Jaipur

There are quieter and grander cities in Rajasthan, but Jaipur still captivates with its profusion of Rajput architecture and its general hustle and bustle. The old town — still popularly known as the Pink City, for the pink glow that radiates from its walls — is a maze of winding bazaars, punctuated by the palaces of the Maharajas of Jaipur. In these grand surroundings, the Maharajas lived a life of opulent luxury, served by a staff of thousands. Maharaja Sawaj Pratap Singh built a whole palace of red sandstone just so the ladies of the royal household could watch the activity in the city bazaar. The chaotic streets of modern Jaipur sprawl ...

There are quieter and grander cities in Rajasthan, but Jaipur still captivates with its profusion of Rajput architecture and its general hustle and bustle. The old town — still popularly known as the Pink City, for the pink glow that radiates from its walls — is a maze of winding bazaars, punctuated by the palaces of the Maharajas of Jaipur. In these grand surroundings, the Maharajas lived a life of opulent luxury, served by a staff of thousands. Maharaja Sawaj Pratap Singh built a whole palace of red sandstone just so the ladies of the royal household could watch the activity in the city bazaar. The chaotic streets of modern Jaipur sprawl around the old city and most of the interesting places to stay, eat and drink are outside the city walls. Jaipur has a deserved reputation for being crowded and for the ingenuity of its touts and hawkers; you can escape the city crush at the Nahargarh fortress, which tops the ridge to the north of town. Jaipur was actually second choice for the location of the royal capital — the remains of the original capital stand seven miles north of Jaipur at Amber.

About the Expert

Joe Bindloss has written more than 30 guidebooks for Lonely Planet, Time Out and other publishers, with a focus on Southeast Asia, the Indian Subcontinent and island nations.