6 things you have to do while in Jaipur!

You have only a few days in Jaipur? No worries... while being a big city with a lot to offer, you can get a good taste of the Rajasthani capital just in a couple of days!

Here's what you shouldn't miss during your stay, but first a little tip:

As Jaipur is home to a lot of interesting attractions, the best way to see it all is to purchase a combo ticket valid for 2 days that allow you to visit the city's most famous places such as Amber Fort, Albert Hall, Hawa Mahal, Jantar Mantar, Nahargarh Fort, Vidyadhar Garden, Sisodia Rani Garden and Isarlat. You can get these tickets at all these locations, 1000 INR for foreigners and 200 INR for students.

#1 Let us take you on a ride to see the city waking up, Cyclin'Jaipur’s style!

India can be overwhelming sometimes. Between the traffic, the noise and the communication gap, a first timer can be tempted to go only for the most touristic places and then go back to his hotel…Trust us, you'll be missing out a lot! By taking a ride with our guides in the early morning, you'll be able to have a real taste of what Jaipur is all about. From the thrill of riding a bike in the narrow streets to authentic street food tasting, it's a real experience! You'll get to discover places you would never see otherwise, moreover by cycling your way around you'll be able to cover long distances and be in direct contact with Jaipurites.

All in all, it's fun yet you'll get to learn a lot, it’s adventurous yet safe and truly the best way to discover this fascinating city.

Come join us everyday at 6:45am at the Karnot Mahal Hotel, one of the most typical Haveli within the pink city and let us show you the city through our eyes!

#2 Fancy some culture? Albert Hall Museum it is!

Before even stepping in, you'll know you're in for a treat! Indeed this majestic 19th century Indo-Gothic monument offers one of the most romantic scenery in the city. Just watching the hundreds pigeons flying all around in groups is breathtaking, no wonder why a lot of newly married couples go there to take pictures!

The state oldest museum offers a rich collection of Rajasthani art such as traditional pottery, precious jewellery, ancient armours and weapons from all over the world, paintings, magnificent carpets, sculptures… you name it! There's even an Egyptian mummy…You should definitely take a look at the rich collection the museum has to offer, plus if you want to spend a few hours far from the city's chaos it's the right place to be.

Albert Hall Museum is open every day from 9am to 7pm, for a nighty experience you can also visit it from 7pm to 10pm.

#3 Looking for a proper immersion into Indian lifestyle? Go for a movie at the Raj Mandir.

Built in 1976 in Art-Deco style, this place is one of the symbol of Jaipur. This theater is a real institution in the city: as soon as you will get in you'll understand. From the meringue decoration that makes you feel you're in a cake, to the special vibes you get, you can't help it but like it. While in most countries silence is the norm, it's a celebration here in India: people are singing, clapping, shouting, so make sure to watch a Bollywood movie there.

Tickets prices are going from 120 INR to 400 INR, depending where you sit, and there's 3 representations a day, one at 3:30 pm, one at 6:30 pm and the last one at 9:30pm.

In order to avoid the crowd, you can buy your tickets online or at a special counter inside dedicated to women and foreigners.

#4 Want to know more about the Maharajas’ past? Let's go to Amber !

Amber used to be the kingdom's main city since the 11th century, before Jaipur would become the new capital in 1727. Rich of a long history the city is hosts some of the most beautiful and ancient sites of Rajasthan. The well-known Amber Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage site is obviously a must see. This complex shelters some beautiful features such as the Sheesh Mahal, the Mirror Palace or the Kesar Kyari Bagh, an artificial island covered with a beautiful garden, just down the fort. Take a few hours to visit the domain and discover the many treasures, courtyards and gardens the Amber fort has to offer!

You can visit the fort everyday from 8am to 5:30pm, and there's even a sound and light show starting at 6:30pm in english and 7:30pm in hindi.

But there's more to see in Amber than the fort, indeed the village is home to many old structures such as the Jagat Shiromani Temple or Badrinath temple, but our personal favorite is the Panna Meena Ka Kund, a beautiful stepwell that has been featured in the movie ''The Best Exotic Marigol Hotel'', a magical place!

To see it all go for our Amber Heritage walk!

#5 The jewel of the Pink City: the City Palace.

Located in the City palace complex _consisting of gardens, courtyards, temples and monuments_ the City Palace’s construction started in 1729 under Sawai Jai Singh II, the first king of Jaipur and additions were made by others rulers afterwards. The City Palace is composed of several famous buildings such as the Mubarak Mahal which was used as a reception hall by Maharaja Madho Singh II and which is today a museum featuring traditional costumes and textiles. Nearby this palace you can admire the actual residence of the royal family and visit some parts that are luckily opened to the public. The Pritam Niwas Chowk houses beautiful famous painted doors such as the Peacock or the Monsoon gate. Another notable site in this royal complex is the Diwan-I-Khas, a former private audience hall well-known for keeping the biggest silver urns in the world. They were made by king Madho Singh II to carry holy water from the Ganges during his trip to England for Edward VII's coronation.

Most of the City Palace attractions are open everyday from 9:30am to 5pm

#6 What about Jaipur's most famous monument?

One cannot leave the Pink city without visiting the Hawa Mahal or Wind Palace. It takes its name from its 953 windows that allow the air to come in and keep the cool air in the place. Built in 1799 under Sawai Pratap Singh, the 5th ruler of Jaipur, it was made to serve one purpose: allow women from the Royal Harem, who couldn’t go out in public, to observ the daily life of the inhabitants and the religious processions. It is said that the Maharajah, as a devotee of lord Krishna used to go there to write songs in honor of the deity of Jaipur. From outside it looks like a huge palace but it's really a narrow building so keep that in mind before visiting!

The place is open everyday from 9am to 5pm.

Other interesting places are the Jantar Mantar, one of the biggest astrological observatory in the world, the Galta Gi, also known as the Monkey Temple, the Nahargarh Fort, which offer the best view of city, especially when the sun goes down, or the Birla Mandir, a beautiful temple in pure white marble.