Truly the city of lakes; deep, glistening and beautiful.
The ideal time to visit Udaipur is August to February. It’s about 637 kms from Delhi and about 12 hours by train.
21st to the 31st of December every year is the annual festival at Shilpgram which is like a mini Rajasthani village re-created.With huts from all over India, handicrafts, musicians, dancers and a little dhaba it’s all quite complete.
Other great places to visit are City Palace, Lake Palace, Jag Mandir, The Vintage Car Museum, Lake Fateh Sagar, Pichola Lake and Ambrai (which by the way is a restaurant). Jaiwana Haveli being a terrace restaurant is rated higher than Ambrai, however personally I found Ambrai much better. Ambrai by the lake overlooking all the palaces and hotels all lit up on a dark night is really as picturesque as it gets. Another must go to place for dinner is the Jag Mandir palace. It is a restaurant on an island palace and one needs to be ferried across to reach the place. I still can’t make up my mind if I enjoyed the boat ride more or the fantastic rajasthani laal maas and non-veg platter at the hotel. For the vegetarian janta a place that is recommended is Aap ki Dhani, a traditional Rajasthani Restaurant.
Other places to visit are the Jagdish Mandir with its intricate design and architecture and also a temple 22kms away from Udaipur called Eklingji dedicated to Lord Shiv which dates back to 734 A.D. Just 4 kilometers ahead of Eklingji is Devi Garh a fort hotel that still stands tall in all it resplendent gloryand grandeur. This by the way is where Liz Hurley and Arun Nayyar tied the knot. The views are absolutely breath taking and the food brilliant.
The shopaholic will also find value for money and time as the bazaars are full of trinkets and artifacts. From silver jewelry to stone sculptures to wooden décor to brightly coloured bandhini there’s a lot to look at and a lot to buy.
For those who enjoy a quiet stroll the city has several ancient parks like the Saheliyon Ki Bari apparently built by the Prince for the love of his life and the 48 women who accompanied her as part of her dowry. I found the stories around the parks more fascinating than the parks themselves.
After a long day of sight seeing and shopping one can indulge in a spa treatment at ESPA in the Hotel Leela . Great ambience, masseurs, music and products are just some of the things I can recall. Sunset at the lake Pichola is a stunning sight and so are the hotels around it.
One of my favourite places is the Vintage Car Collection which belongs to the current Maharaja and a place which is a haven for car lovers.
Udaipur is truly a mesmerizing city which establishes a connection with your soul and will keep you wanting to re-visit the place.
The ideal time to visit Udaipur is August to February. It’s about 637 kms from Delhi and about 12 hours by train.
21st to the 31st of December every year is the annual festival at Shilpgram which is like a mini Rajasthani village re-created.With huts from all over India, handicrafts, musicians, dancers and a little dhaba it’s all quite complete.
Other great places to visit are City Palace, Lake Palace, Jag Mandir, The Vintage Car Museum, Lake Fateh Sagar, Pichola Lake and Ambrai (which by the way is a restaurant). Jaiwana Haveli being a terrace restaurant is rated higher than Ambrai, however personally I found Ambrai much better. Ambrai by the lake overlooking all the palaces and hotels all lit up on a dark night is really as picturesque as it gets. Another must go to place for dinner is the Jag Mandir palace. It is a restaurant on an island palace and one needs to be ferried across to reach the place. I still can’t make up my mind if I enjoyed the boat ride more or the fantastic rajasthani laal maas and non-veg platter at the hotel. For the vegetarian janta a place that is recommended is Aap ki Dhani, a traditional Rajasthani Restaurant.
Other places to visit are the Jagdish Mandir with its intricate design and architecture and also a temple 22kms away from Udaipur called Eklingji dedicated to Lord Shiv which dates back to 734 A.D. Just 4 kilometers ahead of Eklingji is Devi Garh a fort hotel that still stands tall in all it resplendent gloryand grandeur. This by the way is where Liz Hurley and Arun Nayyar tied the knot. The views are absolutely breath taking and the food brilliant.
The shopaholic will also find value for money and time as the bazaars are full of trinkets and artifacts. From silver jewelry to stone sculptures to wooden décor to brightly coloured bandhini there’s a lot to look at and a lot to buy.
For those who enjoy a quiet stroll the city has several ancient parks like the Saheliyon Ki Bari apparently built by the Prince for the love of his life and the 48 women who accompanied her as part of her dowry. I found the stories around the parks more fascinating than the parks themselves.
After a long day of sight seeing and shopping one can indulge in a spa treatment at ESPA in the Hotel Leela . Great ambience, masseurs, music and products are just some of the things I can recall. Sunset at the lake Pichola is a stunning sight and so are the hotels around it.
One of my favourite places is the Vintage Car Collection which belongs to the current Maharaja and a place which is a haven for car lovers.
Udaipur is truly a mesmerizing city which establishes a connection with your soul and will keep you wanting to re-visit the place.
Sanchita Johri
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