🏛️ Culture in Jaipur

Rajasthan's oldest museum, opened in 1887 in a grand Indo-Saracenic building designed by Samuel Swinton Jacob, in the middle of Ram Niwas Garden. The collection spans miniature paintings, carpets, arms, pottery and even an Egyptian mummy. The building is lit up beautifully at night, when the square in front fills with families and pigeons.

📍Ram Niwas Garden, Jaipur, Rajasthan 302004, India

A vast hilltop fort-palace in Amer, about 11km north of Jaipur and part of the Hill Forts of Rajasthan UNESCO World Heritage Site. Walk up the ramparts from Maota Lake or take a jeep, then explore the courtyards, the Sheesh Mahal mirror palace and the views of old walls snaking across the hills. Go early to beat the heat and the crowds.

📍Devisinghpura, Amer, Jaipur, Rajasthan 302001, India

The palace complex at the heart of the Pink City, part of which is still home to the former royal family. Courtyards lead to museum galleries of textiles, weapons and paintings, and the Pritam Niwas Chowk has four beautifully painted gates representing the seasons, including the famous Peacock Gate. Combine it with Jantar Mantar next door.

📍Tulsi Marg, Gangori Bazaar, Pink City, Jaipur, Rajasthan 302002, India

An old Hindu pilgrimage site in a narrow gorge on the eastern edge of Jaipur, with temples and pavilions stacked around natural spring-fed tanks where pilgrims bathe. Many monkeys live here, hence the 'Monkey Temple' nickname — keep food out of sight. Walk up to the Surya Mandir on the ridge above for sunset views over the city.

📍Galta Ji, Jaipur, Rajasthan 302013, India

The 'Palace of Winds', built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh: a five-storey pink sandstone façade with 953 small latticed windows designed so royal women could watch street life unseen. The best views of the front are from the street or a rooftop café opposite; the entrance is round the back, and you can climb to the top for old-city views.

📍Hawa Mahal Road, Badi Chaupar, Pink City, Jaipur, Rajasthan 302002, India

A palace in the middle of Man Sagar Lake beside the road to Amer, its lower floors submerged so it seems to float on the water. The interior is closed to visitors, so this is a view-and-photo stop from the lakeside promenade, which is free and open at all hours. Early-morning light is best, and it's an easy pause on the way to Amber Fort.

📍Amer Road, Man Sagar Lake, Jaipur, Rajasthan 302002, India

An 18th-century astronomical observatory built by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with around 20 giant masonry instruments for measuring time and tracking the stars. The Vrihat Samrat Yantra is the world's largest stone sundial, accurate to about two seconds. A local guide or audio guide helps make sense of it all.

📍Gangori Bazaar, Pink City, Jaipur, Rajasthan 302002, India

A fort on the ridge of the Aravalli hills above the Pink City, built in 1734, with sweeping views across Jaipur — especially at sunset. Inside, Madhavendra Bhawan has a suite of apartments built for the king's queens. Stay on for the view over dinner or a drink at Padao, the open-air café on the ramparts run by Rajasthan's tourism corporation.

📍Krishna Nagar, Brahampuri, Jaipur, Rajasthan 302002, India

A town on Jaipur's southern edge famous for hand-block printing and handmade paper. Artisans carve wooden blocks and print cotton by hand in small workshops, and many offer short sessions where you can print your own scarf or napkin. The Anokhi Museum of Hand Printing in Amer is a good place to learn the history before you go.

📍Sanganer, Jaipur, Rajasthan 302029, India