A date with Udaipur

WHAT TO DO IN UDAIPUR:

You can reach Udaipur by either flying in, taking the train or taking a bus from Ahmedabad like we did. It hardly takes 5-6 hours. We left by midnight from Ahmedabad and were in Udaipur early next morning.

CITY PALACE:

City Palace

First things first visit the city palace. Situated by the banks of the lake Pichola, it is a beautiful palace. Though the rooms are tiny individually you pass through various areas - some rooms, some gardens, some terraces.

You can easily spend a couple of hours exploring the palace, then maybe go on a boat ride to a temple or just sit by the banks and admire the city of Udaipur.

You can spend your time looking at the lake, the Taj hotel is located in an island on this lake. It sure is picturesque.

Photo of City Palace, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India by Neha Ballal

ROAM THE STREETS OF OLD CITY NEAR THE PALACE:

Located near the city palace, explore the narrow streets, eat their snacks and shop for local goodies in the market sprawled all over the area. Early mornings are the best to eat their hot Kachoris and drink chai.

Get into one of their havelis by the lake and watch a beautiful sunset, see the pigeons fly against the backdrop. Check out some of the setting where James Bond was shot. Watch the movie play in one of the restaurants too, maybe?

Bagore Ki Haveli:

Bagore Ki Haveli Museum

This haveli houses a beautiful museum and a view of the lake where you can sit and spend the evening. The interiors of the Haveli are embellished with intricate and fine mirror work.You can occupy one of the balconies facing the lake and spend as much time as you want. The balcony next to ours was occupied by 2 foreigners playing the Ukulele so the evening turned out to be musical for us. We even got to see a musical play enacted by the locals at this Haveli about the tradition of the place.

HAVE KULHAD COFFEE:

Fateh Sagar Lake

These can be had in any of the numerous little shops located by lake Fateh sagar. These eateries have everything from hot bowls of maggi to amazing coffee in the mud cups. It was definitely one of the best coffees I have ever had.

What not to do in Udaipur or maybe more of how to get a free stay in Udaipur:

Zostel Udaipur

Us being smart people, did not book a room in Udaipur and just went and sat by the lake near the city palace. Zostel is located right next to the lake and we asked them if we could keep our bags there while we spent the evening by the lake and got back to the bus stand by midnight to get a bus back to Ahmadabad. They obliged.

We sat by the lake till 11 in the night and then decided to leave, only to realize there were absolutely no autos anywhere near the palace. And all the hotels and rooms were also closed. And it was getting cold. The breeze from the river was getting cooler.

So here is what we ended up doing- pushing the Zostel door, walking in, found 2 mattress laid out at the library part of the Zostel, fell asleep there, woke up by 6.30 next morning due to people talking about why 4 guys were sleeping on the floor, woke up the Zostel owner saying we used to floor of their library, what do we pay. He just told us to book our beds from next time!

So that's how you get one night of free stay when in Udapiur. Thank you Zostel!!