Jaipur trip was full of surprises (good and bad ones). I had a very different image of the city before going there. Here's what I think about it and various experiences that I had.
Why Jaipur
We had never been to Jaipur. I know there are a lot of artistic and cultural places and it is a developed city so no issues in terms of availability and transport. In a nutshell, it seemed a safer choice before we moved ahead with more remote places.
Getting there and settling in
Airbnb has been a great staple for us for booking places in advance (it's definitely a bit pricey). We have tried contacting people locally but it works better when you are okay with your expectations not being met at times.
We took an overnight train from Ahmedabad to Jaipur. We used metro to reach our stay but online cab booking services are easily available there. We booked a homestay I believe about 15 days ago or so and this one was actual homestay-homestay. The family lives there with the guests and the best part is the breakfast served with it. Aunty, who runs this place cooks the most delicious and filling breakfast which was one of the best highlights of our trip. The place was very comfortable, closer to metro station and surrounded by enough essential stores.
A typical day
We would have breakfast, do our chores, work a little bit or play games, and explore nearby places. On some days we would travel to farther spots in and around the city or plan our next trip.
Places I visited
I couldn't visit all the places from my list but whatever places I visited, I enjoyed them fully. I have a reason to go back to Jaipur and cover remaining places.
A tip: Some museums and places have combined passes at some discounted rates if you can visit them in a day. Entry fees for individual places are quite reasonable otherwise.
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Albert Hall Museum
Museum filled with the most interesting artifacts I've seen. If you enjoy exploring them and learning/reading about them, this place is for you! You can easily spend a few hours here.
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City Palace
A place to see gigantic structures and items owned by Jaipur's royal families. You can spend anywhere from a few hours to a full day depending on your interest. Government guides are available, but I'd skip them—better to read the history online or from the information boards.
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Badi Chaupar and Chhoti Chaupar Markets
You'll find everything here, though you may need to hunt a bit. A unique thing about these markets is their unique architecture—organized in block structure with all shops painted in the same colors and using same fonts for their signs. Perfect for photography, sketching and exploring as you may find some unique building design or a mural. Definitely worth exploring.
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Hawa Mahal
A unique place offering 360-degree views of the city. The path to the top is different from a typical staircase. Beautiful for watching the sunset, though expect crowds.
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Amer Palace
One of the most mesmerizing places in Jaipur with stunning landscapes. Go early in the morning to beat the heat. Skip the guide here too—explore on your own pace On the way from parking, we saw someone selling masala chaas and had glasses on the way in and out. It was very refreshing during the hot days.
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Sagar Lake
A hidden gem near Panna Meena Kund. Great for sitting and relaxing in nature. Visit early in the morning to spot peacocks. Watch out for the monkeys—they may try to grab your belongings.
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Panna Meena kund
It is a place where people go to click pictures mostly. They won't anyway let you go in the kund area by yourself. You can visit if you are nearby.
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Jal Mahal
When I visited, it was only visible from the lake side park. I am not sure if they have boating service to have a closer look. Anyway the park is crowded after lunch and almost no places to sit with a cover. If you go to Nahargadh fort from the longer route (a turn on the way to Amer fort), you'll enjoy more beautiful landscapes of Jal Mahal.
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Nahargarh Fort
I skipped the extra activities inside. Just bought the entry ticket, explored the empty houses at the end, and enjoyed the view from evening until night. The city skyline is one of the most unique I've seen. The fort is usually open until 9:30 PM.
There's a restaurant inside, but I skipped it due to crowds and poor reviews. Most visitors go there mainly for photos anyway.
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Jawahar Kala Kendra
A beautiful and peaceful place to spend some time. You may find Gallery showcases and live performances on some days. There is one Indian Coffee House branch which has decent food. Try rooh afza (a rosy drink) with water there. It is very tasty and refreshing. Skip this place if you're not into art, but definitely check out Patrika Gate and Toran Gate if you are nearby.
Food and Restaurants
I expected to eat lots of kachoris but couldn't quite manage it—fried food left me feeling too full. Non-vegetarian options surprised me! I thought I'd only find traditional dishes like dal bati and kachori, but Jaipur has amazing variety and quality in non-veg cuisine.
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Tripolia Gate for breakfast
There is a huge breakfast market opposite to Tripolia Gate (near Samrat Restaurant to be precise) where you can enjoy jaipur food freshly made in the morning. Try Dal kachori from Samrat with tea, Dal Pakwan from the local stall near Samrat, and Makhkhan and Shreekhand from GC Dairy Chach & Makhan.
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Half Light Cafe
Went to buy ground coffee to hang out. We had macchiato, mocha, and Mediterranean open toasts. The best cafe food I've had in a very long time. Highly recommended.
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Burger Farm
A franchise, but enjoyed food from this branch better. My friends from Jaipur recommended it and they were right. Must-try: Classic aloo tikki burger, peri peri french fries, and the special Chicken Fillet burger.
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Cafe Kebab
Stumbled upon this place when my original restaurant had closed. Their butter chicken and lal mans with Khameeri roti are exceptional. The mutton seekh kabab was good too, but the curries were better. Definitely visiting again. Note: The curries are quite oily/buttery—I asked for less oil and butter for my next order.
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The Old Takeaway
Right across from Cafe Kebab, this restaurant has the tastiest chicken tikkas and murgh hara dhaniya with Khameeri Roti. A must-visit. Note: There are other restaurants adjacent to it with similar name. But I am referring to "The old takeaway" only.
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Purohit Heritage Cafe & Restaurant
Our favorite dinner spot near the homestay. The dal bati and Tikkad thali are fantastic, and the peri peri french fries are great. The staff were welcoming and even gave us extra food when they got to know it was our last night in Jaipur.
USK Jaipur Community
I wanted to write a separate section for this. This chapter is part of the global Urban Sketchers community. I'd attended sketch meets in Goa and Ahmedabad, but the people here were very friendly and helpful—they even arranged carpools for every meet. We became friends in no time.
After sketching, everyone circles up to introduce themselves and share their work. This was something unique I found than other chapters. They also had a gallery showcase at JKK showcasing urban sketches of Jaipur by people. Fortunately it was during my visit so I could see it in person. Enjoyed my time with the community and people there.
And I forgot to mention that the admins usually organizes tea or snacks depending on the logistics which was lovely. If it doesn't happen during your visits, please don't "at" me. Haha.
My Take on This Trip
Highlights
Despite feeling overwhelming at first, I found parts that I liked. It's great for artists looking to pursue their passion professionally—lots of inspiration and opportunities to grow as an artist. It's also one of India's most developed cities (IMO) with great roads and food availability.
You get to read funny Hindi phrases and shop names while moving around the city which was a fun highlight for me.
If you're into trekking, there are active groups organizing weekly treks (though I only managed to go to one).
Challenges
The constant honking was a real pain. As a popular tourist destination, most attractions get crowded unless you decide to find and visit secluded places on your own. If you're expecting a vacation away from a city life, this isn't the place for that.
All in all, it was a trip full of surprises and happy coincidences.