Palaces
City Palace
Four main palaces and several smaller ones rise above Lake Pichola. Much of the complex is now a museum.
Destination guide
Udaipur, the City of Lakes
Palaces on the water, the Aravalli hills all around, and a craft tradition that's still alive.
A short history
Maharana Udai Singh II of the Mewar dynasty founded Udaipur in 1559, as Chittorgarh's fortunes declined. He chose a valley protected by the Aravalli hills and fed by lakes – Pichola, Fatehsagar, Udaisagar and Swaroopsagar among them.
The Rajput palaces built over the next centuries define the city today. City Palace mixes Rajasthani and Mughal styles, while the Lake Palace now operates as a luxury hotel.
Culture & crafts
The Mewar Festival and the Shilpgram crafts fair bring the city out in colour. Look for miniature paintings, silver jewellery and marble work in the old-city lanes.
Udaipur is also one of the most requested settings in India for destination weddings and film shoots, and its range of boutique and palace hotels keeps growing.
Places of interest
What to see
Lakes
Lake Pichola
Home to the Jagniwas and Jagmandir islands. A sunset boat ride here is the classic Udaipur evening.
Palaces
Jag Mandir
An island palace on Lake Pichola started in 1620, often said to have inspired the Taj Mahal.
Palaces
Monsoon Palace
A 19th-century palace on the Bansdara hills with sweeping views over the city and lakes.
Lakes
Fateh Sagar Lake
Man-made lake north of Pichola, with Nehru Island and a solar observatory.
Heritage
Maharana Pratap Memorial
On Moti Magri hill, a bronze statue of Maharana Pratap on his horse Chetak looks over Fateh Sagar.
Heritage
Jagdish Temple
A three-storey Indo-Aryan temple to Lord Vishnu, built in 1651.
Gardens
Saheliyon Ki Bari
A garden made for the women of the court, with marble elephants, fountains and a lotus pool.
Heritage
Ahar Museum & Cenotaphs
Royal cenotaphs of the Maharanas of Mewar, and a museum of pottery, sculpture and a 10th-century Buddha.
Culture
Bagore Ki Haveli
An 18th-century mansion on Lake Pichola with a museum and the evening Dharohar dance show.
Museums
The Crystal Gallery
Osler cut-glass pieces, including a jewel-studded carpet and a crystal punkah.
Museums
Vintage Car Collection
Classic cars once owned by the Maharanas, kept at the Garden Hotel grounds.
Culture
Bhartiya Lok Kala Mandal
A folk-art institute with a museum and puppet shows.
Culture
Shilpgram
A 70-acre rural arts and crafts village about 7 km west of the city.
Gardens
Gulab Bagh Bird Park
12 enclosures and 28 bird species inside Gulab Bagh.
Family
Wax Museum
On Sajjangarh Road, with wax figures, a 9D cinema, gaming zone and horror show.
Family
Under the Sun Fish Aquarium
At Fateh Sagar Pal: a 125-metre gallery and a touch pool.
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