A Weekend in Udaipur

Stepping into Udaipur one feels an instant sense of a lost yet regal past. At every turn there seems to be a palace or luxurious hotels that resemble palaces. In fact there are more majestic looking places to stay in Udaipur than the old relics that the city has on display. The city itself is nestled between two lakes and one could almost cover all the major attractions on foot, except for the Monsoon Palace that is. The old by-lanes, filled with antique sellers, still lead up the City Palace. By evening, if one is lucky enough to stay in a hotel over looking one of the lakes, one can see a silhouette of a city that presides in an air of mystique.

Accommodation The Ram Pratap Palace :-

If one is looking for a reasonably priced place to stay, then the Ram Pratap Palace would be such a place. A quaint hotel that provides rooms which over look the Fateh Sagar Lake. On going up to the rooftop in the evenings, one can see the neighbouring areas slowly lighting itself up preparing for nightfall. The most intriguing part of the Ram Pratap is its restaurant located opposite it called the Raaj Bagh. A garden with tables and chairs, just on the side of the lake, with barbecue fires to provide warmth during the nights and tent’s to protect one from the scorching sun during the days. The restaurant truly has some of the most flavoursome and unique Indian cuisine in town. Another good place to eat is the Ambrai, situated in the Amet Haveli heritage hotel. The restaurant is a garden that over looks the lake Pichola and has some great Rajasthani food.

Palaces and Lakes:-

Besides shopping for apparels and trinkets, there are a few key things to see in the city. The City Palace for one which is a large never ending connection of rooms filled with miniature paintings, ornaments and history. At the palace one can buy a boat ride that goes around the Pichola Lake. This boat will ferry past the all famous Taj Lake Palace hotel; a palace converted into a hotel, in the middle of the lake, only accessible by boat and frightfully expensive. The ride will continue on to the Jag Mandir which is another venue in the midst of the lake. Here one can roam through the gardens and get a bite to eat in their bar/restaurant. There is another place worth visiting which is the Monsoon Palace. At the highest point of Udaipur lies a retreat in which Kings used to take refuge during the torrential rains. Once on top one can take in spectacular views of the mountainous parts of Udaipur with the city nestled far below.

As long as one is prepared to haggle with the locals [especially the rickshaw drivers], the city is truly a place of tranquillity.