India
Jaipur is the capital of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Jaipur, commonly known as the Pink City due to the colour buildings were painted to imitate Mughal buildings, is an extremely popular tourist destination. This city is steeped in history and has multiple palaces and other ancient monuments. It is known for its architecture and for being the first planned city of India. Along with Delhi and Agra it constitutes the Golden Triangle of tourism in India.
The city of Jaipur has many neighbourhoods that range from residential, teeming with colonies and housing societies to the beautifully antique.
Jaipur Old City
The old city of Jaipur consists of many of the city’s top attractions. You can devote half a day to explore the entire old city. It consists of multiple shopping attractions as well as historical monuments. Some of the main places of interest include:
Agra Road
This location is popular because of its numerous forts and temples. The monuments situated near and around this road contribute to the rich heritage of Jaipur. Main attractions include the Galta Monkey Temple.
North Jaipur
Regular buses are available to take you to the north of Jaipur to visit the sights there. Complete with a lake, a palace and a museum, this location is worth the effort of getting there. Main attractions include:
Badi Chaupad
Located in the south of Jaipur, in the old city, this famous intersection is well connected. The reason this particular intersection is so famous is because it houses the beautiful Hawa Mahal.
The Hawa Mahal or “Palace of Winds” is a five-storey high monument that was originally built as a wall full of windows from which women of the royal household could observe festivities taking place on the streets of Jaipur without being seen themselves. The palace is a showcase of architectural splendour, both inside and out and is a must see if you visit the city of Jaipur.
Malviya Nagar
Located in South Jaipur, this neighbourhood is one of the most affluent regions in the city. It is home to a number of entertainment facilities like multiplexes and malls, being an industrial and commercial centre of the city.
Getting from the airport to the city
Tipping in Jaipur is always appreciated in India Rupees over dollars. Subtlety is the key here so keep your tipping money separate.
Jaipur in 2 days (Source: Jaipur Travel Guide)
Day 1
Day 2
Jaipur serves a lot of typical Rajasthani food- rich in ghee and high in spices. Though the food is primarily vegetarian, Jaipur cuisine also includes some dishes cooked with wild game from around the area. The rich cuisine is meant to reflect the wealth and prosperity of the city.
Some typical food items that you should try out while visiting Jaipur are:
Rajasthani food is very rich, with enormous fat contents and is much spicier than food in most other Indian regions.
Some notable local restaurants for Rajasthani cuisine include:
Jaipur is not known for any particular type of alcoholic beverage but it does have a few must-try drinks up its sleeve. The lassi (a popular, traditional, yogurt-based drink) at Lassiwala on MI Road is highly recommended.
If you are in Jaipur and you are not in the mood for a tame yoghurt lassi, why not try a bhang lassi instead? Bhang is a dark green substance made from the leaves of the female cannabis plant. Bhang is legally sold in government run shops in Jaipur and varies in intensity from low to high dosage. It is available in various forms - cookies, lassi, bhang balls, chocolate, etc. The bhang lassi at Johari Bazaar is a definitely worth checking out!
Jaipur is also home to some great watering holes.