Jaipur

Jaipur, the Pink City, the historical Amer; one beautiful city, so many names! Jaipur is modern India's first planned city and compliant with India's indigenous architectural system called Vaastu Shaastra. It is also the capital of Rajasthan, a part of the Golden Triangle tourist circuit of India, one of India’s most vibrant and exotic destinations and also among its most visited cities. While Jaipur is a major business centre and a city with modern amenities now, its medieval grandeur is well preserved in its buildings and its crafts.

Due to its geographical proximity to Delhi, Jaipur was a politically important place in the medieval times. The Kachhwaha clan of Rajputs that ruled the princely kingdom of Jaipur (Amer) made numerous distinguished contributions to the city’s architecture and heritage. In its modern form, the city was developed by King Sawai Jai Singh, who was extremely interested in astronomy and is also considered to be the greatest ruler of the Kachhwaha clan.

Situated a mere 260 km from Delhi, Jaipur has its own airport and is also well connected through railway links: most significant are the luxury train "Palace on Wheels" and also Shatabadi. It is also accessible through the recently constructed fast national highway, NH 8.

Jaipur has plenty to do and enjoy. If you are just looking for a restful and rejuvenating getaway, there are several super-luxury and luxury palace hotels and resorts, each better than the rest, e.g. the Rambagh Palace, the Raj Vilas, the Samode Palace, and the Bissau Palace Hotel. However charming your hotel may be, it will be a pity to miss the city’s attractions like Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds), Chandra Mahal (Moon Palace), Moti Doongri Fort (Fort on the Pearl Hill) and Amber Fort. A trek on elephant-back up to the Amber Fort will most certainly make you feel like a Maharaja!

Jaipur is the mecca of shopping for fine jewelry, high quality textiles as well as exquisite handicrafts. Traditional Indian cuisines, the famous street foods of India as well as foods from around the world, be it Mexico, Italy or USA, are all available at the numerous eateries, in the hotels as well as outside. Service at the hotels in Jaipur, as in the rest of Rajasthan, is of the finest quality; very often the descendants of royal families and their retainers own and manage the heritage hotels and your stay in Jaipur can also include a personal interaction with the royal descendants.

Although Jaipur is the gateway into the rest of Rajasthan, Jaipur is also a complete luxury holiday destination by itself.