Your comprehensive guide to the best on offer in the Pink City.
If you haven’t already witnessed the profound glory the Pink City yet, now is the perfect time to plan a getaway from the capital, as the popular Jaipur Literature Festival is also back with a spectacular lineup of the who’s who from the world of literature, music, and the arts for its 16th edition. Scheduled from January 19 to 23 this year, the festival is hosting over 200 sessions in 46 different languages with over 370 speakers and performers.
But once the festival is over, stick a little longer to explore this UNESCO-listed royal city infused with a charming continental flair. The erstwhile throne to Rajasthan’s maharajas for two centuries, Jaipur is a heady brew of old and new. While its opulent palaces, forts, bazaars lined with ancient havelis, and heritage sites take you back in the royal times, the new fine-dining restaurants, swanky bars, luxury bespoke hotels, and chic boutiques are in keeping with the city’s royal pedigree. We bring to you a detailed guide on where to go, eat, sleep, and shop in Jaipur.
The best things to do in Jaipur
Where to go
The royal city of Jaipur allures with its pink façades, magnificent heritage gems, and palatial splendours. Keep a day or two to cover its historic citadels, palaces, and temples — the salmon-pink City Palace at its heart, Hawa Mahal with its latticelike sandstone exteriors, the opulent Amer Palace overlooking the Maota Lake, the colonnaded Nahargarh Fort trailing the edge of the Aravallis, Jal Mahal seemingly afloat on Man Sagar Lake, and the white-marble Birla Temple. The lesser-known Galta Ji Temple is an ancient Hindu shrine filled with numerous natural springs or ‘kunds’.
Beyond the regular historical and cultural sites, Jaipur also has quite a list of must-dos. Sip on some champagne as you watch a royal game at the Rajasthan Polo Club or catch a classic Bollywood film at the Raj Mandir Cinema, known for its opulent ceiling design and indirect lighting that changes colours. Stroll through Jawahar Kala Kendra, a dynamic arts complex, to see latest works from local and guest artists. The labyrinthine stepwell of Panna Meena ka Kund make for fantastic photo-ops. Visit Alber Hall Museum for its grand Indo-Saracenic architecture and the elaborate display of ancient jewellery, carpets, sculptures, and crystals.
Anokhi Museum, located in a traditional townhouse, preserves the rich textile heritage of the land through woodblock- and hand-printing artefacts. The Gyan Museum in one of the deserted lanes of Sitapura Industrial Estate, keeps a low profile but has an impressive collection of over 2,500 works of art, including textiles, décor, vintage jewels, and paintings. Housed in a two-centuries-old mansion, Museum of Legacies showcases an assortment of Indian embroidery, giant Rajasthani puppets, Pichwai paintings, and much more.
Where to stay
The Pink City is home to some of the swankiest hotels that bring together Rajasthani heritage and urban charm in a happy union. You can book yourself a suite in one of those regal palace hotels (Rambagh Palace, Oberoi Rajvilas, Narain Niwas Palace Hotel, and Samode Haveli are obvious choices), or if you wish, skip fancy and pick one of the charming boutique hotels.
Snag the spacious Moonstone Suite at 28 Kothi, a sunshine boutique guesthouse located in the residential district of Civil Lines, and spend your days gorging on farm-to-table meals and catching up on some R&R at the cosy in-house spa. The Johri is a 19th-century home with five suites that were beautifully restored to capture the elegance of a bygone era, while Royal Heritage Haveli is a tranquil haven of luxury with bespoke hospitality at its core. Savista Retreat is another countryside boutique gem sitting amidst undulating croplands and farmsteads.
Where to eat
The labyrinthine, cobbled streets of Jaipur have a smorgasbord of flavours on offer. To enjoy a Rajasthani thali featuring traditional classics like dal batti churma, lal maas, gatte ki sabji, and ker sangri, with a side of folk dances, camel rides, and Rajasthani ambience, look no further than Choki Dhani. With roots going back to 1950s, Laxmi Misthan Bhandar (or LMB) sits bang in the middle of all the action near Hawa Mahal, dishing out Rajasthani thalis and iconic sweet treats such as ghewar, mishri mawa, doda barfi, and mawa kachori.
If you wish to experience the city’s culinary brilliance in a fine-dining setting, Suvarna Mahal at the palatial Rambagh Palace Hotel is a great choice. Expect to be treated to breathtaking Victorian interiors, opulent mirror work, live classical music, and spotless silver serveware. The award-winning 1135 AD located at Amer Fort boasts an elaborate menu along with scenic outdoor seating and gold-enameled walls. Cinnamon at Taj Jal Mahal Palace is another excellent pick if you have gourmet, experimental cuisine on mind in a regal setting.
Jaipur’s burgeoning food scene, however, goes well beyond traditional thalis and kachoris. Several lounges, bars, and bistros have sprung up in the past decade. Located in the restored gardens of the Narain Niwas Palace Hotel, Bar Palladio is famous for its all-blue décor, classic Italian cuisine, an extensive cocktail menu, and tented canopies among wandering peacocks and mature mango trees.
Opposite it is Café Palladio, the perfect place for a healthy lunch and rejuvenating iced teas. Tea-lovers must make sure to experience Tapri Central’s vintage charm and array of fragrant teas. The swanky rooftop bar of Rosado is definitely the newest go-to party place, while Cibo, a boulangerie-cum-gourmet café inside the Royal Heritage Haveli, is another new offering to look out for.
Where to shop
For much-needed retail therapy, scout through the local bazaars of Jaipur. Get your hands on everything from traditional bandhani and lahariya sarees to Bagru-printed kurtis, sanganeri bedsheets, and Jaipuri quilts at Baapu Bazaar. Score exquisite Jaipuri jewellery made of gold, silver, diamonds, and emeralds at Johari Bazaar. Watch lac bangle-makers at work at Tripolia Bazaar, and take back home Jaipuri mojaris from Nehru Bazaar. Chandpole Bazaar is great for souvenir shopping for handicrafts and lac artefacts.
Jaipur Blue Pottery Art Centre is where you will find the city’s famous blue ceramic artefacts, decorative items, and miniature paintings. Jaipur is also home to chic high-end designer boutiques now. Try Soma for its block-printed designs and ethnic homeware, RASA also known for its contemporary designs on bed linens and cushions, Suvasa and Anokhi for their clothing, furnishings, and quilts, and 91 Degree for lamps, wall décor items, and glass furnishings.
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