Top 6 Most Popular Cities of Rajasthan carries the royal beauty of ancient times. Cities In Rajasthan are perhaps the magical land where history still talks about the long story saga. Rajasthan is a combination of lovely traditional cities with a rich culture and heritage. Each city in Rajasthan has its own distinct culture and colour. Jaipur is known as the Pink City, Jodhpur as the Blue City, and Jaisalmer, the desert city, is known as the Land of Sand.
Rajasthan was formed after independence by merging the princely states of Jaipur, Marwar, Mewar, Kota, Bundi and Bikaner. All these princely states were no bigger than the cities of today. Rajasthan today is a popular tourist state because of the presence of large number of forts, palaces and havelis in each city which were once the princely states. During the British rule, the region was popularly referred as Rajputana.
Visiting the cities of Rajasthan is like unravelling the pages of history one by one. Each and every monument narrates its story of glory, victory, defeat, conquest, chivalry and conspiracies. You begin exploring them and you realize how short your trip is for a complete coverage. A number of museums and other monuments also dot the land of these cities of Rajasthan, waiting just to reveal more of such stories.
It is not only the forts, palaces and architectural heritages that attracts visitors to Rajasthan. Many areas of the Rajasthan offers lot of adventure options such as wildlife, jeep safari, elephant safari and most attractive of all camel safari on Thar Desert which can be enjoyed from the cities of Bikaner, Jaisalmer and Jodhpur in Rajasthan. Go through the city links below to know more about the attractions of each of the Top 6 Most Popular Cities of Rajasthan.
Jaipur
The capital of Rajasthan, Jaipur is the biggest city in this princely region. The beautiful pink and saffron colored buildings delivered this city its name as the ‘Pink City.’ The well-planned layout, artistic and unique architecture of the region was done according to the Vedic Vastu Shastra, and this also makes it one of the most preferred tourist destinations.
According to a recent travel survey, Jaipur was ranked as the 6th of the most amazing places to visit in Asia. Even an average tourist can enjoy a marvel time in the city. Temples, forts, gardens, monuments, museums and extensive marketplaces of the city offer great treats to tourists who visit from all across the world. With unique specializations, the place has lots to offer when it comes to art and craft Top 6 Most Popular Cities of Rajasthan.
Amer Fort, Jaigarh Fort, City Palace Museum, Archaeological Museum, Nahargarh Fort and Chittorgarh Fort are some of the finest places in the city. If you wish to enjoy the monsoons then you can visit the city during July-August, or otherwise October – February is the best months to visit the region.
Places to Visit
- City Palace
- Amer Fort
- Nahargarh Fort
- Jaigarh Fort
- Hawa Mahal
- Jal Mahal
- Jantar Mantar
- Pink City Bazaars
- Albert Hall Museum
- Galtaji
- Birla Temple
- Govind Dev ji Temple
To learn more about the tourist places in Jaipur, please visit: places to visit in Jaipur. You might want to plan a separate 3 day itinerary for this city alone.
Jodhpur
Jodhpur, the second largest city in Rajasthan, is fondly known as the “Blue City”. It blends the modern with the traditional in a beautiful way. As a tourist, you have much to look forward to here. However, the most dominating sight here is that of the Mehrangarh Fort, which overlooks the rest of the city. Not only is the fort an explorer’s paradise, but it offers spectacular views of the city from the top. It also plays host to the Jodhpur Flamenco and Gypsy Festival, which celebrates the gypsy culture of Spain and Top 6 Most Popular Cities of Rajasthan.
Jodhpur is home to several tourist attractions. One of these is the Umaid Bhawan Palace, the only palace built in the 20th century and recognized as one of the private homes in the world. The other attraction is the Jaswant Thada, the milky white memorial built towards the end of the 19th century as a tribute to the leader Jaswant Singh. Take a zip lining tour, also called the Flying Fox, which provides you an aerial view of the Mehrangarh Fort, besides the several landscapes of this beautiful city. For a unique experience, take a Bishnoi Village Safari. The safari provides a glimpse of the cultural life of the Bishnoi villagers.
Places to Visit
- Mehrangarh Fort
- Umaid Bhawan Palace
- Jaswant Thada
- Mandore Gardens
- Kailana Lake
- Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park
- Clock Tower
- Chamunda Mata Temple
- Balsamand Lake
- Masuria Hills Garden
To learn more about the famous tourist places in Jodhpur, please visit: places to visit in Jodhpur.
Udaipur
Udaipur sure knows how to do thing in style and with the utmost grace. One of the most iconic sights associated with this “lake city” of India is the sight of the serene waters of Lake Pichola. On its glistening waters floats Lake Palace, an 18th century structure widely built of pure marble. Needless to say, it sets the most romantic setting.
The City Palace is worth checking out during the daytime. It’s filled with tiny passageways that lead to wonderful courtyards and enclosures. Some of the other places of interest are the incredible Jain Temple of Ranakpur and the Fateh Bagh Palace, which now exists as a heritage hotel. For a perfect nighttime dinner, choose a rooftop restaurant here (you will find several of them in close proximity to the City Palace), and enjoy the incredible views of the city.
To witness the folk music and dance of the region, head to Bagore-Ki-Haveli which showcases dancers and artists from all over Top 6 Most Popular Cities of Rajasthan. If you are a lover of vintage cars, check out the vintage and classic car museum, which features some of the rarest and vintage cars. Happen to be a music lover? Then, the Udaipur World Music Festival is just for you.
Places to Visit
- City Palace
- Lake Pichola
- Lake Palace
- Lake Garden Palace
- The Royal Vintage Car Museum
- Bagore Ki Haveli
- Saheliyon Ki Bari
- Jagdish Temple
- Shilpgram
- Moti Magri
To learn more about the popular tourist places in Udaipur, please visit: places to visit in Udaipur.
Bikaner
Bikaner, located in the northern region of Rajasthan, is famous for its forts, temples and camels. It holds the distinction of being only one of the two models used by the British during World War 1. Home to some of the world’s best riding camels, it’s also known as camel country.
On a holiday to Bikaner, you should visit the Junagarh Fort. Constructed in 1588 AD, its famous as a fort which was never captured. The other place worth checking out is the National Research Center on Camel. Located about 8km from the city, it’s the only one of its kind in Asia. Laxmi Niwas Palace, built between 1898 and 1902 by British architect Sir Samuel Swinton Jacob, now functions as a luxury hotel.
For a “ratty experience”, head to the Karni Mata Temple, the temple where rats as venerated as gods. The highlight of your visit to Bikaner, however, is the Bikaner Camel Festival. An annual festival dedicated to the “ship of the desert”, it hosts events such as camel races, camel licking and camel beauty pageants, besides others, Top 6 Most Popular Cities of Rajasthan.
Places to Visit
- Junagarh Fort
- Lalgarh Palace
- National Research Centre on Camel
- Shri Laxminath Temple
- Ganga Singh Museum
- Sadul Singh Museum
- Jain Temple
To know more about the main tourist destinations in Bikaner, please visit: places to visit in Bikaner.
Jaisalmer
Jaisalmer, carries a magical aura about it. A camel safari into the desert through the sand dunes forms part of the quintessential Jaisalmer experience, and in itself, is one of the top reasons to visit Top 6 Most Popular Cities of Rajasthan. Camping in the midst of the seemingly endless desert, with the twinkling stars above and the gentle whisper of the wind keeping you company, it all sounds like a setting from the Arabian Nights.
However, desert safari is just one of the experiences in store for you here. There is the Jaisalmer Fort, which has allured visitors with its sand colored walls along with an old museum which tells stories of the royalty. Besides, this desert city is also dotted with elegant and fabulous havelis built by wealthy merchants. One of the most famous of these is the Patwon-ki-Haveli. If you are up for it, you might also want to try some “bhang” at The Lassi Shop, originally known as The Bhang Shop. Desert Festival, held in Jaisalmer, showcases the authentic culture and traditions of the state, and should be visited during your stay here.
Places to Visit
- Jaisalmer Fort
- Bada Bagh
- Patwon-Ki-Haveli
- Sam Sand Dunes
- Thar Heritage Museum
- Gadisar Lake
- Nathmal Ki Haveli
- Jain temples
- Salim Singh Ki Haveli
To know more about the main tourist spots in Jaisalmer, please visit: places to visit in Jaisalmer.
Pushkar
Lying in the Ajmer District of Rajasthan, the holy City of Pushkar is often described as the king of pilgrimage sites in India. The town is located at the shores of the Pushkar Lake, which was created by the tears of Lord Shiva and is one of the oldest cities of India and the date of its origin is unknown and is often associated with the Hindu mythology. It is famous for its temples and various Ghats which are frequented by hundreds of visitors during the annual bath. The water of the lake is considered sacred and thus is responsible for the town’s repute as a pilgrimage spot.
Perhaps the most illustrious attraction of Pushkar is the annual camel fair. It is a five day fair held where people buy and sell livestock. But that’s not all; the fair is home to a large no. of tourist crowd that is attracted by the music, dance and various events that are held here during the camel fair. Camel races are one of the major attractions as well, Top 6 Most Popular Cities of Rajasthan.
Places to Visit
- Pushkar Lake
- Brahma Temple
- Savitri temple
- Apteshwar Temple
- Varaha Temple
- Rangji temple
- Man Mahal
To learn more about tourist places in Pushkar, visit: Places to visit in Pushkar.
