Pick any Jaipur travel guide and you will find that the destination is like a storybook kind of place. With its years of rich historic legacy, Jaipur stuns one with myriad grand palaces and forts. It is true that Jaipur is one of the most desirable tourist destinations in India but there is a flip side to visiting this city. The problem is that the delightful 'Pink City' as Jaipur is called, will leave you with the problem of plenty with its numerous sightseeing wonders. So, come allow me to introduce some of the best places to visit in Jaipur as well as nearby Agra and Sariska.
Jantar Mantar
Heard about Jantar Mantar? Well, plan a Jaipur trip and see this famous site for yourself. The Jantar Mantar is an assortment of peculiar structures used by Jai Singh to measure time as well as calculating the time of eclipses. In fact, every instrument here has some particular objective. The most interesting thing here is the huge sundial, which casts a shadow moving up to 4 meters an hour. A guided tour of Jantar Mantar lasts from half an hour to an hour. Needless to say that your tour to Jaipur is incomplete without visiting Jantar Mantar.
Hawa Mahal
Getting up close to Hawa Mahal is another treat of going on a trip to Jaipur. This five storied building in pink sandstone was specifically built as a viewpoint for the royal womenfolk by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh. The royal ladies could take in the views of Jaipur from the luxurious privacy of this palace. There are small shutters here and one gets fabulous views of the Jantar Mantar, City Palace, and Siredeori Bazaar. The small museum inside with its royal memorabilia is another attraction. It is definitely rewarding to plan your trip to Jaipur with a visit to Hawa Mahal in mind.
City Palace
The majestic City Palace is another terrific place to plan a trip to when you visit Jaipur. This is a huge complex with captivating royal buildings, courtyards, and gardens. The City Palace was built over a long span of time. For instance, while Jai Singh built the outer wall, some of the other parts were built as late as early 20th century. With its Rajasthani and Mughal fusion architecture, the City Palace is also a shutterbug's delight and one can carry back some fabulous memories of a visit to Jaipur.
SRC Museum of Indology
The SRC Museum of Indology finds mention in quite a few renowned Jaipur travel guide. The rare treasures adorning the showcases here include a manuscript written by none other than the last great Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.
Places to Visit Near Jaipur
This was just scratching the surface in terms of famous Jaipur places to visit. In addition, there is a galore of some wonderful places to visit near Jaipur with just a couple of them being Agra and Sariska. Here is a more detailed look at these two places.
Tour to Agra
The distance between Jaipur and Agra is some 233 km and by road you can reach within some four to four and a half hours. Besides the world famous Taj Mahal, a couple of other mesmerising historic attractions here include the Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri.
A Sariska Visit
The Jaipur to Sariska distance is approximately 150 km. Booking a flight would not be a wise decision as first you will have to fly all the way to Delhi and then hit the road. This will take some seven hours. On the other hand, if you travel from Jaipur to Sariska by road, the journey would be over in just about two and a half hours. The Sariska & National Park makes for a spectacular jungle getaway, while the nearby Kankwari and Bhangarh Forts prove to some interesting diversions. With all these attractions and more, a Jaipur trip ensures lifetime of fond memories.
Martin Wynn
