Audience, where the maharajas would consult their ministers.
Here you can see two enormous silver vessels, each 1.6m tall and reputedly the largest silver objects in the world.
Diwan-i-Am Art Gallery
Within the lavish Hall of Public Audience is this art gallery. Exhibits include a copy of the entire Bhagavad Gita handwritten in tiny script, and miniature copies of other holy Hindu scriptures, which were small enough to be easily hidden in the event that zealot Mughal armies tried to destroy the sacred texts.
Pitam Niwas Chowk & Chandra Mahal
Located towards the palace’s inner courtyard is Pitam Niwas Square. Here four glorious gates represent the seasons – the Peacock Gate depicts autumn, the Lotus Gate signifies summer, the Green Gate represents spring, and finally the Rose Gate embodies winter.
Beyond this square is the private palace, the Chandra Mahal, which is still the residence of the descendants of the royal family; you can take a 45-minute Royal Grandeur guided tour of select areas.
There are a variety of ticket options for admission.
Now for the last stop for the first part of the day.
BAPU BAZAAR
In Bapu Bazaar you’ll find shops selling fabric and shoes. It’s a favorite market for the women of Jaipur.
If you want souvenir to remember Jaipur, browse the blockprint textiles, something the city is known for.
After grabbing lunch it’s time to start the second half fo the day by traveling 20 minutes outside of the city.
Amber Fort
Referred to as Amer Fort by the locals, but known to the English as Amber Fort. It’s a magnificent fort comprising of an extensive palace complex, built from pale yellow and pink sandstone, and white marble, divided into four main sections, each with its own courtyard.
It’s possible to visit the fortress on elephant-back, but for animal welfare reasons, this shouldn’t be considered. As an alternative, you can trudge up to the fort from the road in about 10 minutes, or take a 4WD to the top and back for ₹450 (good for up to five passengers), including a one-hour wait time.
Personally, I chose to walk the stairs. It was a good workout offering chances to take in the scenery.
For night entry, admission for foreigners drops to the Indian price.
Regular foreigner price is 550 Indian rupees, about $6.50 USD.
However you arrive, you’ll enter Amber Fort through the Sun Gate, which leads to the Main Courtyard, where returning armies would display their war booty to the populace – women could view this area from the veiled windows of the palace.
The ticket office is directly across the courtyard from the Sun Gate. If you arrive by car you’ll enter through the Moon Gate on the opposite side of the Main Courtyard.
You can hire a guide or grab an audio guide, as there are very few signs and many blind alleys.
From the main Courtyard, an imposing stairway leads up to the main palace, but first it’s worth taking the steps just to the right, which lead to the small Siladevi Temple, with its gorgeous silver doors featuring raised relief work.
Heading back to the main stairway will take you up to the second courtyard and the Hall of Public Audience, which has a double row of columns, each topped by a capital in the shape of an elephant, and latticed galleries above.
The maharaja’s apartments are located around the third courtyard – you enter through the fabulous Ganesh Pol, decorated with beautiful frescoed arches.
The Hall of Victory is noted for its inlaid panels and multimirrored ceiling.
Carved marble relief panels around the hall are fascinatingly delicate and quirky, depicting cartoon-like insects and sinuous flowers.
Opposite the Hall of Victory is the Hall of Pleasure, with an ivory-inlaid sandalwood door and a channel that once carried cooling water right through the room.
From the Hall of Victory you can enjoy fine views from the palace ramparts over picturesque Maota Lake below.
The zenana (secluded women’s quarters) surrounds the fourth courtyard. The rooms were designed so that the maharaja could embark on his nocturnal visits to his wives’ and concubines’ respective chambers without the others knowing, as the chambers are independent but open onto a common corridor.
Within the Amber Fort is the Mirror Palace, and the last attraction for the second half of this 1-day itinerary.
Mirror Palace
Begun in the 16th century, the Sheesh Mahal, or Mirror Palace is one of the most interesting attractions within Amber Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Here you’ll find thousands of tiny pieces of mirrored tiles spread out over the walls, ceilings, and support columns, along with colored Belgian glass and gemstones, to create floral and geometric designs.
According to local lore, the Sheesh Mahal was originally designed to mimic the night sky.
The queen was supposedly fond of stargazing, but strict rules regarding women outside made such a prospect difficult. As an alternative, royal architects built the Sheesh Mahal so that if one were to light a candle, its reflection would give the appearance of stars in the night sky.
After leaving Amber Fort, There are also two side attractions that are basically quick photo opportunities. One is a local step well. The other is Jal Mahal, a palace situated in the middle of a lake.
Now, there’s one more extra location that isn’t nexessary, but can make for a good photo spot if you have time.
Patrika gate
Often referred to as “the most colorful door in India”, Patrika Gate greets both passing cars and passersby from Jawahar Circle in Jaipur.
Built in 2016, the Gate contains a colorful cacophony of hues depicting the history of Jaipur, India’s famed Pink City. Through its vibrant hand paintings, Patrika Gate gives visitors a look into the culture of Rajasthan.
Along its columns and pillars, depictions of temples, forts, palaces, and Jaipur rulers are offered to give a glimpse into the city’s history. Scenes of weddings, wars, and daily life are portrayed.
Gates in Jaipur are an architectural tradition. When Maharajah Sawai Jai Singh II founded Jaipur in 1727, he built a wall around the city with eight gates in all four directions. Now centuries later, Patrika Gate continues the architectural legacy, and is sometimes touted as the ninth gate of the city.
The number nine does play a prominent role in the design — there are nine total pavilions, each 9 feet wide.
Not only a symbolic structure, Patrika Gate has also emerged as a popular stop for relaxation and photo shoots. A slightly different shade of pink than the traditional Jaipur terracotta pink, Patrika Gate provides a place for the city to honor its past while it thrives in the modern era.
