Disclaimer: We are serious about content integrity and staying true to our readers. Thus, you can be assured that any article you read across our website is free of bias and is not produced by AI-platforms. Read about our editorial policies.
City Palace can easily be called one of Jaipur’s most precious jewels. Tucked in a busy street, its grandeur is almost camouflaged from the outside. But as you step in, the palace unveils varied architectural marvels at every corner.
From a chandelier-studded sandy pink audience hall, to a room entirely embellished with geometrically-patterned mirrors, from a glittering golden room, to my favorite blue room featuring intricate frescoes, the palace is inarguably a goldmine of art and design.
In this article, I’ll take you through a quick virtual tour of City Palace Jaipur, helping you understand what to expect during your visit, the most important spots, and other highlights of the monument.
Contents
Brief History Of City Palace Jaipur
City Palace of Jaipur is actually as old as the city itself. Then ruler Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh commissioned its construction alongside Jaipur city between 1729 and 1732, as he was shifting his base from Amer. Since then, it has remained the royal family’s residence till today.
The palace was primarily designed by Indian architect Vidhyadhar Bhattacharya and British architect Samuel Swinton Jacob in a blend of Mughal and Rajasthani architecture. However, more elements were added by his scions for centuries.
The palace has always been welcoming the general public into its temples and several other areas. The royal family also celebrates special occasions and cultural events with the people, including festivals such as Diwali and Holi. Today, tourists can also explore the palace after purchasing a ticket.
Must-Visit Parts Of City Palace Jaipur
Though Jaipur’s City Palace is still the residence of the royal family, it comprises many buildings, halls and rooms that are accessible to the public. Here are the best spots we explored as part of the guided tour, which is priced at INR 3000 per person for Indian adults & INR 3500 per person for foreign adults:
- Virendra Pol
As we purchased our tickets and entered the palace, the first entry gate itself (called Virendra Pol) captivated us with its stunning off white arches adorned with intricate fresco work. I remember how I pulled out my phone camera instantly to capture its beauty and our tour guide said — “Abhi andar aur bahuth baaki hain madam” which means, “there’s a lot more left inside to shoot madam.” 😂
- Mubarak Mahal
The first haveli we came across after passing through the Virendra Pol was the cream-colored, exquisitely-carved Mubarak Mahal. It used to be the reception hall earlier and today, it has been converted into a part of the royal museum.
- Diwan-E-Khaas
Next, we passed through another gigantic gate called Rajendra Pol to enter one of my favorite areas of the palace — the central courtyard with the private audience hall (Diwan-E-Khaas) glistening in the centre.
The hall was painted in the typical sandy pink hues of Jaipur and featured awe-inspiring artwork on its walls and ceilings. They were further embellished with regal crystal chandeliers. We had to stop and spend some time here to soak in the grandeur, before walking further into the palace.
TWT Tip: The complete tour of City Palace takes over 3 hours to complete and the only way to explore is by walking, except for specially-abled tourists. Hence, you will thank yourself if you wear comfortable shoes and carry a water bottle with you.
- Chandra Mahal
Next came the Chandra Mahal, a 7-storey palace that is partly restricted as it’s the private home of the royal family. These are some of the areas we could explore:
- Museum – The first level of the Chandra Mahal housed a museum room with rare royal artefacts on display, including pottery, weapons and carpets. We couldn’t capture any of them on camera, as photography was strictly prohibited in this particular area.
- Shobha Niwas – When we climbed up to the second level through the narrow ramps, what unveiled in front of us was one of the most exquisite rooms I’ve ever seen — the Shobha Niwas, which is also known as the gold room.It was actually designed with fine gold from top to bottom, including the ceiling, walls and pillars. Intricate meenakari (enamel) work in red and green added hints of color to the glittering golden palettes. Here, we sat on a royal gaddi (mattress) like king and queen, and captured it in a memorable photograph.
- Chhavi Niwas – After another brief climb, we reached the Chhavi Niwas — a stunning room fully bathed in royal blue and white hues. It featured heavy nature-inspired motifs, which made for another not-to-miss photography spot.
- Sri Niwas – Our next stop was at the elaborate mirror room, also called Sri Niwas. Completely adorned in mirrors of various shapes and sizes, the room exuded a resplendent glow with all the light reflection. It remained even after our tour guide turned off the lights and pointed two candles towards the ceiling.
- Terrace – The top-most level housed the Mukut Mandir (terrace) from where we could get the ultimate view of Nahargarh Fort standing away on one corner of the city. From another side, we could see several other smaller terraces that were part of the palace buildings.
- Souvenir Shop
After coming back to the central courtyard, we were taken to the palace’s souvenir shop. Tons of local craftsmen had put up stalls of their creations, including textiles and home decor. We bought a pair of gorgeous meenakari jhumkas from an award-winning artist and the Royal Oudh attar (fragrances made with natural essential oils and botanicals).
- Puppet Show
The tour ended at a terrace of one of the palace havelis, where a traditional Rajasthani puppet show was organized. Here, we were also offered refreshments that we sipped on, as we watched the skilled puppet artistes weave their magic.
Did You Know?
City Palace Jaipur also has a restaurant called Baradari where you can enjoy a lavish meal. What’s more? You can even stay in one of the luxurious rooms of the palace now by booking on AirBnb!
How To Book The Tickets To City Palace Jaipur & Ticket Options
The tickets to City Palace Jaipur can be booked directly at the entry gate or online on their official website. There are various kinds of tickets that you can purchase. Here is a table to help you understand your options:
| Ticket Type | What’s Included? | Indian Adults | Indian Children (5-12 years) & Students With Valid ID | All Children Aged Below 5 Years | Indian Senior Citizens / Defense & Police Personnel (with valid ID) | Foreign Adults | Foreign Children (5-12 years) & Students With Valid ID | Visitors With Special Needs |
| Museum | All courts & galleries | ₹200 | ₹100 | Free | ₹100 | NA | NA | NA |
| Composite Ticket | All courts, galleries, Jaigarh Fort & Royal Cenotaphs | ₹300 | ₹200 | Free | ₹200 | ₹700 | ₹400 | ₹430 |
| Museum at Night | All courts, selected galleries & light-sound show | ₹500 | ₹250 | Free | ₹380 | ₹1,000 | ₹500 | ₹780 |
| Sculpture Lumière | Sound-light show only | ₹250 | ₹150 | Free | ₹150 | ₹500 | ₹250 | ₹250 |
| Royal Splendour | All courts & galleries + exclusive access to the private rooms of Chandra Mahal (main royal residence) with personal guide | ₹3,000 | ₹1,500 | Free | NA | ₹3,500 | ₹2,000 | NA |
| Royal Grandeur | All courts & galleries + condensed access to Chandra Mahal (main royal residence) with personal guide | ₹1,500 | ₹1,000 | Free | NA | ₹2,000 | ₹1,500 | NA |
Ideal Time To Visit City Palace Jaipur
If we talk about the season, Winter is naturally the best time to visit Jaipur. Also, festivals such as Holi, Sankranti, Teej, Dussehra and Diwali are celebrated by the City Palace Jaipur with great aplomb bringing together the locals and royals. Thus, you can time your visit during one of these Indian festivals as well to witness the grand celebrations.
The detailed 3-hour guided tour of City Palace is open anytime between 9:30 am to 5:30 pm, with the last ticket sold at 5 pm. In terms of the time of the day, it actually depends on your preferences. Since most of the tour involves indoor galleries, we found the morning to afternoon time to be quite pleasant.
However, if you wish to attend the night museum and sound & light show, the smartest way to make the most of your visit would be to reach the palace by 3 pm and go for the 3-hour guided tour. Once it’s done, you can rest for half an hour and then proceed to the night museum (at 6:30 pm) and attend the sound-light show (at 7:30 pm).
How To Reach City Palace Jaipur?
City Palace is situated in the heart of Jaipur. So, you will easily find taxis, autos, tuk-tuk and local buses to reach the palace premises from any part of town. One of the most immersive and fun ways to commute within Jaipur is to hop on an open tuk-tuk. You can soak in the sights of the city as you move around.
Places To Visit Near City Palace Jaipur
- Amer Fort
- Jantar Mantar
- Hawa Mahal
- Johari Bazar
- Jal Mahal
- Jaigarh Fort
- Panna Meena Ka Kund
- Nahargarh Fort
- Albert Hall Museum
- Museum Of Meenakari Heritage
- Sisodia Rani Ka Bagh
- Amrapali Museum
- Jagat Shiromani Temple
TWT Experience Summary Of City Palace Jaipur
Honestly, when we first reached the entry gate and learnt that the complete tour of City Palace costs INR 3,000 per ticket (for Indians), we were slightly skeptical. We were wondering if it would be worth our hard-earned money, or if we should rather skip it.
But, we took a chance and by the time we completed the 3-hour-long tour, we were fully satisfied and it felt that the ticket price was worth it. Especially to see so many private spaces of a living royal palace, the regal works of art on display, and the grand architecture of the various buildings left us absolutely mesmerized.
We were also happy that besides getting a sneak peek of the royal lifestyle, we could also get a taste of the local culture and craftsmanship. Thanks to the puppet shows and souvenir stores, which also provided a platform to talented artists.
Oh and how can I forget, the photographs you click here will later surely take you on a nostalgic trip of how you lived the royal life for a day.
Timings: 9:30 am to 5:30 pm
Entry fee: INR 100 to INR 3500
Location: Google Maps
Frequently Asked Questions About City Palace Jaipur
- Can City Palace Jaipur be accessed by a wheelchair?
One of the most heartwarming parts of Jaipur’s City Palace is that several parts of it are wheelchair-friendly. Even the 7-storey Chandra Mahal with the most exquisite rooms is mostly connected through sloped ramps instead of staircases, making it very convenient for tourists on wheelchairs.
- Does Jaipur’s City Palace offer guided tours?
City Palace can be toured with both human guides and audio guides in several languages. The guided tours are highly recommended, as you will be explained in detail about each section and will also be taken to the lesser known parts of the palace. You could be quite clueless without a guide, as it’s a massive place.
- Are tourists allowed inside City Palace’s Chandra Mahal?
Tourists are allowed into Chandra Mahal (private residence of the royal family) only with a special ticket called Royal Grandeur or Royal Splendour, which costs between INR 1,000-3,500 per person, depending on your age and nationality.
- Can photography be done inside City Palace Jaipur?
Photography is allowed in most parts of Jaipur’s City Palace, except for the museum galleries.
- How many hours are required to explore City Palace?
You will easily need a little over 3 hours to explore City Palace completely. Plus, you can spend additional time here if you’re staying for the night museum and light-sound show.
Frequent Traveler? Here’S Some More Travel Goodness From Us:
