The prettiest pictures of Jaipur, India
A kaleidoscopic city where old juts up against new – this is one of India's most beautiful corners to visit. From the serene corners of City Palace, the home of the former royal family, to the spirited bazaars full of vibrant fabrics, handmade crafts and street food with enough spices for a sensory overload, Jaipur buzzes with vibrancy. The Hawa Mahal sitting on the edge of City Palace and carved from pastel sandstone gives this the name ‘the pink city’. We recommend visiting during Holi season in March, also known as the festival of love and colour, to partake in street parties and traditional activities to see at the beginning of spring. These are the most beautiful places to visit in the city.
Bishwadeep Moitra / AssoulinePatterned curtains by Brigitte Singh adorn this picturesque room with a view.
Adel Newman / Alamy Stock Photo / AssoulineVibrant walkways in the Jawahar Circle garden.
Gavin Hellier / Stocksy United / AssoulineThe five-story exterior of Hawa Mahal, a palace built from pink sandstone, is made up of 953 small windows called Jharokhas.
Kirstin Mckee / Stocksy United / AssoulineChand Baori, a stepwell in the nearby village of Abhaneri, dates to the 9th century and is made up of 3,500 steps over 13 storeys.
Rowena Naylor / Stocksy United / AssoulineThe Green Gate, also known as the Lehariya Gate, at the City Palace of Jaipur, represents spring and is dedicated to Lord Ganesha.
Anne Garde / AssoulineA lavishly decorated room in the Mughal style at Chandra Mahal, one of the oldest buildings in the City Palace complex.
Rajmahal Palace RAAS Jaipur / Photo by Avesh Gaur / AssoulineThe regal entrance to Rajmahal Palace RAAS Jaipur, a 300-years-old spectacular palace reimagined as one of India's finest hotels.
Anne Garde / AssoulineLocal handmade fabric is immersed in a tank and gradually takes on a purplish hue that becomes lighter and more blue as it comes into contact with the oxygen in the air.
Mirsa / AssoulineThe retro-style Golcha Cinema was opened in 1954 and is one of the oldest picturehouses still operating in Rajasthan.
Thierry Falise / LightRocket/ Getty Images / AssoulineWomen gather in a arch of the Amer Fort, a Jaipur's main landmark. Amer was built by Raja Man Singh I and opened in the late 1590s.
Tom Hanley / Alamy Stock Photo / AssoulineTraditional crafts, such as brass and enamel ware, are passed down through generations of Jaipur families.
Martin Harvey / Alamy Stock Photo / AssoulineA snake charmer in front of the City Palace in Jaipur.
Steve Speller / Alamy Stock Photo / AssoulineA formal garden at the foot of Amber Fort on Maota Lake.
Sameer Parekh / AssoulineA local making bright floral garlands.
Anne Garde / AssoulineThe opulent lobby of Raj Mandir, a movie theatre opened in the 1970s.
Anne Garde / AssoulineThe nine stars on the exterior of Raj Mandir signify the nine gemstones and highlights the occupation of the Surana Family, some of the top jewellers in the state.
Purepix / Alamy Stock Photo / AssoulineColourful spices on display in Jaipur.
Anne Garde / AssoulineGondola ventures to Jal Mahal, the Water Palace, located in the middle of a lake in Jaipur.
Jaipur Splendor (text by Mozez Singh, foreword by HH Maharaja Sawai Padmanabh Singh of Jaipur) is on sale now for £80.