Udaipur Travel Guide
Name: Udaipur
Area: 37 sq. km. (14.29 sq. mi.)
Population: 451,100
Language: Hindi, English, Rajasthani
State: Rajasthan
Currency: Rupee
Time Zone: UTC+5:30 (IST)
Religions and Beliefs: Hinduism, Jainism, Islam
Located in the south of Rajasthan, Udaipur is 403 km (about 250 mi) away from Jaipur (Rajasthan’s capital), 663 km (412 mi) from Delhi (India’s capital). With its white palaces and numerous lakes, Udaipur has won the reputation of “the White City” and “the City of Lakes”. City Palace must be the first stop for Udaipur travel and the world-famous Taj Lake Palace on Lake Pichola also should be an unmissable spot. Udaipur was the capital of the Mewar Dynasty (1568-1984), possessing profound cultural heritages and is considered to be the most romantic city in India. In addition to the magnificent historical sites, Udaipur is also the center of dances, paintings, and handicrafts, which provides visitors with a chance to experience amazing Indian cultures.
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City Palace
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Lake Pichola
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Bagore Ki Haveli Museum
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Jagdish Temple
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Chittorgarh Fort
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Kumbhalgarh Fort
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Monsoon Palace
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Fateh Sagar Lake
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Bharatiya Lok Kala Mandal
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Saheliyon Ki Bari
Dubbed as the “Venice of East”, Udaipur is undoubtedly a dream destination for a romantic vacation. Situated by Lake Pichola, the City Palace with white-colored appearance is a monumental palace for the King of Udaipur, including 11 separate small-scaled palaces and a garden. As the soul of Udaipur, the broad and mirror-like Lake Pichola composed of a series of artificial lakes surround the city and the pure white Taj Lake Palace. Bagore Ki Haveli Museum is a palatial building with over 100 rooms and the rooftop museum. You can also enjoy special puppet shows at night. Also, don’t forget Jagdish Temple and Chittorgarh Fort in your Udaipur travel list.
Winter from October to mid-March is the best time for Udaipur travel. During this period, the day temperature is quite pleasant and varies from 20-30 ℃ (68-86 ℉). However, the average night temperature is low, below 10 ℃ (50℉), and you need to wear thick coats. Udaipur, close to the Thar Desert and housing lots of lakes, is generally hot and humid, witnessing 3 major seasons - summer (April to June) with the highest temperature at 40 ℃ (104 ℉), monsoon (July and September) and winter. Monsoon is another ideal time of the year to explore the glorious lakes brimmed by rains.
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Egg Bhurji
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Maggi Sandwiches
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Bread Pakora
With so much to satisfy your hungry soul, a food exploration during Udaipur travel is imperative to all gourmets. The Egg Bhurji is a marvelous dish combining of scrambled eggs, vegetables, and various spices. When buttery maggi between crispy sandwich bread loaded with some cheese and other flavors, it becomes delectable Maggi Sandwiches, which is usually prepared for a light dinner or for a weekend breakfast. Bread Pakora, a favorite tea time snack, is a sliced bread coated with a flour batter, deep-fried and then served with fried salted chilies. Falooda, Kachoris and Puri are also should be tried.
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Myra by Ramada Udaipur Resort & Spa: Kodiyat Road, Rampura Circle, Ramada Udaipur Resort & Spa, Udaipur. A multi-cuisine restaurant serves Italian, Chinese, European, Asian and the local dishes including vegetarian, Halal, Jewish and free-gluten diets.
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Aravali Lakeview by Radisson Blu Udaipur: Hospital Road, Udaipur. It’s a rooftop restaurant providing a breathtaking view of the iconic Fateh Sagar Lake and romantic ambiance for Italian, India and Asian food.
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Jaiwana Bistro Lounge: 14 - Lal Ghat 14 Lalghat, Udaipur. Behind the Jagdish Temple, this café offers authentic Indian cuisine and fresh coffee and juice. Their pancakes are must-try for breakfast!
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Old City: 50%
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Eastern Region: 25%
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Monsoon Palace: 10%
The Old City houses Lake Pichola, where there are popular Lake Palace and Jag Mandir. The bustling bazaar and the gathering of art also make Old City tourists’ first choice to stay. Jagat Niwas Palace and Jaiwana Haveli Hotel are recommended. For tourists traveling by train to Udaipur, Eastern Region is the best place to stay because Udaipur City Railway Station is located in this area. Most of the hotels here are cost-effective like Garden Hotel. Monsoon Palace is a great place to enjoy a panoramic view of the whole city and sunrise & sunset, also surrounded by Sajjangarh Biological Park.
Udaipur Airport also known as Dabok Airport or Maharana Pratap Airport, is located at 25 km (15.5 mi) east of the Udaipur downtown area, operating regional flights within the country like Delhi and Mumbai. There’s no public transport between the airport and the urban area, and visitors can take a prepaid taxi, which costs about 500 rupees. Udaipur has 2 major railway stations, Udaipur City Railway Station (UDZ) about 2.5 km (4.6 mi) from the City Palace, and Rana Pratap Nagar Railway Station, around 4.5 km (2.8 mi) away from the city center.
If touring the city, you can hire a taxi or cab ranging from luxurious to average ones. The more luxurious you choose, the higher the price you have to pay. In addition, auto-rickshaws and three-wheelers are usually used by tourists to have an in-depth Udaipur travel. Remember to bargain with the drivers and set the price before departure. Besides, Udaipur provides regular bus service and bicycles, also a welcome mean of transportation. Renting a bicycle usually costs about ₹200 per day.
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Hathi Pol Bazaar: Next to the City Palace, Udaipur. In this market, you can find various local items like ethnic silver accessories and textiles. It’s famous for miniature paintings, and hand paintings on silk.
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Bada Bazaar: Old City, Bada Bazar, Bohrwadi, Udaipur. Bada Bazaar is Udaipur’s largest market selling both big brands in showrooms and local small keepsakes on the streets, such as authentic Rajasthani handicraft items.
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Chetak Circle: Near Udaipur Railway Station on Palace Road, Udaipur. The highlight of Chetak Circle is brightly colored puppets wearing traditional folk apparel. Also, some fabrics painted by hand and dye sarees are the best-selling products.