City Palace Udaipur: Best Time to Visit, Entry Fees & Activities

Step through the Badi Pol that literally means great gate into the mesmerizing City Palace, Udaipur located on the banks of Lake Pichola. The construction of this largest palace complex in Rajasthan was initiated by Maharana Udai Singh & was completed by his successors over a period of almost 400 years. Besides the construction that started in the year 1559 lasted till the 18th century. An architectural wonder, it is also one of the most visited tourist spot apart from Hathipole market.

A mesmerizing blend of European, Medieval & Chinese architecture, the palace is built with local materials like granite & marble. Twenty two generations of Sisodia Rajputs have made contributions in varying degrees to the architecture of the palace that consists of beautiful courtyards, winding corridors, palatial rooms and lush green gardens. Fur thermore, City palace has featured in several Hollywood & Bollywood films including Octopussy & Goliyoon Ki Raasleela Ram Leela. The palace also depicts the rise of the city of Udaipur.

After Badi Pol, pass a triple-arched gate known as Tripolia Pol to enter the palace. From here on till the palace, the street is lined with shops selling souvenirs & textiles. The courtyard accessed from Tripolia Pol is known as Manak Chowk, used for royal celebrations in the past. Next to Badi pol,  a wall stands witness to a time when elephant fights were conducted. Additionally, between the two gates, is the Toran pol. It is said that the royal bridegroom touched the wooden structure in front of the toran pol with his sword before entering the bride's house.

Ganesha Deodi terrace built by Maharana Karan Singh leads to the main palace block. The palace complex interiors are a mix of carved marble work, delicate mirror work & a touch of colored glass. From the several terraces, admire the serene lake pichola and unhindered views of Udaipur city. Do not miss the intricate paintings that showcase the famous Maharana Pratap & his horse Chetak during Haldighati war. Additionally, other paintings depict royal festivals, celebrations, aspects of royal life such as hunting in an exquisite & colorful manner. Besides, one gets to see the heavy artillery & armor worn by Maharana Pratap during his royal life fraught with several wars. Another section shows how Maharana Pratap used elephant masks on his horses during fighting Mughals. Moreover, in 2013 the museum added another legendary piece to it's collection- the classic spectacles worn by Ben Kingsley in the film Gandhi.

City Palace complex comprises of eleven wonderful palaces built in a homogeneous manner by different rulers. The first royal section built is known as Rai Angan. Similarly other parts known as Bada Mahal, Moti Mahal, Sheesh Mehal, Krishna Vilas, Mor Chowk are equally mesmerizing. Furthermore, Jagdish Temple one of the most beautiful temples in Rajasthan is located in the premises.

Do keep two hours for the entire tour & hire a professional guide that will charge around INR 300 at the palace complex. Moreover, for City Palace Udaipur ticket online booking, click here

City Palace Udaipur Timings:

Open from 9:30 am in the morning till 5:30 pm in the evening all 7 days of the week.

City Palace & Museum Entry Fees:

City Palace entry fees is INR 30 for adults and INR15 for children. 

The entry fees to the City Palace Museum is INR 300 for adults, INR 200 for senior citizens & INR 100 for Children. In addition, children below 5 years of age can enter for free. Moreover, there are separate tariffs for boat rides from the palace to Jag Mandir.

Best Time to Visit City Palace:

Winter months from November till March offer a pleasant experience. Besides, morning time is great to avoid crowds.

What More Can I Do Here:

Parts of palace- Fateh Prakash Palace and the Shiv Niwas Palace are now transformed into heritage hotels. Guests can choose to stay here or enjoy meals or refreshments here. Udaipur city palace can be hired for weddings too & details can be acquired at the location.