India

Jaipur

Nearly everybody who comes to Jaipur wishes they could’ve stayed longer. The problem is, everyone knows it’s pink — but few realize just how much there is to do. It’s about so much more than the architecture (though that is gorgeous, we can confirm). It’s the kind of city you can live in for years and still come across places you never knew existed.

Back to all places in North India, Delhi & Rajasthan

Jaipur was meticulously planned and completed over a four-year stretch from 1727, at the behest of an eccentric but brilliant Maharajah, 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 center 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 neighborhoods beloved of India’s fashion and jewelry 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.

Other destinations in this region

India

Agra

The home of the Taj Mahal, Agra represents the pinnacle of the Mughal Empire’s architectural achievements.

India

Amritsar (Punjab)

One of India’s friendliest cities and the holiest site in Sikhism, with its hallowed Golden Temple and delightful maze of old havelis, bazaars & courtyards.

India

Chambal

Chambal is fascinating: tales of outlaws, river safaris, camel treks to ruined cities and villages full of haveli mansions — all totally under the tourist radar.

India

Chandigarh

Purpose-built in the wake of Independence, Punjab’s capital is a yin-yang experience: Brutalist architectural masterpiece meets exuberant, surrealist art garden.

India

Chanoud

Stay at one of India’s most beautiful heritage properties and let the Singh family introduce you to their home, countryside and local community.

India

Delhi

Where do we even begin? Mughal monuments and British-colonial buildings are only the start: India’s capital is a whole world contained inside a single city.

India

Deogarh

Experience the rhythms of rural Rajasthan in this unassuming town, where the descendants of Deogarh royalty welcome guests to their home.

India

Jaisalmer

Jaisalmer belongs in the pages of Arabian Nights, with its ridgetop fort, medieval market atmosphere, and desert surroundings.

India

Jawai

Jawai is known for the peaceful coexistence of humans and nature: wild leopards living alongside Rabari herders in a wild, rugged and beautiful landscape.