Udaipur, one of the most picturesque cities in Rajasthan, was founded in 1557 A.D. by Maharana Udai Singh II. According to folklore, Chittorgarh was the capital of the Rajput kingdom of Mewar, but, since it was attacked a number of times by the Mughals, the capital was shifted to Udaipur in 1568 A.D. Surrounded by the Aravalli range on three sides, the steep mountains provided a natural barrier to this fort-city, and thus was formed one of the most historically-rich cities in India.
Thanks to the Mewars, who had a penchant for art, Udaipur is full of tourist sites, which is why planning a trip to Udaipur sometimes becomes difficult. But, in this list, we’ve attempted to highlight the 15 best places to visit in Udaipur.
The four-kilometre-long Lake Pichola is world-famous for its beauty, rivalling the best from Venice and the rest of Europe. To experience how amazing the lake is, you need to take a boat ride and check out the two islands in the lake - Jag Mandir and Jag Niwas. Visiting Udaipur and skipping a trip to Lake Pichola is just not done. It also happens to be one of the best places to visit in Udaipur.
The Udaipur Lake Palace is a beautiful marble palace located on the Jag Niwas Island on Lake Pichola. It was built in 1734, and while it has been converted into a heritage hotel, it’s number one on our list purely because of the breath-taking architecture. The palace is filled with intricate stonework, gardens, pillared terraces, arches and much more, making it one of the best places to visit in Udaipur. And how about spending a night here? Taj has built an uber-exclusive heritage hotel here called Taj Lake Palace Udaipur, which you can book via our hotels platform.
The four-hundred-year-old Jagdish Temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, and features, like all other tourist attractions in Udaipur, ornate sculpture, intricately-carved pillars and absolutely stunning pieces of masonry. Did you know that this temple follows the Vastushastra school of building design? According to this science, the design of a building can be optimized to channel the flow of positive energy.
Bond movie fans will instantly recognize this spot. It featured in Octopussy, shot in 1983. The Jag Mandir was built in many stages, with construction beginning in 1551 and continuing for many years. It’s located on Lake Pichola and can be reached by boat from the Bansi Ghat Jetty. The place is full of things to see, like the Bara Patharon ka Mahal that features 12 solid marble pillars, or the Gul Mahal, which at one time had walls inlaid with rubies. Your tour plan must include Jag Mandir, as it is one of the best places to visit in Udaipur.
The Udaipur City Palace is more than 300 hundred years old, but thanks to efficient maintenance by the government, it looks straight out a movie set. The palace is located on the banks of Lake Pichola, and features a flamboyant mix of Mughal and Mewar architecture. It takes a full day to explore the City Palace, and even after that, you’ll be left wanting more. It’s one of the grandest places to visit in Udaipur.
Built-in memory of Maharana Sangram Singh’s 48 maidens, this installation features a lush park, rain fountains, and a museum displaying items from the royal household. If you are visiting with your family, your kids will love the stuffed animals on display, and the Lotus pool is where you can spend some time with your loved ones. A day full of fun and frolic is on the order when at Saheliyon ki Bari, making it a great tourist spot in Udaipur.
Bagore Ki Haveli is a 700-year old historical monument with a checkered history. It changed hands quite often, and until about 30 years ago, it was in disrepair. Then, the West Zone Cultural Centre took over and restored all the broken walls and repaired the pillars using the same traditional methods used to build in the first place. Now, it's open to the public, and a museum, it doesn't disappoint as one of the best places to visit in Udaipur. There are over 138 rooms you can get lost in, gorgeous artwork you can get hypnotized by, and so much of rich history!. Stay on till the evening, and you'll be treated to the best night of Rajasthani music and dance in your life. The best part? It's quite close to Lake Pichola, so you can also plan a dinner right after the dance show. Do sample the best of the regional cuisine as Rajasthani food is delicious!
Today, to buy a flower vase, we snap out our phones and choose from between thousands of different designs, and then finally purchase one without having to move. In a village, though, we'd have to make one ourselves. To throw some light on this very way of life, the Rajasthan state government runs an art complex called the Shilpgram, which translates to 'village of art'. While taking a walk through this full-size replica of a self-sufficient Indian village, you'll be surprised at the variety of architecture on display. There are more than 30 different installations to see, and it's a great place to take your kids to. They even organize a festival called the Shilpgram Utsav every year. Shilpgram brings you back closer to ethnicroots, and that makes it one of the best places to go sightseeing in Udaipur.
Bujera Fort is actually a fort with a hotel inside. In a completely new design direction, the Bujera Fort, located on the western bank of Lake Pichola, has blended the new with the old. You see, while it looks like its at least 500 years old, the Bujera Fort was actually constructed in 2016. The owner, Richard Hanlon, made it a point to stick with the flowing traditional Rajputana architecture, so while a lot of hotels look like eyesores, this one doesn't. Reportedly, only six doors and five windows were made, the rest were salvaged from old Havelis and mahals all over Gujarat and Rajasthan. Inside, you'll step into a thousand-year-old mahal full of marble, fine pillars, and intricate stonework, and you might as well mistake yourself to be a lowly villager waiting to see a Maharana. The Bujera Fort is a time capsule, and the only one of its kind in Udaipur. If you want to come back with memories, we recommend spending a night here. You can book a stay via hotels.InterMiles.com. And while the InterMiles are great, living in a real palace is one of the most compelling reasons to check into Bujera Fort. Definitely a must-visit place to visit, and then stay in Udaipur.
The Sukhadia Circle Fountain was built to commemorate Mohan Lal Sukhadia, who was at one time the chief minister of Rajasthan. While it has a huge 21-foot fountain, it's at night that the fun really begins. You see, when it's dark, the Sukhadia fountain lights up, and the shimmering droplets of water dance, much to the amazement of the young and old alike. Here, you will also find some of the best street food in Udaipur. The mere mention of food alone makes it one of the best places to visit in Udaipur.
Your kids will have the time of your lives here. The Gulab Bagh and Zoo, one of the largest biological reserves of its kind in India, was built in 1887 by Maharana Fateh Singh with the help of a British horticulturist. The garden draws its name from the thick rose orchards you can find here. Other than the thousands of different types of plants, Gulab Bagh and Zoo also has a library, a huge lake called the Kamal Talai, an acupressure park, and a small zoo. The biggest attraction here, though, is the toy train. Once aboard, you won't feel like stepping off, making Gulab Bagh one of the best tourist spots in Udaipur.
Sajjangarh Palace or The Monsoon Palace is positioned on a hilltop and offers amazing views of Fateh Sagar Lake. When at Sajjangarh, you should definitely check out the Tiger Lake and the palace itself. Top tip - you’d have to rent a car to and from Sajjangarh because it’s quite a tough drive. But doesn’t that make it one of the best places to go sightseeing in Udaipur?
The Fateh Sagar Lake is one of the largest of all four lakes in Udaipur, and you should set aside a full day for a trip to this place. One of the coolest things about Fateh Sagar is the fact that it was actually called Connaught Dam earlier, but was renamed to Fateh Sagar Lake to honour Maharana Fateh Sagar, who reconstructed the entire project in the 1900s. In reality, however, it was first built in 1678, by Maharana Jai Singh. The Fateh Sagar Lake has three small islands, each full of sightseeing spots, all connected by motorboat. To reach Fateh Sagar, you'd have to take a bus from anywhere in Udaipur. It's a superb place to go sightseeing in Udaipur.
Ahar, a tiny village close to Udaipur, has a huge surprise in store. The town has 400-plus year-old cenotaphs in memory of the great Maharanas who left behind a rich kingdom and a fierce, enduring legacy of Rajput glory. There are over 250 such structures here, along with finely carved pieces of pottery and arches called 'Chatteris'. There's a museum in Ahar where you can see excavated artefacts that date back a thousand years. While at Ahar, don't forget to visit Dhulkot, which, according to archaeological records, is more than 4000 years old. Yes, the place is a time machine, making it one of the best places to go sightseeing in and Udaipur. To visit Ahar, you'd need to taxi or a train from Udaipur.
Spending some time by yourself by a lake is a rare pleasure indeed. And that's exactly what you should do at Udai Sagar Lake. While here, you should definitely take a boat ride across the lake, and ride a camel when you're on the shore. It's a great place to go sightseeing in Udaipur if you love photography. The calming waters of the lake served as the perfect backdrop for many a world-class shot.
Now that you know the best places to explore in the marvellous city of Udaipur, visit www.intermiles.com, book your tickets, hotels, experiences and almost everything you need to make your trip easy, rewarding and memorable.
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