Udaipur by Luxury Train

Known across India as the City of Lakes and often called the most romantic city on the subcontinent, Udaipur was founded in 1559 by Maharana Udai Singh II as the new capital of Mewar, replacing the hilltop fortress of Chittorgarh. Its setting is unlike anywhere else in Rajasthan: white marble palaces rise directly from the waters of Lake Pichola, havelis with carved balconies crowd narrow lanes painted in whitewash and ochre, and the Aravalli Hills ring the whole scene in a soft blue haze. Where Jaipur dazzles with pink sandstone and Jodhpur with indigo-blue rooftops, Udaipur seduces with reflection and water, earning it the nickname 'Venice of the East.'

Udaipur is one of the great set-piece stops on India's luxury rail circuit, and both the Maharajas' Express and the Palace on Wheels include it on their Rajasthan itineraries. Guests typically arrive to a private welcome at the station before being driven to the City Palace complex and Lake Pichola for a sunset boat ride — a fitting introduction to a city built around water, royalty, and reflection.

Beyond its palaces, Udaipur remains the cultural heart of Mewar, a Rajput dynasty that never fully submitted to Mughal rule, and that proud, independent history still colors the city's temples, forts, and festivals today. Travelling here by luxury train turns a single city into part of a grander royal narrative — one that connects Udaipur to Jaipur, Jodhpur, and the deserts of Rajasthan in unbroken comfort.

City Palace

Perched on the eastern bank of Lake Pichola, this is the largest palace complex in Rajasthan, built up over nearly 400 years by successive Maharanas of Mewar. Its courtyards, mirrored halls, and painted chambers — including the Peacock Courtyard (Mor Chowk) with its glazed-tile mosaics — open onto sweeping lake and city views, and part of the complex still serves as a royal residence and museum.

Lake Pichola

This artificial lake, dating to 1362 and enlarged by Udai Singh II, is the visual heart of Udaipur. A sunset boat ride past the City Palace ghats, Jag Mandir, and the Lake Palace is one of the defining experiences of any visit.

Lake Palace (Jag Niwas)

Floating seemingly on the surface of Lake Pichola, this white marble palace was built in 1746 as a royal summer retreat and is now a landmark heritage hotel, best admired from the water or the City Palace ramparts.

Jag Mandir

An island palace of yellow sandstone and marble, begun in the early 1600s, notable for its elephant-lined ghat and for having sheltered a young Prince Khurram (the future Mughal emperor Shah Jahan) during a period of exile.

Jagdish Temple

A grand Indo-Aryan temple completed in 1651, a short walk from the City Palace, dedicated to Lord Vishnu (as Jagannath) and adorned with intricately carved pillars, elephant friezes, and a towering shikhara.

Saheliyon ki Bari (Garden of the Maidens)

A serene 18th-century garden built for the ladies of the royal court, filled with marble elephants, lotus pools, and fountains fed entirely by gravity — a rare pocket of green calm in the city.

Bagore ki Haveli

An 18th-century mansion on the Gangaur Ghat with over a hundred rooms, now a museum of Mewari costume, art, and daily life, and the venue for an evening Rajasthani folk dance performance including the famous fire dance.

Fateh Sagar Lake

A quieter, hillier counterpart to Lake Pichola, connected to it by a canal, with boat rides out to Nehru Garden island and fine views of the Aravalli hills at dusk.

Monsoon Palace (Sajjangarh)

A hilltop palace built in the late 19th century as a monsoon retreat and astronomical outpost, offering the best panoramic views over Udaipur and its lakes, especially at sunset.

Udaipur's cuisine reflects the arid, resourceful kitchens of Mewar, built on lentils, gram flour, milk, and preserved vegetables, alongside the royal Rajput tradition of rich, spiced meat dishes once prepared for hunting expeditions.

• Dal Baati Churma — Rajasthan's signature dish: hard-baked wheat balls (baati) cracked open and doused in ghee, served with spiced lentils (dal) and a sweet crumbled wheat-and-jaggery churma.
• Gatte ki Sabzi — gram-flour dumplings simmered in a tangy, spiced yogurt gravy, a classic vegetarian dish born of a land with little fresh produce.
• Laal Maas — a fiery Rajput mutton curry stained deep red with whole Mathania chillies, once a hunters' delicacy of the Mewar and Marwar courts.
• Ker Sangri — a desert speciality of wild ker berries and sangri beans, tart and earthy, cooked with dried mango powder and spices.
• Mirchi Bada and Kachori — street-side favourites, from stuffed fried chillies to flaky, spiced lentil-filled pastries, best sampled around the Bapu Bazaar and Hathi Pol lanes.
• Ghewar and Malpua — festive Rajasthani sweets, a disc-shaped honeycombed dessert soaked in sugar syrup and a rosewater-scented pancake, respectively.

For dining with a view, lakeside terraces around Lal Ghat and rooftop restaurants overlooking Lake Pichola and the City Palace are Udaipur specialities in themselves — a glass of masala chai or a thandai at sunset, with the palace lights coming on across the water, is as much a part of the city's gastronomy as any single dish.