Jaipur

The magnificent honey-and-pink hilltop fort-palace above a lake, 11km from the city — a sprawl of ramparts, courtyards, and the dazzling mirror-work Sheesh Mahal, best reached on foot or by jeep up the ramp. Jaipur's crowning glory; go at opening to beat the heat and crowds, and stay for the light show at dusk.

The sprawling, still-royal palace complex at the heart of the Pink City — a sumptuous blend of Rajput and Mughal architecture with painted gateways, courtyards, an armoury and museums of royal costumes and textiles, part still home to the maharaja. Grand and beautiful; the famous peacock and lotus doorways are a highlight.

The 'Palace of Winds' — an extraordinary five-storey honeycomb facade of 953 tiny latticed windows, built so royal women could watch the street unseen, glowing pink at sunrise. Jaipur's most iconic image; photograph it from the café opposite in the morning light, then climb inside for the view back down.

The 'Tiger Fort' on the ridge above the city — ramparts and a pretty palace, but above all the finest sunset view over the whole sprawling pink city spread out below. Drive up in the late afternoon, grab a chai or a beer at the café, and watch the light fade over Jaipur; the city's best panorama.

An astonishing 18th-century open-air observatory, a UNESCO site — a surreal sculpture park of giant masonry astronomical instruments, including the world's largest stone sundial, accurate to two seconds. Fascinating and strangely beautiful; take a guide to make sense of the improbable devices, right by the City Palace.

The walled city is one giant, colour-drenched market — Johari Bazaar for gems and gold, Bapu Bazaar for textiles and juttis (slippers), Tripolia for lac bangles and brassware. Overwhelming, chaotic and brilliant; haggle hard, watch the artisans at work, and lose yourself in the swirl of colour, spice and sari fabric.

The romantic 'Water Palace', seeming to float in the middle of the Man Sagar lake on the road to Amber, its lower floors submerged and migratory birds wheeling around it. You can't go inside, but the view from the lakeside promenade — especially at sunset or in the morning mist — is one of Jaipur's loveliest.

The mighty military fort on the hill above Amber, linked to it by walls — sturdy ramparts, water systems, and Jaivana, once the world's largest wheeled cannon. Less ornate but more atmospheric and far less crowded than Amber, with commanding views; combine the two forts in one hilltop morning.

Rajasthan's oldest museum, in a magnificent Indo-Saracenic palace in a park south of the old city — an eclectic hoard of miniatures, textiles, arms, sculpture and an Egyptian mummy. Beautiful floodlit at night (when pigeons wheel around it); go for the fairy-tale building as much as the collection.

The food of the desert kingdom — a great steel platter of dal baati churma (baked wheat balls with lentils and sweet crumble), gatte ki sabzi, spiced vegetables, chapatis and sweets, endlessly refilled. Rich, ghee-laden and vegetarian; eat a proper thali at an old-city institution and roll home happy.

A beautiful, symmetrical 16th-century stepwell near Amber — a giant inverted pyramid of crisscrossing zigzag staircases descending to the water, once the village's water source and gathering place. Photogenic and free, and far quieter than the forts; a lovely, atmospheric quick stop up near Amber Fort.

A relatively new but spectacularly painted gateway at Jawahar Circle park in the south — every inch of its arches covered in vivid Rajasthani murals and patterns, a riot of colour and one of the city's most Instagrammed spots. Free and quick; go early to photograph the kaleidoscopic arches before the crowds.

Jaipur is one of India's great shopping cities — hand-block-printed textiles, blue pottery, precious and semi-precious gems (it's a global gem-cutting hub), lac bangles and juttis. Visit a block-printing workshop or a reputable gem showroom to see the craft, and buy at the source; bargain, and beware the gem-export scams.

A serene, gleaming white-marble Hindu temple at the foot of Moti Dungri hill, built by the industrialist Birla family — intricately carved, adorned with images from many faiths, and beautifully floodlit at night. A calm, welcoming spiritual stop (open to all, respectfully dressed) away from the old-city intensity.

Jaipur does royal romance like nowhere else — take afternoon tea or a sundowner in the gardens of a converted maharaja's palace like the Rambagh, all peacocks, marble and liveried staff, without needing to stay the night. A gorgeous, only-here indulgence; dress up, and live the royal fantasy for an hour.