Jaipur in 2 days: what to see, in what order

The water palace that seems to float in the middle of Man Sagar Lake, its lower floors under water. You cannot go inside. You stop on the promenade along the Amer road and take it in from the shore.

Tip: Stopping takes 15 minutes. Ask the driver to pause on the way to Amer.

A hilltop palace of pale yellow and pink sandstone above Maota Lake, built from the late 1500s by Raja Man Singh. Walk through the Diwan-i-Aam hall of public audience, then the Sheesh Mahal, where thousands of small mirrors light up from a single flame.

Tip: The climb from the lake is steep. Your cab can take the back road up to the parking near the Jaleb Chowk courtyard.

A 16th-century stepwell a short walk behind Amber Fort, with criss-cross stairs running down all four sides to the water. It is small, free, and one of the most photographed corners of Amer.

Tip: Guards often stop people walking down the steps. The view from the top edge is the one in the photos anyway.

The military fort on the ridge above Amber, built to guard it. It holds Jaivana, one of the largest cannons on wheels in the world, and long walls with views down over Amer and Maota Lake.

Tip: The road up is narrow and winding. Leave it to the driver and keep water with you.

A fort on the Aravalli ridge right above the Pink City, joined to Jaigarh by a road along the hilltops. Inside is the Madhavendra Bhawan, a set of identical suites built for the king's queens, and outside are the best views over Jaipur.

Tip: The palace closes before sunset, but the terrace cafes and viewpoints stay open into the evening.

The Palace of Winds, a five-storey pink facade with 953 small windows, built so the royal women could watch street life without being seen. It is only a screen a room or two deep, so the climb inside to the top is quick.

Tip: For the classic photo, cross the road to a rooftop cafe opposite.

A Krishna temple in the City Palace gardens, one of the most visited in Jaipur. The deity faces the palace so the king could see it from his rooms. At aarti time the hall fills with chanting devotees.

Tip: Shoes come off at the entrance. Check the aarti times posted at the gate.

The royal palace at the heart of the walled city, still home to Jaipur's former royal family. See the four painted gateways of Pritam Niwas Chowk, each for a season, and the two huge silver urns in the Diwan-i-Khas.

Tip: Jantar Mantar and Hawa Mahal are a few minutes' walk away, so the cab can wait while you see all three.

An open-air observatory of giant stone instruments built by Jai Singh II in the 1720s, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The tallest sundial still tells the local time to within a couple of seconds.

Tip: There is little shade. A guide at the gate makes the instruments far easier to follow.

The jewellers' bazaar of the Pink City, lined with shops selling silver, gemstones, Kundan jewellery and block-printed fabric. It is also where to try Jaipur sweets like ghewar.

Tip: Parking is hard. The driver drops you at one end and picks you up at the other.

Rajasthan's oldest museum, in an Indo-Saracenic building in Ram Niwas Garden. Its collection runs from carpets and armour to miniature paintings and an Egyptian mummy.

Tip: The building is floodlit after dark, and the square outside fills with pigeons and families.

A white marble Lakshmi Narayan temple built in 1988 below Moti Dungri hill. The walls and windows carry carvings and stained glass of Hindu stories, scripture and figures from history.

Tip: Moti Dungri Ganesh Temple is next door, so see them together.