Built in the 18^th century by Maharaja Jai Singh II and named after him, Jaipur is the largest city in Rajasthan and is also the gateway to other cities in the state for tourism. Jaipur has a regal charm that would take you back to when the city and state flourished under the Rajput reign. Much of the city’s architectural credit goes to Vidyadhar Bhattacharya, the chief architect and city planner who designed the layout of the Jaipur city in the early 1700s.

Following a long history of attacks and conquering, in 1922, when Maharaja Man Singh ascended the throne, numerous civic amenities were built and the city flourished under his rule. Post-independence, the princely state of Jaipur merged with Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and Bikaner to form the current day Rajasthan and Jaipur remains its capital city. A historcal marvel, tourism in Jaipur boasts of some great monuments and forts. Here is a snippet travel guide to Jaipur for your next holiday plan.

Being a vital tourist destination in North India with tourists flocking by the thousands all year round, Jaipur is well connected by roads, rail and air.

By Air: Jaipur International Airport has a number of daily flights connecting it to other metropolitan cities of India. With New Delhi being connected practically to the entire world by air, a connecting flight from the national capital to Jaipur will be the most convenient mode.

By Rail: Jaipur is well connected to major metropolitan cities in India including but not limited to Mumbai, Chennai, Lucknow, New Delhi, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Indore, etc.  To experience the life of the royals during your trip to Jaipur, we suggest booking a luxury cabin in the famed Palace on Wheels which will take you on a tour of Rajasthan including Jaipur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and more.

By Road: Rajasthan has a well-managed road network due to its popularity among tourists. The RSRTC runs regular Volvo and Deluxe buses within the state and many private operators also run buses to Jaipur from neighbouring states. A drive from Delhi to Jaipur would take 5 hours via NH8 and about 4.5 hrs from Agra via the Agra Bikaner road.

Jaipur lies very close to the Thar Desert and has a dry semi-arid climate. While the summer months are very hot here with heat waves during the day, autumns are pleasant with winters being cold at night. However, as tourists, we suggest the best time to visit Jaipur is from October, when the weather changes to give way to winters, through to March as winter gives way to summer.

A city of forts and palaces, you can never see too many of them in Jaipur. Club these with the array of handicrafts the city has to offer and you’d be in for a cultural surprise. Here’s a handpicked list of things to do in Jaipur.

Amer fort: The erstwhile capital of the princely state of Jaipur and the abode of Jaipur’s royal family, the Amer Fort was built by Raja Man Singh. The UNESCO World Heritage site however gained its current stature under the rule of Maharaja Jai Singh and his decendant Sawai Jai Singh II. The coronation ceremony and other important royal ceremonies of the current Maharaja and his family still take place in the Amer fort.

Jal Mahal: Situated in the middle of the man-made Man Sagar Lake, the five storied red sandstone palace is made in the Mughal and Rajput styles of architecture. During monsoons when the lake is full, four of its floors remain under water while only the top floor is visible.

Hawa Mahal: Hawa Mahal or the palace of winds was built so that the ladies of the royal family could observe the street festivals while remaining unseen by the commoners. The red sandstone palace is situated at the entrance of the city palace and connects directly to the Zenana section of the city palace. Interestingly, what we believe to be the front façade of the palace visible from the street is infact its posterior.

Blue Pottery: Not many people would know that apart from its forts and palaces, the Pink city is famous for its Blue Pottery. Although it is of indo-turkish origin, the craft gets its name due to its bright distinctive blue coloured dye. The dough used to make the artefacts does not use clay. The dough is glazed and low fired thus making it extremely delicate. They are semi-transparent at times usually with motifs of plants and birds.