In case you plan a trip to this place, you should take into account a few useful tips:

1.First of all it’s important to know that you have a few options you may choose from, when it comes to the way you can get to the Amber Fort. The fort is situated at a 20-minute drive from Jaipur. In case you travel on your own and you don’t have an agency to take care of your transport, you can use the public transport, a rented car or a taxi.

Even though it is the cheapest option, I don’t recommend the public transport because their buses are really crowded and dirty. In case you decide to rent a car, you should take into account the chaotic traffic in Jaipur and the fact that there are few parking spaces in the area. The best options to get to the fort and enjoy your visit there are to choose an organized tour or to rent a car, but with a driver at your disposal.

2.After reaching the parking area, you should know that you have three options to get to the fort. You can choose an elephant ride around the ruins of the fabulous Amber Fort, you can go by jeep or you can simply walk. If you choose the four-wheel drive you should know that there is a jeep that comes every 60 minutes and if you choose to walk you should know that it will take you about a half an hour to get to the fort.

An important and also disappointing aspect is the fact that travel agencies promote these elephant rides because they are more profitable. This is why they will give you the impression that these rides are the only option you have to get to the fort.

3.I advise you to inform yourself about the places you are going to visit inside the complex, especially if you don’t have a guide at your disposal. There are a lot of interesting places inside the Amber Fort and reading about them will help you decide upon the most beautiful and interesting ones.

4.If you can, you should spend an entire day inside the Amber Fort. Unfortunately, I spend only the first half of the day there and I couldn’t enjoy the evening activities. You should know that in the evening, you can admire the image of the lighted fort from the bottom of the hill or you can enjoy a classical dance program which takes place in Sukh Mahal. You have to pay a fee if you want to watch this show. The icing on the cake is the fact that after dark, you will have the opportunity to watch a gorgeous light show.

5.Bring water with you because the temperature is pretty high inside the temples. Don’t worry in case you run out of water because there is a restaurant inside the complex, called Surabhi, where you can have a meal or a drink. During dinner you can enjoy puppet shows and traditional songs inside this restaurant.

All things considered, there is one more thing left to do. Plan your trip and enjoy it to the fullest!

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The entire area is simply gorgeous and gives you the feeling that you are in the middle of a fairytale setting. Situated 11 kilometers away from Jaipur, in Amer, a part of the Jaipur Municipal Corporation, the Amber Fort or the Amer Fort is considered the main tourist attraction in the area.

The Amber Fort was built in the 16^th century, by Raja Shri Maan Singh Ji I, who was a brave general and also the chief army leader of the Mogul Emperor Akbar.

Made of red sandstone and white marble, the fort displays beautiful motifs from both the Hindu and the Muslim architectural style. Huge fortifications with large gates and courtyards, impressive ramparts, temples and palaces with gorgeous interior gardens are just a few of the places you can visit in the fort.

The entire complex is divided into four courtyards connected to each others. There are many places you can admire inside the complex, but in my opinion, you should definitely not miss the following ones:

The Jaleb Chowk is the main courtyard of the complex and the place where the emperor used to gather his armies. The courtyard is a huge open space where the armies used to hold their victory parades.

On the right side of the Jaleb Chowk there are a few stairs which lead to Shila Devi Temple, a place dedicated to Ganesha, a Hindu deity whose image is carved in a single piece of coral. The temple was also dedicated to goddess Shila, who was considered the incarnation of Kali, the goddess of death and time and the symbol of motherly-love. According to the legend this is the place where different sacrifices happened in order to help the army win its battles.

I really enjoyed visiting the Jaleb Chowk which seems to be the meeting point for a lot of tourists who are eager to start their journey in Amber Fort. Even though the celebrations are long gone, the walls of the courtyard are silent witnesses of the events that used to go on here.

If you follow the main stairway you will reach the second courtyard. Here you can spend a few moments of relaxation in the Diwan-i-Am or the Hall of Public Audience, which was the place where the emperor used to listen to his subjects’ complains. Built on two rows of pillars and embellished with double rows of columns and latticed galleries, this large hall seems to have a more intimate vibe.

Considered the most exquisite part of the Amber Fort, the third courtyard shelters the emperor’s private quarters. This is the place where tourists can find out interesting details about the private life of the royal family.  The access to this courtyard is made through the Ganesh Pol, a gate embellished with arches and mosaics.

Here, you can visit the Diwan-i-Khas or the Hall of Private Audience, which was the place where the emperor used to meet his officials and friends.

Even though this hall stands out because of its stunning mosaic glass work, the icing on the cake is the next building, called the Sheesh Mahal or the Palace of Mirrors. The ceiling and the walls of the Sheesh Mahal are covered in tiny mirrors embellished with floral paintings.

According to the legend, the emperor ordered the construction of this palace for one of his empresses who loved admiring the stars, but who was not allowed to sleep outside, due to religious beliefs. It is said that if two candles were lit in this palace, their reflection in the mirrors looked like thousands of stars in the sky. Its interesting and unique appearance made the Palace of Mirrors the perfect setting for a few movies and videos.

Opposite this palace, you will discover the Sukh Niwas (Sukh Mahal) or the Hall of Pleasure. This place was used by the emperor, his empresses and his mistresses as a resting place.  An ancient method was used to keep this hall cool. A small canal filled with cold water was passing through the hall in order to form air vapors, with the purpose of cooling the air.

The fourth courtyard of the fort could be described as an interesting one. The royal women and the mistresses used to live in this part of the palace. They were known as the Zenana. Even the empresses and the empress mother lived here. This part of the palace was very secluded and the emperor could visit his empresses and mistresses without being seen by anyone.

Besides these four lovely courtyards, there is another part of the Amber Fort which deserves your attention. I am talking about the Mogul Garden or Kesar Kyari, a place situated in the middle of Maota Lake. The star-shaped flower beds of the garden can be admired from the top of the fort. These flower beds were once planted with saffron, but today because of the climate changes, this plant doesn’t grow here anymore.

Visiting the interesting ruins of the Amber Fort was one of the most interesting experiences that I have lived in India. All things considered, in case you ever get to the city of Jaipur, you should definitely add the Amber Fort to your trip list.

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I have always considered these places really interesting, because they hide the traces of long-forgotten times.

This interest of mine was the reason why I have always added this type of places to my trip itinerary. A proper example in this regard is the City Palace, which was the first planed city of medieval India and also the home of a lot of royal families.

Built by Maharaja Sawai Singh II, this place consists of a complex of courtyards, gardens and buildings which seem to still dominate the Old City of Jaipur. The City Palace covers quite a large area and the pleasure of walking can be easily combined with the one of exploring the interesting buildings.

After visiting this complex, I strongly believe that there are three buildings which deserve to be visited. The first one is the Mubarak Mahal, the palace of welcoming the tourists in the complex. Also called the Auspicious Palace, it shelters an interesting museum with a vast collection of royal costumes, delicate cashmere shawls, silk saris and other dresses with interesting prints and folk embroidery. The second one, the Maharani’s Palace, is the palace of the queen and it displays a very well-preserved collection of weapons and a beautiful collection of paintings. The third one is the Chandra Mahal, a beautiful building that is still home to the last ruling royal family.

I could say a lot of other things about the City Palace, but words are not enough to portray the essence of this place. This is why you should take a look at the following pictures and decide for yourself if this place is worth visiting.

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Built in the 18^th century by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the site consists of nineteen astronomical instruments which have the role of measuring time, tracking celestial bodies and observing the orbits of the planets around the sun.

All the instruments are made of stone, marble and bronze, materials specially chosen to have a higher resistance, taking into account the fact that the site is an outdoor space. The interesting shapes of these instruments have drawn the attention of a lot of architects, artists and historians, because a few of them are still a mystery nowadays.

The Jantar Mantar is not the only astronomical observatory built in India, a country shrouded in the mysteries of astronomy. There are quite a few astronomical observatories in India and five of them are built by the same architect, Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II. The Jantar Mantal is located in Jaipur, the capital and the largest city in the state of Rajasthan.

An interesting detail about this place is the fact that there is an Interpretation Center inside the site, where you can find out a lot of information about the principles and the history of astronomy. The icing on the cake is the fact that you will also have the chance to get your own astrological report, in case you want to pay a tax. I must confess that I wasn’t curious to find out what my future holds. In case you are not curious either, you should still give a chance to this place because it is very interesting.

In addition, it’s very easy to get there because it is situated in the center of the city, between the Hawa Mahal and the City Palace, two other important tourist attractions in Jaipur. If I haven’t convinced you yet to visit the Jantar Mantar, maybe the following pictures will do a better job.

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After Delhi, this is the second city I have visited during my stay in India. Jaipur is the largest city in Rajasthan, a state situated in the north-west of India.

It is hard not to notice that pink is the dominant color in the city when the walls of so many buildings are painted in this color. In Jaipur I had the chance to see and admire so many lovely shades of pink. It is said that Jaipur, one of the most beautiful and vibrant cities in India, was painted pink in 1876 when the Prince of Wales and Queen Victoria visited the country. This is the reason why Jaipur is also called the Pink City. Nowadays, the residents of Jaipur are compelled by law to maintain the color pink.

The founder of the city, Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, was a great warrior and astronomer and this is why the city bears strong historical and astronomical traces.

Together with Delhi and Agra, Jaipur is part of the Golden Triangle of India and for good reason. The multitude of tourist attractions and interesting experiences that can be lived here, make Jaipur one of the jewels of India. No matter how you choose to spend your time there, there are a few places you should definitely not miss:

1.You should visit the City Palace and discover the simplicity of the old times. The City Palace Complex is divided into two parts: the Mubarak Mahal or the Auspicious Palace (the palace of welcoming the tourists in the City Palace) and the Maharani’s Palace (the palace of the queen). The first one shelters a museum which displays a vast collection of royal costumes, delicate cashmere shawls, silk saris and other dresses with interesting prints and folk embroidery. The second one displays a very well-preserved collection of weapons and a beautiful collection of paintings.

A visit to this place will give you the chance to admire an interesting blend between the Mogul, the Rajput and the European architecture. An interesting aspect about this place is the fact that a private section of this complex is still home for the last ruling royal family.

2.You should plunge into the mysteries of astronomy and visit the Jantar Mantar which is an astronomical observation site built in the early 18^th century. One of the five astronomical observatories built by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the Jantar Mantar is the largest one. Consisting of nineteen geometric devices, it was built with the purpose of measuring time, tracking celestial bodies and observing the planets around the sun.

In case you are curious to find out what your future looks like, you should know that there is an Interpretation Center inside the complex. This center offers you the chance to contact an astrologer from whom you can get a complete astrological report. You can also find out valuable information about the principles and the history of the observatory if you visit the Interpretation Center.

3.You could visit the magnificent Hawa Mahal, a beautiful palace whose architecture combines two styles, the Hindu and the Islamic one. Made of red and pink sandstone and embellished with small latticed windows, Hawa Mahal is built in the shape of the crown of Lord Krishna, a Hindu god.

Situated in the heart of Jaipur, Hawa Mahal or the Palace of the Winds was built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh. The purpose of this construction was to provide the royal ladies a view of everyday life through the windows, as they never appeared in public. According to the religion principles, the women were not allowed to appear in public without covering their faces.

4.You should definitely admire the beautiful Jal Mahal, which is one of the most wonderful palaces in Jaipur. Made of light colored sandstone, the Jal Mahal or the Lake Palace, the way it is also called, seems to float in the middle of Man Sagar Lake. Enjoying the image of the palace floating in the middle of the lake is simply amazing.

5.You can enjoy an elephant ride while you explore the ruins of the fabulous Amber Fort, which is one of the most beautiful places in the area of Jaipur. Hidden in the heart of the Aravalli Hills, 11 kilometers away from Jaipur, this complex of ruins is placed in a fairytale setting.

Made of red sandstone and white marble, the architecture of the complex combines two styles, the Hindu and the Muslim one. It will be a real delight to discover the contrast between the simple exterior and the welcoming interior design. The experience of reaching the top of the fortress on an elephant will perfectly complete the pleasure of discovering the beautiful courtyards, halls and walls.

6.You could visit the local bazaars and practice your negotiation skills. From spices and clothes to different types of services, everything is negotiable in the Indian bazaars. Any visit to Jaipur should start and end in the local bazaars, where you can find different goods at really low prices. It goes without saying that you should drive a hard bargain if you really want to get the prices you are willing to pay for. You should know that Indians usually try to charge tourists ten times more for every product.

7.Take a walk in the central area of the city where you will have the chance to admire the lively monkeys that live here. It is said that they are organized in groups and that they become aggressive when it comes to their territory. You can feed them with bananas and other fruit, but while doing this you should take care of your personal belongings in case you don’t want them to be stolen by these monkey thieves.

I also advise you to watch a few documentary movies about these monkeys before you go to Jaipur. There are a few good movies which present the life of these monkeys.

Even though there is so much more to discover about Jaipur, these are in my opinion, the things you should definitely not miss during your stay there. Add Jaipur to your trip list and you will not regret it!

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