Celebrated as the “The City of Lakes”, Udaipur is a spectacular city in Rajasthan with a famed history and fascinating cultural background. The city skilfully reflects the great Rajputana’s architectural superbity and unforgettable history. Udaipur is considered one of the world’s most romantic cities and is often called the “Venice of the East”. Nothing can describe this place better than its serene lakes, restorative weather, magnificent temples and whirling bazaars. Needless to say, Udaipur has emerged as one of the top travel destinations in India.
NEARBY ATTRACTIONS in Udaipur
Amidst the Rajputana royalty and grandeur, here are five fantastic places to visit in Udaipur.
- Udaipur Solar Observatory
Situated on an isolated island in Lake Fateh Sagar, the Udaipur Solar Observatory is seen as Asia’s best solar observing site. This incredible observatory was modelled on Southern California’s Big Bear Lake Solar Laboratory. If you are having your kids on board, this observatory is a fun place!
- The City Palace
The alluring City Palace is on the banks of Pichola Lake, constructed in 1559 by Maharana Udai Mirza Singh. To everyone’s astonishment, the City Palace homes 11 grandiose palaces, a perfect blend of Chinese, Medieval and European architectural styles constructed by distinguished rulers during various periods. With beautiful pavilions, courtyards, hanging gardens, exquisite paintings, and magnificent architecture, everything about this palace is simply royal and memorable.
- Ghanerao Castle
Located in Ghanerao, this royal castle is almost 140 kilometres from the classical city of Udaipur. The Ghanerao Castle offers an enchanting insight into the royal and glorious lifestyle of the rulers gone by. If you are a history buff, this is a place to be!
- Kumbhalgarh Fort
Maharana Kumbha upreared Kumbhalgarh Fort in the 15th century and is most popular for being the birthplace of Maharana Pratap, the renowned king and warrior of Mewar. Guarded from harm by the thirteen mountain peaks of Aravali, this fort is Rajasthan’s strongest and highest fort. Kumbhalgarh fort is closely protected by a 15 kilometres long wall, the second longest in the world after the Great Wall of China, making this place a must-visit in Udaipur.
- Lake Pichola
Forged in 1362 AD, Lake Pichola is a factitious wonder in Udaipur, beautifully surrounded by alluring palaces, mountains, bathing ghats and magnificent temples. There are a number of tourist attractions on the islands in Lake Pichola, which can be explored by cruising around the Lake. The place looks enthralling during the nighttime. So, when you plan a trip to Udaipur this year, book a boat cruise during the evening hours and see the beautiful city light up as the sun goes down.
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ADVENTURE ACTIVITIES in Udaipur
Not only the wonderful scenery, but the City of Lakes also has much more to offer those looking for an adventure-filled trip. Here are the top 3 adventure activities offered by Udaipur:
1. Trekking
With the backdrop of the Aravli range, Udaipur offers some amazing hiking and trekking opportunities to nature lovers and adventure freaks
2. Elephant Safari
Elephant Safari is among the most popular activity for young and old visitors alike. What can be better than a remarkably unique sightseeing experience atop this majestic animal?
3. Camel safari
How can you visit a desert city and not go for a camel ride? In Udaipur, camel safari is extremely popular, like in various other cities of Rajasthan. You can hire one through the city to the desert and explore the magnificent palaces, historic temples and serene lakes all day.
4. Paragliding
Lesser known to tourists, but Udaipur’s landscapes make it a great place for adventure sports like paragliding. You can participate in this adventure sport and experience the stunning views of the City of Lakes from above.
CITY LIFE in Udaipur
SHOPPING in Udaipur
Wondering what to fill your bags with when in Udaipur? Here are five things to shop for before you leave Udaipur:
Jewellery
Nothing can beat the beauty of Rajasthani jewellery. If you truly drool over the jewels of actresses from historical dramas and wonder where you can buy these from, then Udaipur is the place to be. You can buy captivating designs of Kundan, meenakari and polki jewellery from Udaipur. From meenakari maangteekas to kundan haars and polki jhumkas, this place has aplenty of jewelry. Bada Bazar and Palace road are among the best places to buy flawlessly beautiful jewellery, but don’t forget to bargain!
Handicrafts
Rajasthan is a unique state for a number of reasons. It is most celebrated for the amazing handicrafts made by extremely talented craftspersons. Udaipur is no exception! You can buy marvelously hand-carved wooden antiques, handmade papers, hanging kaathputlis, recycled greeting cards and much more from ChetakCirle, Bada Bazaar and Haathi Pol. You can either buy handicrafts from local markets or Rajasthan Government shopping emporiums. So, give your house a traditional makeover with these beautiful handicrafts from Udaipur.
Leather Items
Camel leather items are another popular offering of Udaipur and can be seen in every local market here. Not only this, but you can also buy pure leather items here. From jootis to wallets, from purses to leather handicrafts, you can bag these all from the local markets. If you desire camel leather items, go to a street vendor, as you will have a good scope of bargaining with them.
Paintings
Udaipur has a lot to offer to art lovers. You can buy traditional Rajasthani paintings such as the Phad, Pichwai and Rajasthan miniature paintings at negotiable prices from Hathi Pol Bazar. These are the traditional art forms which originated in Rajasthan and then spread to the rest of the country. People from around the country visit Rajasthan to take home a memory of its rich tradition in the form of paintings.
Clothes
Remember the jaw-dropping lehenga-choli worn by Deepika Padukone in the Bollywood hit RaamLeela? If you have desired to buy one for yourself, then you are at the right place. Udaipur is home to numerous shops that sell lehenga, choli, sari, bags and kurtis that bear the trademark Rajasthani style. The beautiful mirror work and Bandhni style will surely leave you in awe!
FOOD & DINING in Udaipur
Once the land of royal monarchs, Udaipur has been famous for the flavoursome cuisine it offers. The city still serves the finest delicacies to its visitors and dwellers. Vaishnavism highly influences Udaipur cuisine and hence doesn’t include non-vegetarian dishes. This place is most famous for Kachori, Dal-Baati-Churma, Gatte-Ki-Sabzi, yoghurt soups, Lentil curries and MirchiBada.
This is not to say that there is a dearth of restaurants which serve non-vegetarian food. If you want to try the famous Udaipuri cuisine, several restaurants serve cuisines ranging from Indian, Thai, Chinese, and Italian to Continental. Some popular restaurants in Udaipur are, Ambrai near the Pichhola Lake, Bawarchi, Natraj, Paratha Hut and many more.
Nightlife in Udaipur
While most visitors retire to their hotels by night, others prefer to explore the city at night. Gorgeously traditional during the day, Udaipur becomes even more beautiful with lights during the night hours. Here are some entertaining things to do in Udaipur at night:
1. Feast at a Rooftop Restaurant
Udaipur has several restaurants offering a beautifully perfect view of the palaces and lakes. You can munch on some flavoursome snacks and sip your favourite wine while looking at the beautiful landscape.
2. Enjoy the Sound and Light Show
While in this beautiful city, you can enjoy the astonishing sound and light show at the City Palace, which narrates the amazing history of Mewar. The show is held both in Hindi and English at different times. The narrative follows 15 centuries of history and is divided into 12 episodes.
3. Take part in a cultural event at Dharohar Theatre
If you want a cultural entertainment-filled evening, then Dharohar Theatre is the place to be. Every evening from 7-8 pm, a cultural event known as Dharohar is held at Neemchowk in Bagore Ki Haveli.
4. Hunt down the streets
The streets of this city come to life once the sun sets, with uncountable shoppers filling the streets. You can bag some amazing jewellery, clothes, shoes, souvenirs, and more from the streets. Not only this, but you can also satiate your hunger for traditional roadside food.
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