Udaipur (Hindi: उदयपुर Udaypur) is the capital of the district of Mewar in Rajasthan, India. Udaipur is famous for its lakes, palaces, forts, temples, gardens, and romantic backdrops. It was the setting of many movies, including the 13th James Bond film, Octopussy.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
In 1568, the Mughal emperor Akbar captured Chittorgarh, and Udai Singh was forced to flee and establish the city of Udaipur. Udaipur remained the capital of the state of Mewar, which became a princely state of British India in 1818. After India's independence in 1947, Mewar was integrated into the state of Rajasthan. People in Udaipur usually prefer wearing bright colored clothes. Colourful festivals and fairs depict the cultural prosperity of Udaipur. Udaipur offers moderate climate all through the year, but the best season to visit the place is from September to March. Winters (December to February) offers pleasant climate with a temperature not going beyond 32°C.
While most of the city can be covered on foot and the narrow alleyways in the old city make any other form of transportation a hassle, a taxi or autorickshaw/tuk-tuk is necessary to reach the Monsoon Palace or the wilderness park. A tuk-tuk will usually cost around ₹50, and should never cost more than ₹100 within the city. App-based cab hailing services like Uber and Ola are becoming increasingly popular since they generally cost lower than the tuk-tuk and require no fare-haggling Also there are many local taxi providers.
1 Udaipur City Palace, Old City, ☏ +91 294 241 9021. 9:30AM-5:30PM. A complex of small and big palaces, museums and gardens encompassing a rich blend of Rajasthani, Mughal, Medieval, European and Chinese architecture established in 1559 by Maharana Udai Mirza Singh. One of the most beautiful palatial structures in Rajasthan. It was built by Maharana Uday Singh II, and rises 30 m above Lake Pichola and extends up to 244 m. The palace complex has been built entirely in granite and marble. The interior with its balconies, towers and cupolas exhibits delicate mirror work, marble work, murals, wall paintings, silver work, inlay work and colored glass mosaics.
Dharohar Dance Show @ Bagore-ki-Haveli, near Gangaur Ghat, ☏ +91 94141-55904, deepakdixit.dharohar@gmail.com. A 60-minute Rajastani dance and marionette puppet show. Includes live music with local instruments, local folk dancing, and a lady balancing up to 9 stacked pots on her head. A must-see! Admission: ₹100; camera fee: ₹100. Puppet Show @ Bharatiya Lok Kala Mandal, Saheli Marg, Madhuban (in the north of the city, 300 m north of Chetak Circle). Daily 60-minute puppet show at 6PM. Great for children. ₹50. Shilpgram. Shilpgram is a rural arts and crafts complex.
Udaipur is famous for its spicy snacks such as mirchi bada and kachori. Other common local cuisines include Dal Baati Churma (Lentils and rice), Pyaz Kachori (onion/flour balls), and Gatte Ki Sabzi (gram flour dumplings with curry). These are common on the menu of just about every restaurant and should definitely be eaten! Cooking classes are also commonly offered in Udaipur. There are a couple Thali restaurants where you can get unlimited servings of a selection of Rajasthani and Gujarati dishes (rotis, savoury bites, daals, vegetables, rice, sweets and more). There are also American fast food restaurants such as McDonald's and Subway in the Celebration Mall (see listing above).
Cafe Coffee Day, The Celebration Mall, ☏ +91 294-3251162. 10AM - 11PM. Cafe Coffee Day is famous coffee shop in Udaipur. The chain serves a wide varieties of coffees with Pizza & Sandwiches. All major credit cards are accepted. Fatehprakash Palace Hotel, City Palace (on Lake Pichola), ☏ +91 294 528008. 7:30AM - 10:30PM. The open air Sunset Terrace at the Fateh Prakash Palace hotel becomes the heart of the City Palace Complex. People flock there to have a drink, and watch Lake Pichola. Garden Hotel Udaipur, Gulab Bagh Rd. Guests choosing to stay at the Garden Hotel Udaipur will be able to dine at the onsite restaurant. They will also be able to have a drink at the garden bar.
Udaipur is a safe place and the local people are very helpful. However, visitors are advised to take care of their personal belongings, particularly if they have very large amounts of cash, credit cards or are carrying a passport. To avoid pick pocketing, concealed money belts are helpful tools. Don't leave cash or any valuables in the hotel room. Cross check all hotel, restaurant and lounges bills for errors. Never pay anyone for anything upfront, including taxi drivers. If you are traveling alone then it is advisable to stay in a hotel in Udaipur itself and not in remote areas.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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In Aug, Udaipur typically sees ~30°C daytime highs and 22 rainy days.
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