Boutique hotels
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Amanbagh
- Style
- Modern Mughal palace
- Setting
- Rural Rajasthan
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Tree of Life Resort & Spa
- Style
- Blushing-pink villas
- Setting
- Rugged Aravali Range
Jaipur Overview
Rajasthan
- Countryscape
- Pretty in pink
- Country life
- Forts, palaces and bazaars
Jaipur is the stuff of fairy tales: hilltop forts and majestic palaces, polo-playing princes and brightly painted elephants, moustachioed men in glorious turbans and the Technicolor swirl of saris.
The capital of the romantic state of Rajasthan, this rose-hued city was founded by the Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II in the 18th century. Today, Jaipur is a busy urban hub as well as a centre for arts and an important market for Asia's gem trade (cue hot shopping!). Much remains of the Maharaja's legacy, in particular Jantar Mantar, the huge, whimsical outdoor observatory he had built. Within the old walled town, little seems to have changed: bazaars heave and traders ply their wares in much the same way as they did in centuries past.
Justifiably Jaipur
Every January tens of thousands of book lovers descend upon the city to take part in Asia's largest literary party. Held in the grounds of a 150-year-old palace, the Jaipur Literature Festival (www.jaipurliteraturefestival.org) was established by British travel author and historian William Dalrymple and Indian novelist Namita Gokhale. Authors from all over the world arrive to read, discuss, debate and dance in the courtyards till dawn.
Local Knowledge
- Taxis
- Taxis are inexpensive and plentiful, auto rickshaws even more so. If you want to travel in relative comfort, hail a cab from a hotel, otherwise flag down one of the three-wheelers that roam Jaipur's roads.
- Tipping culture
- Many hotels and restaurants add a 10 per cent service charge to the bill and an additional tip is optional. Elsewhere a tip is appreciated, and sometimes expected, so it’s a good idea to carry small notes with you amounts up to INR50 are fine.
- Siesta and fiesta
- Jaipurwallahs lunch between noon and 3pm, then settle down to dinner around 9pm. Bars stay open until around midnight. Jaipur's shops open around 10am, Monday–Saturday. Museums and attractions tend to open their doors from 9am–4.30pm.
- Packing tips
- For Mr Smith, jodhpurs and riding boots for chukkers with Jaipur's polo-playing crowd; for Mrs Smith, anything bright, colourful and floaty, along with designs for gem shopping and bespoke jewellery commissions.
- Recommended reads
- Royina Grewal introduces the colourful, curious and eccentric characters that live in this magical state in her novel In Rajasthan. Set in Delhi and Jaipur, Tarquin Hall's The Case of the Missing Servant is a comical caper starring Vish Puri, India's Most Private Investigator.
- Cuisine
- Jaipur's savoury speciality is daal-bati-choorma, lentil-filled dumplings roasted among hot coals and served with a sweet pudding made from ground wheat and ghee (clarified butter). If that doesn't sound filling enough, try one of the many desserts that Jaipur is famous for. Mishri mawa (a cardamom-scented milk and nut cake) and ghevar (a sticky fried pancake) are two calorific favourites.
- Currency
- Indian Rupees (INR).
- Time zone
- GMT +5.30.
- Dialling codes
- Country code for India: +91; local code for Jaipur: (0)141.
- Do go/don't go
- Jaipur puts its best foot forward between October and March, with sunny days and cool evenings. This period is also when the Rajasthan capital celebrates some of its most colourful and cerebral festivals. From April onwards, the mercury rises steadily, with May and June sweltering through temperatures upwards of 40°C. July and August bring the humid monsoon rains.
Don't go home without...
trawling Jaipur's markets and bazaars for covetable jewellery, gems, miniature paintings, stone carvings, metal trunks, puppets and kites. You'll even find camel nose pins if you look hard enough! Just be sure to allow enough time – and luggage space – to immerse yourself in this quintessential Jaipur experience.
