The walled old city itself — the rose-painted bazaars, the City Palace, Hawa Mahal and the observatory, in a grid of teeming, atmospheric streets. The most historic and central base, in the thick of the sights and the shopping; also the most chaotic, dusty and noisy, so a heritage hotel with a courtyard is a blessing.
A look around
What you’ll be living next to. Swipe through.
€55–130
typical per night in India
The sensible middle
Typical prices for Jaipur — neither steal nor splurge.
Where it sits
The circle is Pink City and roughly a 10-minute walk around it.
How far is everything?
From the middle of this area to the city's headline sights — pick your own on the city page and these become your list.
- Albert Hall Museum18 min walk1.5 km
- Nahargarh Fort21 min walk1.8 km
- Block prints, gems & crafts7 min taxi2.4 km
- Jal Mahal12 min taxi3.9 km
- Jaigarh Fort21 min taxi7.0 km
- Amber (Amer) Fort22 min taxi7.3 km
- Panna Meena ka Kund23 min taxi7.8 km
- Patrika Gate25 min taxi8.4 km
On your doorstep
What you’re living next to if you stay here.
- 2.The City Palace — 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.
- 3.Hawa Mahal — 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.
- 5.Jantar Mantar — 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.
- 6.The Pink City bazaars — 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.
- 10.A Rajasthani thali — 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.
When are you staying?
Booking.com & Airbnb open searched to Pink City; flights via Google Flights.