Jaipur Travel Guide: the Walled City, Amber Fort, City Palace and Flights
Jaipur is the capital of Rajasthan, and Rajasthan Tourism, the state tourism body, calls it the first planned city of India. Sawai Jai Singh II founded it in 1727, and in 2019 the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) inscribed the walled city as a World Heritage Site, under the name Jaipur City, Rajasthan.
Rajasthan Tourism's list of the city's sights includes Amber, the City Palace, Jantar Mantar and Hawa Mahal, and it places Jaipur on the golden triangle with Delhi and Agra. Flights land at Jaipur International Airport (JAI); the India travel guide covers the rest of the country, and the Delhi travel guide covers Delhi.
What to see in Jaipur
The walled city, a World Heritage site
UNESCO's listing covers the historic walled city of Jaipur, within its walls and gates, which was built on the plain to a grid plan. It calls the city an exceptional example of indigenous city planning and construction in South Asia, and says the main avenues were designed as markets that are still the city's characteristic bazaars.
In UNESCO's description the chaupars, large public squares at road intersections, are distinct to Jaipur, and the iconic monuments it names are the Govind Dev temple, the City Palace, Jantar Mantar and Hawa Mahal. Rajasthan Tourism says Jai Singh II moved his capital from Amber because of a rapidly growing population and increasing water scarcity, and that Vidyadhar Bhattacharya planned the new city on the principles of Vastu Shastra.
The Pink City name comes with a story, and Rajasthan Tourism tells it as one: when the Prince of Wales visited India in 1876, Maharaja Ram Singh of Jaipur had the entire city painted pink, because pink was symbolic of hospitality. The Ministry of Tourism's Incredible India site repeats the story.
City Palace and the City Palace Museum
The City Palace was built in the mid-18th century, with additions continuing until the mid-20th century, according to the City Palace Museum's own website. The Ministry of Tourism names Mubarak Mahal, Chandra Mahal and the Peacock Gate within it.
The City Palace Museum was established in 1959, and its galleries include the Sileh Khana, Sabha Niwas, Painting and Photography, Mubarak Mahal, Rath Khana and the Jaipur Centre for Art. The museum's site lists the palace entrances as Gate 1, near the Jantar Mantar ticket counter, and Gate 2, at Jaleb Chowk.
As of October 2026, the City Palace Museum's website gives its hours as 9.30 am to 6.30 pm, seven days a week, and says it closes only on Dhulandi, the second day of Holi. If you will be in Jaipur on Dhulandi, plan the museum for another day.
Hawa Mahal
Hawa Mahal was built in 1799 by the poet king Sawai Pratap Singh, and its facade has small latticed windows, called jharokhas. The state tourism body says visitors can take in the whole front from across the road, and that it is also possible to climb right up to the top.
The same body says the Archaeological Department of the Government of Rajasthan maintains Hawa Mahal, which also houses an archaeological museum in its courtyard.
Jantar Mantar
Jantar Mantar is an astronomical observation site built in the early 18th century, and UNESCO inscribed it as a World Heritage Site in 2010. UNESCO says it is protected under the Rajasthan Monuments Archaeological Site and Antiquities Act, 1961, and that it was designated a monument of national importance in 1968. Rajasthan Tourism says the site houses an Interpretation Centre.
Amber Fort
Amber Fort, also known as Amer Fort in the Ministry of Tourism's words, is about 11 km from Jaipur, according to Rajasthan Tourism. The state body describes it as a mix of Hindu and Mughal styles, made of red sandstone and white marble.
Amber Fort is one of the forts in Hill Forts of Rajasthan, which UNESCO inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 2013. UNESCO says Amber is a State Protected Monument of Rajasthan under the Rajasthan Monuments, Archaeological Sites and Antiquities Act of 1968, and names the Amber Development and Management Authority as an overarching authority for managing it.
Nahargarh and Jaigarh forts
Nahargarh Fort was built during the reign of Jai Singh in 1734 and expanded in 1868. Jaigarh Fort is about 15 km from Jaipur.
Museums, gardens and other sights
The Albert Hall Museum, also called the Central Museum, is in the centre of Ram Niwas Garden, and the Prince of Wales laid its foundation stone in 1876. Jal Mahal appears to float in the centre of Man Sagar Lake, but the Ministry of Tourism's Jaipur page says it is no longer open to tourists, so it is a building to see from outside.
The state tourism body's list also takes in Gaitore, the memorials of kings just off the Jaipur-Amber road, the Sisodia Rani Palace and Garden, Vidyadhar Garden, Central Park, Statue Circle and the Anokhi Museum of Hand Printing. The same list names the Govind Devji Temple, the Moti Doongri Ganesh Temple, the Birla Temple, the Digamber Jain Mandir and Galtaji.
Bazaars, shopping and food
Rajasthan Tourism names Johari Bazaar, MI Road, Nehru Bazaar and Bapu Bazaar for shopping, along with Rajasthali, the Rajasthan Government showroom on MI Road, and stalls at Badi Chaupar and Chhoti Chaupar. It says Jaipur is known around the world for its coloured gems, and that the markets are generally closed on Sundays.
The Ministry of Tourism adds Tripolia Bazaar and Chandpole Bazaar, and names dal bati churma, kachoris, ghevar, mirchi bada, ker sangri, bajra ki roti and laal maas among Rajasthani dishes.
When to visit Jaipur
Rajasthan Tourism says winter is generally considered the best season to visit Rajasthan, and that it usually runs from around October to January. It warns that summer temperatures in the state may severely affect sightseeing, and says some of Rajasthan's most popular festivals, including the Jaipur Literature Festival, fall in winter. These are its statements about Rajasthan as a whole.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) divides Jaipur's year into four seasons in its Jaipur centre's booklet Climate of Jaipur, dated 2011: winter from mid-December to mid-February, summer from March to May, the monsoon from the end of June to mid-September, and October and November as the post-monsoon period. The booklet calls Jaipur's summers very hot and its winters extremely cold, with May maximum temperatures between 40 and 47 degrees Celsius. It also notes morning mist and fog in winter.
Festivals in Jaipur
As of October 2026, Rajasthan Tourism's fairs and festivals page lists the events below; check it for the dates in the year you travel. The Kite Festival peaks in Jaipur on or around 14 January, when the Department of Tourism organises a festival, and the Jaipur Literature Festival takes place in January.
Gangaur is celebrated in the month of Chaitra (March to April), with a procession from the Zanani-Deodhi of the City Palace, and the page lists a Rajasthan Festival, which it places in March, celebrated in Jaipur and across the state. During Teej, a monsoon festival, a procession of Goddess Teej starts from the City Palace and passes through Tripolia Bazaar and Chhoti Chaupar.
On Dhulandi, the second day of Holi, the Department of Tourism organises an event in Jaipur meant especially for foreign tourists. The City Palace Museum is closed that day.
Getting to Jaipur
Flying to Jaipur
Jaipur's airport is Jaipur International Airport, at Sanganer, run by Jaipur International Airport Limited, a company managed by Adani Airport Holdings Limited. The Transport Department's list of Jaipur Metro stations, given under Getting around Jaipur, does not include the airport, and the airport page covers its terminals, taxis, buses and parking.
Main direct routes recorded from Jaipur go to Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Chennai, and also to Pune, Ahmedabad, Guwahati and Lucknow. The airport page has more.
Airlines recorded on direct routes from Jaipur include IndiGo, Air India, Air India Express and Akasa Air.
By train and bus
The Ministry of Tourism names Jaipur Junction Railway Station (JP) as the nearest railway station, and says Jaipur has direct trains to major cities, including Delhi on the Shatabdi, Rajdhani, Duronto and Mandor Express. Rajasthan Tourism says regular air-conditioned and deluxe bus services run to Jaipur from all major cities in Rajasthan. Check Indian Railways and the bus operators for current services.
Getting around Jaipur
Jaipur Metro
Jaipur Metro Rail Corporation (JMRC), under the Government of Rajasthan's Urban Development and Housing Department, runs the city's metro. According to the Transport Department of Rajasthan's portal, Phase 1A began commercial operation on 3 June 2015 and Phase 1B on 23 September 2020.
The portal lists the stations in this order: Mansarovar, New Aatish Market, Vivek Vihar, Shyam Nagar, Ram Nagar, Civil Line, Railway Station, Sindhi Camp, Chandpole, Chhoti Chaupar and Badi Chaupar. As of October 2026, it says the route alignment marked for Phase-II "is under process of revision".
City buses
The Transport Department of Rajasthan's Jaipur Bus Portal has an About JCTSL page and sections for bus routes and a map.
Side trips from Jaipur
Samode and Abhaneri
Rajasthan Tourism places Samode 40 km north-west of Jaipur on the Jaipur-Sikar road, and names Samode Palace and a camel safari there. Its fairs and festivals page places Abhaneri in Dausa district, which it gives as around 90 km from Jaipur on the Agra road.
Ajmer, Pushkar and Kota
Among places to visit near Jaipur, Rajasthan Tourism gives Ajmer as 133 km from Jaipur, Pushkar as 145 km and Kota as 254 km.
Permit areas in Rajasthan
The Bureau of Immigration lists "Parts of Rajasthan" among the places where foreign nationals need a Restricted/Protected Area Permit, without saying which parts; Jaipur is not named on its list. The Indian e-Visa site says the e-Visa is not valid for visiting Protected, Restricted or Cantonment Areas, so foreign visitors planning to travel in Rajasthan should check with the Bureau of Immigration first.
Questions about visiting Jaipur
Why is Jaipur called the Pink City?
Rajasthan Tourism tells it as a story: for the Prince of Wales's visit in 1876, Maharaja Ram Singh of Jaipur had the entire city painted pink, because pink was symbolic of hospitality.
When is the City Palace Museum in Jaipur open?
As of October 2026, the museum's own website gives 9.30 am to 6.30 pm, seven days a week. It says the museum closes only on Dhulandi, the second day of Holi.
What is the best time to visit Jaipur?
Rajasthan Tourism says winter, usually from around October to January, is generally considered the best season to visit Rajasthan, a statement about the state as a whole. For Jaipur itself, the IMD's 2011 booklet gives its own season dates and calls its summers very hot.
Are Jaipur's markets open on Sundays?
Rajasthan Tourism says the city's markets are generally closed on Sundays, so plan shopping for another day.
Can you go inside Jal Mahal in Jaipur?
As of October 2026, the Ministry of Tourism's Jaipur page says Jal Mahal is no longer open to tourists. Rajasthan Tourism describes it as a palace that appears to float in the centre of Man Sagar Lake, whose exteriors visitors can enjoy.
Does the Jaipur Metro go to the airport?
Not at present. The airport page covers the taxis and buses that serve Jaipur International Airport.