Jaipur
What to See
Jaipur is a tourist's delight. It is an extremely colourful city, and in the evening light, the pink and the orange buildings exude a magical glow, which is complemented by the vibrantly attired Rajasthanis. Camel drawn carts are characteristic of Jaipur's passing street scene.
The most magnificent palaces of the city are the Hawa Mahal and City Palace.
Adjacent to the City Palace is the Jantar Mantar, an observatory begun by Jai Singh in 1728. Jai Singh's passion for astronomy was even more notable, than his prowess as a warrior. The Jaipur observatory is the largest, and the best preserved of the five observatories he built. The others are in Delhi, Varanasi and Ujjain. The observatory at Mathura has now disappeared.
Located in the Ram Niwas gardens, in the south of the old city, is Central Museum, which houses portraits of the Jaipur Maharajas, a collection of costumes, and woodwork from various parts of the state, and other miniatures and artworks. There is also a zoo, and an art gallery, located in the Gardens.
Around Jaipur
There are a lot of attractions near Jaipur, and on the Jaipur - Amber road. About 11 km out of Jaipur, Amber was once the ancient capital of Rajasthan. The Amber Fort is a stunning piece of Rajput architecture.
The Cenotaphs of the royal family are at Gaitore, 6.5 km from Jaipur, on the road to Amber. Opposite the Cenotaphs, is the Jal Mahal Palace, in the middle of a lake, and reached by a causeway. Nahargarh Fort is 6.5 km away, and is floodlit at night. Jaigarh Fort, built in 1726, is within walking distance of Amber.
About 50 km north of Jaipur, is the small village of Samode. The beautiful Samode palace, located in the village, is worth a visit. Other places of interest to the tourist are, the Temple of Sun God at Galta, Sisodia Rani Palace and gardens, Vidyadhar's garden, Balaji and Sanganer.
How to Get There
Air: Jaipur is connected to Delhi, Mumbai, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Aurangabad, Calcutta and Varanasi by domestic flights.
Bus: Jaipur can be accessed from all the major places in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Delhi and Mumbai by bus.
Train: The train service to Jaipur is available from all the major parts of the country. The train services to Jaipur are slower, because of the meter gauge line.
Where to Stay
Rambagh Palace, formerly the palace of the Maharaja of Jaipur, is one of India's most prestigious and romantic hotels. Jai Mahal Palace also used to belong to the Maharaja of Jaipur. Rajmahal Palace, Hotel Clarks Amer, Mansingh Hotel and Hotel Jaipur Ashok are other good options in the city.
* The information regarding this page is from The India Travel and Tour India sites.