Rajasthan’s bustling capital was founded by Maharaja Jai Singh II in 1727. Known as the Pink City because of its glorious pink stucco buildings, Jaipur is an essential stop on the Rajasthani tourist trail thanks to its plethora of palaces and forts. It’s also a great place to pick up local goods such as carpets, jewellery, handicrafts and camel leather.

See

• City Palace – Still home to the royal family of Jaipur, the City Palace is an impressive complex of courtyards, gardens and buildings constructed in a range of architectural styles. The ground floor houses the Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Museum – an extensive collection of rare manuscripts, Mughal and Rajasthani miniatures, carpets, costumes, textiles, armour, weapons and royal paraphernalia.
• Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds) – This elegant pink-hued 5-storey palace was built in 1799 as a place for the women of the royal household to watch goings-on in the city while remaining hidden from view.
• Amber Palace – Situated in the hills north of Jaipur, the Amber Palace was the official Rajput capital prior to the construction of Jaipur. Visitors can marvel at the latticed galleries, the silver door on the temple to Kali and the mosaic ceiling in the Hall of Victory. The palace offers spectacular views over the surrounding plains.
• Jantar Mantar – This World Heritage–listed observatory was founded by Jai Singh in 1728 and boasts a fascinating collection of sundials, star trackers, eclipse predictors and other old astronomical instruments.

Experience

• Elephant Festival – Coinciding with the Hindu festival of Holi, Jaipur’s Elephant Festival is a delight for visitors. Brilliantly decorated elephants take centre stage at Chaugan Stadium for a royal procession, races and a polo match. Rajasthani folk music and dances are also part of the event.
• Raj Mandir Cinema – India’s most famous movie theatre is a colourful meringue-shaped building with a vast and opulent lobby area. If you are planning to catch a Bollywood film while in India, this is the ideal place to do it.

Secrets of the City

• Anokhi Museum of Hand Printing – Tucked away on a back street in the old city, this intriguing museum is dedicated to the traditional art of hand- printing textiles. Demonstrations are held every day and you can even block-print your own T-shirt.