Udaipur

With its beautiful lakes against a backdrop of the Aravali hills, and exquisite lakeside palaces, reflected in the still green water, it is no surprise that Udaipur is considered one of the most beautiful cities in India. Gloriously romantic and seductive, this beautiful city in the state of Rajasthan is a popular city break destination year round.

Founded in 1568 A.D by Maharana Udai Singh, Udaipur carries the flavour of the heroic past, epitomizing valor and chivalry. Rightly dubbed as the Venice of the East, Udaipur makes you a believer in fairy tales. The place is home to gracious palaces.

Described as the most romantic city in India, Udaipur is also a jumping off point for many attractions that make for excellent excursion sites.

Places of Attractions in Udaipur

City Palace – The magnificent City Palace is a stunning palatial structure in the city. The splendid palace overlooking the Pichola Lake was built by Maharana Uday Singh. Several palaces and structures were added to the complex by the succeeding generations of Maharanas.

Lake Pichola

Lake Pichola, ringed by plump little hills, is the most picturesque lake of Udaipur. At sunset, the hills constitute a glorious feast of colour.

The Lake Palace

The Lake Palace, now a luxury palace hotel, is like a wedding cake floating in the middle of the Pichola Lake. An exotic white marble building on the Jag Niwas Island, this magical palace was built by Maharana Jagat Singh in 1743 and featured in the Bond movie Octopussy.

Jag Mandir

Built by Maharana Jagat Singh I in 1620AD, Jag Mandir is an island palace on Lake Pichola. The palace served as a hideout for the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan when as a prince he revolted gainsty his father Emperor Jehangir

Jagdish Temple, Bagore ki Haveli Museum, Bharatiya Lok Kala museum, Shiplgram, Saheliyon-ki-Bari (Garden of the Maids of Honour), Fateh Sagar Lake, Moti Magri, Sajjan Garh (Monsoon Palace) and Nehru Park are other places of attractions in Udaipur.

Excursion from Udaipur

After being awed by the magical beauty of Udaipur, visitors can use the city as a jumping-off point to some of the finest attractions of Rajasthan including Kumbhalgarth fort and the exquisitely carved marble Jain temples at Ranakpurin in the Pali district of Rajasthan.

Nathdwara

Situated 48 km from Udaipur in the Aravalli hills, Nathdwara is one of the most famous pilgrimage places in Rajasthan. Nathdwara, which literally translates into the ‘gateway to the Lord’, is home to a famous 17th century Vaishnavite shrine of Shri Nathji, said to be the second-richest temple in India after Tirupati shrine in Andhra Pradesh. Shri Nathji is an incarnation of Lord Vishnu (Krishna) whose devotees are known as Vaishnavites.

Eklingji

22km from Udaipur, the beautiful marble complex of Eklingji houses exquisitely carved 108 temples. The first of these temples was built in 734 AD by Bappa Rawal, the founder of the Sisodia Rajput clan. 2km north of Eklingji is Nagda, the deserted capital of Mewar, which is home to the remains of Adbhutji Temple and the ruins of the 10th century Saas Bahu temple.

Chittaurgarh

115km from Udaipur, Chittaurgarh is famous for a fort that houses an array of monuments and memorials. This awe-inspiring fort bears testimony to the heroism and sacrifice of the Rajput rulers.

Kumbhalgarth Fort

The massive fort of Kumbhalgarh, located north of Udaipur in the wilderness, was built by Rana Kumbha in the 15th century. Cradled in the rugged Aravali Ranges, the Kumbhalgarth fort has such a commanding position that it never fell to anyone except for one time in its history when the water supply was poisoned by the adversary. the Kumbhalgarh Fort along with other five hill forts of Rajasthan— Amber, Chittorgarh, Jaisalmer, Ranthambhore and Gagaron has been recognised as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO and must be included among the top picks for any travel guide.

Ranakpur Temples

Visitors can use the lake city of Udaipur as a jumping-off point to explore the beautifully carved marble Jain temples at Ranakpur located in the Pali district of Rajasthan. Located 90 km from Udaipur in the wooded valley of the Aravalli hills in an unspoiled nature, the Ranakpur Jjain shrine complex is considered one of the five most sacred places for the followers of Jainism.

The main shrine, known as the Chaumukha (four-faced) Temple, is dedicated to Rishabhadeva, the first of the 24 Jain Thirthankaras (ford makers). Rishabhadeva is also known as Adinath ji. Another shrine worth paying a visit is the 'Sun Temple' dedicated to the 'Sun God' which is located nearby.

Dungarpur

120km south of Udaipur and 175km from Ahmedabad in Gujarat, Dungarpur is known for beautiful palaces. The thirteenth century Juna Khan Palace commands a panoramic view of Dungarpur.

Fair and festival

Mewar Festival

One of the biggest festivals of Udaipur, Mewar is held every year in March or April. The amazing procession of colorfully dressed attired women carrying the idols of the goddess Gauri is worth watching. Amazing display of fireworks along with the music and dance will mesmerize you.

Where to stay in Udaipur

The accommodation options are plenty in Udaipur. The visitors can find a great number of hotels in and around the city. These hotels cater to the needs of everyone. Taj Lake Palace, Jagat Niwas Palace, Mahendra Prakash, Udai Kothi, Hotel Gangaur Palace, Fateh Prakash Palace, Shiv Niwas palace, Hotel Raj Palace, trident Udaipur, the Leela palace, The Oberoi Udaivilas are some of the popular hotels in Udaipur.

How to reach Udaipur

By Air: Udaipur Airport or Maharana Pratap airport is situated at a distance of 22 km from the city of Udaipur. Several flights connect Udaipur with Delhi, Mumbai and Jaipur.

By Rail: The railhead at Udaipur is connected by rail with major cities and places in India. The Mewar Express and Ahmedabad Express connect Udaipur with Delhi and Ahmedabad respectively.

By Road: Udaipur is well connected by road with different cities and places in India. Some of the cities, towns and places connected with Udaipur are Jaisalmer (563 km), Delhi (663 Km) and Jaipur (405 km).

Shopping in Udaipur

Your visit to Udaipur isn't quite complete without having shopped for handicrafts. Government run Rajasthali sell attractive handicrafts and textiles. Sadhna, Boutique, Ganesh Handicraft Emporium, Jagdish Emporium and Rama Art Gallery are famous places to shop in Udaipur.