Jaipur was meticulously planned and completed over a four-year stretch from 1727, at the behest of an eccentric but brilliant Maharaja, Jai Singh — but it wasn’t painted pink until 1876, for a visit from the Prince of Wales. Combining a Western-style grid layout with Mughal architecture and Hindu architectural principles, 25% of its total footprint was devoted to royal palaces and gardens. The rest was envisioned as a city of trade and commerce, with artisans invited from far and wide to set up shop, lending the city its reputation as a centre excellence for arts and crafts.

Jaipur’s flamboyant architecture deserves all the attention it gets, but what we love most is what goes on in between. There are the traditional workshops — puppet-making, carpet-weaving, leatherworking, marble-carving — still on the same streets they’ve occupied since Jai Singh’s time. There are the trendy, modern neighbourhoods beloved of India’s fashion and jewellery designers. There’s the colonial-era polo club, where you can go for drinks among Jaipur’s high society, and day trips out to Amber Fort or the ghostly ruins of Bangarh Fort — one of India’s most haunted locations. There are yoga retreats and outstanding shopping; morning cycle rides and evening market tours. There are even leopard safaris just outside the city.

As part of the Golden Triangle, Jaipur has its share of hassle, but it’s still much more manageable than Delhi — and it’s so easy to get away from the tourist hotspots. It can easily swallow up a week of your time, and you’ll certainly never run out of things to do. For us, it’s the perfect introduction to Rajasthan.