Jaipur

Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan and the gateway to the Royal Rajasthan circuit, was founded in 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II as one of the world's first planned cities — a perfect grid of nine sectors based on Vastu Shastra principles, the entire old city later painted pink in 1876 to welcome the Prince of Wales. Today the Pink City's old quarter remains entirely walkable, and a single full day can cover Hawa Mahal's honeycomb façade, the City Palace's royal residence (still home to the Jaipur royal family), Jantar Mantar's 18th-century stone observatory (UNESCO World Heritage), and the bazaars of Johari, Bapu, and Tripolia for block-printed textiles, lac bangles, and silver jewellery. The next day belongs to Amer Fort, 11 km north — the hilltop sandstone-and-marble fortress with the famous Sheesh Mahal mirror palace. For vegetarian travellers, Jaipur is paradise: the entire Rajputana culinary tradition is largely plant-based, and the Rajasthani thali — dal-baati-churma, gatte ki sabzi, ker-sangri, kadhi, papad ki sabzi, and unlimited rotis with pure ghee — is one of the great vegetarian feasts on Earth. Pure-veg institutions like Laxmi Misthan Bhandar (LMB) on Johari Bazaar and Rawat Mishtan Bhandar (their pyaaz kachori is legendary) define the city's breakfast and snack culture. October to March is the comfortable window; April-June heat exceeds 42°C and is best avoided. Jaipur is the natural starting point for the 9-day Royal Rajasthan Loop continuing to Jodhpur, Udaipur, and Jaisalmer.