Udaipur is, without a doubt, the favourite stop on our three week India itinerary. 

Surrounded by a series of soaring, craggy hills and set on the idyllic Lake Pichola, Udaipur is a wonderful mix of ornate palaces, intricate temples, stately Havelis (local, smaller palaces), narrow whitewashed streets, and picturesque lakeside bathing ghats.

In some ways, it feels a little like Europe, which is perhaps why it’s been it’s dubbed the ‘Venice of the East’. 

Beyond the tangible beauty of the city are a lively arts scene, authentic cultural shows, colourful bazaars and a more relaxed vibe.

Endlessly romantic, Udaipur seems completely foreign to the rest of India, so we recommend exploring the best places to visit in Udaipur over three days to adequately ‘feel’ the city and its quirks. 

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THE TOP PLACES TO VISIT IN UDAIPUR, INDIA

#1 EXPLORE THE INCREDIBLE UDAIPUR CITY PALACE

Spending time in Rajasthan, it’s easy to experience ‘palace fatigue’, a sort of malaise that occurs when walking into yet another beautiful, gem-adorned room of a sprawling palace complex. That’s Rajasthan for you, palaces galore, even in the most off the beaten track cities (looking at you Bundi).

Udaipur City Palace though is different. 

Rajasthan’s largest palace, Udaipur City Palace sits gloriously above Udaipur old town, its cream walls rising 30m out of Lake Pichola. 

Construction on the original palace began in 1599 by Udaipur’s founder, Maharana Udai Singh ll, and over time has been added to and extended by various Maharanas (Kings of Udaipur) over the subsequent years.

Now, the City Palace is made up of several stunning, unique palaces (11 in total) and squares (chowks) within the vast, sprawling complex.

On a hot, energy-sapping day, we spent over two hours walking the palace grounds, learning from our local guide (we totally recommend you get a guide for your visit – it’s priceless!), while exploring the colourful and ornate rooms, elegant balconies and beautiful courtyards and pavilions.

Within the extensive palace complex, there are a number of must-see sights we recommend you visit:

Mor Chowk | The most spectacular of the City Palace courtyards, the ornate and colourful More Chowk is decorated with five peacocks and glass inlays.  An incredible 5,000 pieces of mosaic tiles have been used in creating the works of art.

Zenana Mahal | The insta-famous blue interior of the City Palace can be found here inside the queen’s chambers. Restored and decorated to their former glory, the rooms feature colourful frescoes, ornate balconies and intricate alcoves.

Badi Mahal | The highest point of the Udaipur City Palace complex, the Garden Palace was used for royal banquets on special occasions such as Diwali and Holi. Built in 1699, its main feature is the 104 intricately carved pillars by local artisans.

Moti Mahal | The ‘Palace of the Pearls’, Moti Mahal is surrounded by mirrored walls and stained glass windows, creating amazing reflections and the ultimate Instagram playground. 

We recommend entering the complex through Badi Pol (Great Gate) at the northern part of the Palace, which passes through the stunning Tripolia Gate before opening out into the large courtyard of Manek Chowk, which also offers incredible views over the labyrinth streets of Udaipur below. 

Entry into the Palace costs INR 30 through Badi Pol and Sheetla Mata Gate, however, to enter the main part of the complex, the City Palace Museum, you’ll need to pay an additional INR 250.

If you’re not too keen on hiring a guide, we recommend renting an audio guide for INR 200 to learn more about the historical significance of the complex. 

 

 

#2 EXPERIENCE THE COLOURFUL AND BRILLIANT DHAROHAR CULTURAL SHOW

We’re generally not keen on cultural dance shows as they tend to feel a little too much like an inauthentic tourist trap for our liking.

However we were actually pretty happy we visited the Dharohar folk dance show in Udaipur – it was the best performance of its kind we’ve seen anywhere in the world, and really gave us a strong understanding of the importance of dance, costumes, puppetry and colour to Rajasthani culture.

Set within a small enclosed courtyard under a beautiful tree in Bagore-Ki-Haveli, an old private palace, the show is a mix of traditional Rajasthani music, dance, puppetry, colourful costumes, mixed with just a little humour.

 

Commencing just after sunset, the show starts slowly as local musicians enthral the crowds before an explosion of colour and dancing brings the show to life. Puppetry, and a little humour, will have you laughing before the enthralling finale brings the show to a close.

The Dharohar folk dance show appeals not only to an international audience but locals too (the crowd was majority Indian!), so we thoroughly recommend this as one of the best things to do in Udaipur.

The shows commence daily at 7 pm, and tickets cost INR 150 per person (an additional INR 150 if you want to take photos). In peak season, the shows book out well in advance, so book ahead of time.

 

 

 

#3 ENJOY A SUNSET CRUISE ON STUNNING LAKE PICHOLA

Sunsets in Udaipur need to be seen to be believed, and experiencing one from Lake Pichola is one of the best things to do in Udaipur. 

The serene setting of the Udaipur is the perfect backdrop; the marble facades of the old town, City Palace, Jag Mandir, and Jag Niwas (which is actually the iconic Taj Lake Palace hotel) light up as the sun sets behind the Aravalli Mountains in the distance, shifting through colours of the rainbow as day turns to night. 

On the lake it’s incredibly serene; local fisherman pulls their nets from below, ladies wash their clothes on the banks, while kids play and swim around the local ghats. 

We spent an hour on the lake swapping between wanting to photograph every. single. angle., and stopping to enjoy the moment, and you’ll likely do the same for it’s here that the best views of Udaipur are enjoyed.

If you’re unable to go on a sunset boat ride, we still recommend joining a cruise (you can book a guided tour here), which runs between 10 – 6 pm.

 

 

 

#4 LEARN ABOUT UDAIPUR’S MINIATURE ART HISTORY (AND GRAB YOURSELF A PIECE)

The rich and colourful artistic culture in Udaipur is palpable; street corners, temples, even the City Palace, is adorned with art of every type, from ornate paintings and street art, to street musicians and singers.

It is this artistic expression that gives Udaipur a sense of romanticism that often lacks in the rest of India. 

It’s not surprising then, to learn that Udaipur is also the epicentre of miniature painting art, and an ancient form of art brought to India from the Mughals in Persia. This art, over the generations, has been used to represent Royal life, depicting scenes synonymous with royalty – palaces, chariots, elephants and beyond. 

We learned all about Udaipur’s miniature art at Janak Niwas Hotel and art studio, led by the Bollywood-handsome Shiv, owner and miniature painting artist extraordinaire. 

 

Comprising a collective of local artists led by Shiv, the studio showcases this unique style which dates back many generations and includes artworks currently displayed in the opulent palace by Shiv’s grandfather, a locally revered master artist. 

Shiv began Janak Niwas with the vision of spreading his family-inherited artistic skills, which includes intricate miniatures, murals, paintings made from the local technique of stone crushed water-based dye on materials as wide-ranging as silk, paper, card, rice paper & a unique ivory-like camel bone slate. 

Taking us through the importance of miniature art, through to his family history, the visit to Janak Niwas was enlightening, and we even received a piece of art of our own – a painted nail depicting any animal we chose – which showcased Shiv’s insane talents right under your eye. 

You can also take miniature art classes at Hotel Janak, where Shiv and his team teach you all you need to know. Using a template, you’re able to paint using ancient techniques, which gives you a great piece of art at the end of your class. 

It’s a great way to learn more about Rajasthan and Udaipur’s artistic heritage.