Top 2 Incredible Palaces to Visit in Jodhpur (2024)

Located in the Indian state of Rajasthan, Jodhpur is well – known throughout the country for being one extraordinary city with rich history, colorful traditions, royal palaces, architectural brilliance, warm hospitality and delicious cuisine. The city usually reserves one of the top slots in the bucket list of many travellers, especially of the history buffs, architecture lovers and photographers. In fact, if it has always been a fantasy for you to explore a royal palace from inside or even stay at one and being pampered just like a royal person, then the city of Jodhpur is just meant for you. Founded long back in 1459 A.D. by Rao Jodha, the city of Jodhpur invites visitors from all over the world to behold the charisma of the past. The land treats its tourists preciously with the grandeur of the past and offers them a plenty of exciting things to do. Also known by the name of ‘Blue City’, the Jodhpur city is well – deserved to be referred as the crown of the Rajasthan state. Does the city of Jodhpur leave you curious and intrigued? If yes, then continue reading to know more!

Best Time To Visit Jodhpur

The city of Jodhpur receives visitors from all over the country and hence is considered as one of the top tourist places to visit in Rajasthan. As you would already know that being an arid land, the state of Rajasthan in general experiences mostly a hot and dry weather throughout the course of the year and the Jodhpur city is no exception to these climatic conditions. During the summer season with the temperatures soaring really high, the city can be extremely hot to the point of being unbearable. Hence, you should definitely try to avoid visiting the city during the scorching heat of summers. On the contrary, with temperatures dipping as low as to 0 degree Celsius for a few days in the peak winters, the season can be a bit cold. Despite the cold, the winter season is considered as a good time to explore and go sightseeing the city. Hence, if you are looking for the best time to visit Jodhpur, then it will probably be somewhere in the winter months which begin from the month of October and last till the month of February.

Top Palaces to visit in Jodhpur

When it comes to glorious past, royal palaces and mighty forts, the Jodhpur city boasts of being a home to a plenty of them. No matter whether you judge the palaces on the basis of their architecture, history or beauty, they are truly a delight to explore. In this article, we have made a list of some of the top palaces to visit in Jodhpur for you.

They are given as follows:

1. Umaid Bhavan Palace

Boasting of being one of the last constructed palaces in the country, this majestic palace located in the state of Rajasthan is undoubtedly one of the most popular tourist places to visit in Jodhpur. The reason which makes the UmaidBhavan Palace so important setting it apart from the rest is that it is one of the largest private residences present across the globe. Reflecting the princely era of Jodhpur, a visit to this majestic palace means stepping into scrumptious luxury. At the moment, the entire UmaidBhavan Palace is divided into three major areas, out of which one part is still owned by the royal family of the Jodhpur city. Among the other two areas, while one area is converted into a luxurious heritage hotel which boasts of offering its visitors a memorable, rich and royal experience, while the other part is turned into an informative museum which displays some precious art pieces that belong to the royal age including artefacts belonging to the royals, trophies, weapons, cutleries, banners gifted by Queen Victoria, etc. Housing plenty of galleries showcasing several regal items, the palace is a treat to explore for anyone and everyone. In fact, some of the prominent galleries that you can visit in the palace premises are the one that displays a series of royal clocks, one displaying a vast collection of royal vintage cars, and so on. No matter whichever part of the palace you are visiting, grandeur and beauty is nestled in every nook and corner of this majestic palace. Not only historically relevant but the palace is well – known for its brilliant construction and architecture as well.Image Source

1. History: Long back in history, somewhere in the 1920s the Jodhpur city, erstwhile Marwar was hit by a great famine. In order to find some relief, the people approached Maharaja Umaid Singh for help. Fortunately, the king in order to provide employment to the people, generously commissioned a new palace. This simple gesture of him resulted in being a major help to people in surviving the difficult time of famine. Built for the noble cause of providing employment to the farmers of Jodhpur, over the time this majestic palace emerged as a symbol of hope in times of trouble. The UmaidBhavan Palace was built between the years 1928 and 1943 under the reign of Maharaja Umaid Singh and was named after him too.
2. Architecture: Boasting of being the largest private residence across the world, the UmaidBhavan Palace is one exquisite structure. It is believed that this majestic palace was designed by Henry Lanchester, who was one of the renowned architects of the past times. As far as the architectural style of the palace is concerned, the style of palace appears to have drawn influences from both, the eastern and western style of architecture.
3. Highlights of the Umaid Bhavan Palace: The palace has about 347 rooms, a private museum, indoor swimming pool, wood – panelled library, billiard rooms, unique marble squash courts and tennis courts. All of these wonderful facilities and features makes it one of the most magnificent structures in Jaipur. There is one majestic 105 – foot tall cupola constructed in the Renaissance style which draws a lot of attention.
4. Timings: The UmaidBhavan Palace is open for visitors from 9 AM till 5 PM on days from Sunday till Saturday.
   1. Umaid Bhavan Palace Museum: Talking about the Umaid Bhavan Palace Museum, it is open from 10 AM till 5 PM on days from Monday till Saturday. The timings are tentative, so it is better to check once before going.
5. Entry Fee: For exploring the UmaidBhavan Palace, the visitors have to pay a meagre entry fee. If you are an Indian citizen, then the entry fee for you is just Rs. 25 per person, while for the foreign travellers, the entry fee is Rs. 50 per person.
   1. Umaid Bhavan Palace Museum: For entering the UmaidBhavan Palace Museum, the entry fee for foreign travellers is Rs. 100 per person. However, for the Indian citizens, the entry fee for adults is Rs. 30 per person and for children, it is Rs. 10 per person.
6. Location: Circuit House Rd, Cantt Area, Jodhpur, Rajasthan

2. Bal Samand Lake Palace

Nestled right on the shores of the clear and serene Bal Samand Lake, Bal Samand Lake Palace is undoubtedly one of the most spectacular palaces to visit in Jodhpur. Be it the stunning architecture, the glorious past or the sprawling orchards of lime, pomegranate or the beautiful landscaped garden interwoven by elegant waterways, the palace exudes a unique charm which makes it all the more irresistible for visitors to not visit it. In the recent years, this exquisite historic palace has been beautifully transformed into one of the best heritage hotels in Jodhpur city. Standing as a testimony of the eclectic fusion of the old – world charm along with the modern muse, this luxury heritage hotel allows one to transcend into a fairy tale of their own. Sprawling over 60 acres of private estate frilled with manicured lawns and beautiful gardens, the palace has a lovely picturesque setting which attracts a plenty of newlyweds or couples for a romantic getaway. In short, if you are someone who wishes to enjoy being pampered like a royalty while not leaving the privileges of modern facilities, then this hotel should be your must-visit place in Jodhpur.

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1. History: Located at a distance of about 5 km from the city centre of the beautiful Blue City, Balsamand lake is considered as a lake of mythical proportions. This mesmerising lake which extends over 1 km in length, 15 m in depth and 50 m in breath, is an artificial reservoir that was designed to provide drinking water to the city. Although the lake was built long back in the 12th century, the Balsamand Palace was built a lot later in the 17th century by the great Maharaja Jaswant Singh I of Jodhpur. This majestic palace once served as a summer residence for the Maharajas of Jodhpur.
2. Architecture: Built out of special Jodhpur red sandstone, Balsamand Lake Palace is one popular heritage mansion which exemplifies a stunning traditional ornate Rajputana style of architecture. This vast property which has been turned into a popular heritage hotel now features 36 spacious rooms which are divided into three major categories- Garden Rooms, Maharani Suites and Regal Suites. Each of the room comes with its own unique features. While the exterior appearance of the palace is typically traditional, the interiors offer the comfort of modern facilities.
3. Highlights of the Balsamand lake Palace: The hotel houses a sparkling swimming pall, a conference hall as well as great restaurants which offer a wonderful fine dining experience with their delicious Indian and Mediterranean style of cuisine. Some of the facilities offered at the hotel include free Wi-Fi, astrologer on call, minibar, travel desk, room service and a lot more.
4. Timings and Cost: Since the beautiful Balsamand Lake Palace has been turned into a stunning heritage hotel, you have to stay in the hotel for exploring it from inside. The hotel is open for guests for all 24 hours, so that they can easily make the bookings and choose to stay in the room of their choice. The cost of stay varies depending upon the kind of room you choose to stay in and the other facilities you used.
5. Location: Mandore Rd, Mandore, Jodhpur, Rajasthan 342026

1. Distance from Airport: The nearest airport is Jodhpur international airport which is about 1 km from the palace.
2. Distance from Railways: The nearest railway station is Jodhpur railway station which is about 2.5 km from the palace.

The city is generously blessed in terms of natural beauty, glorious past as well as series of interesting sightseeing attractions. While there may be a wide range of places of interest in the city, but if you truly wish to have a glimpse of the royal past, life and culture of the city, then the beautiful palaces of Jodhpur should be your top priority in the travel itinerary. Make sure to visit one of them, for an incredible experience.