When I visited India towards the end of 2025, Jaipur was definitely the most beautiful place that we stayed. Our trip was for a friend’s wedding so we turned it into a chance to explore some of the country’s cities as our annual leave and date restrictions meant we didn’t really have time to explore more of the remoter and more landscape or nature based locations that India has to offer.
Jaipur is a dazzling gem in the state of Rajasthan and is known as The Pink City. It’s full of palaces, heritage hotels and pastel coloured buildings and architecture everywhere you look. In the heart of The Pink City itself, much of the pink is looking quite the worse for wear and there were certainly parts of some of the Instagrammable locations below which could do with some more up to date TLC. However, read on for the most stunning Insta spots in Jaipur to make the most of photography on your trip.
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1. Hawa Mahal
Whilst I don’t tend to write my posts in any particular order it is fair to say that Hawa Mahal probably is the most Instagrammable place in Jaipur. It may also be fair to say that you’ve potentially already seen a picture of this stunning building although you perhaps have no idea this is what it’s actually called! I think this is possibly what I thought the Amber Fort looked like…oops!
Hawa Mahal is right in the heart of The Pink City and its name translates to Palace of Winds. It was built in 1799 and incorporates five floor of hundreds of windows. It was designed such that Royal women were able to look down on the parades and festivals that would happen in the street below but without being seen.
Right beside Hawa Mahal, there’s a section of pavement cordoned off for photos. I took the photo on the left here at night and it’s an interesting angle looking up. This spot is very busy and you won’t get a great photo with yourself in it. Head to Tattoo Cafe (7 below) for a more unrestricted view.
Top Tip – Booking Activities & Tours
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2. Amber Fort
The Amber Fort is slightly further out of Jaipur city and best visited first thing in the morning. This is because it does get very busy and because it’s the furthest out location so you can head back in towards the city centre afterwards. The Fort has so many stunning details to photograph that you’ll be pointing your camera everywhere! From windows that frame views perfectly to arches that are perfect for a skirt flick, this is truly a photography dream. The Sheesh Mahal (Mirror Palace) is one of the most beautiful corners.
A few tips for visiting. I would suggest that booking a tour or taxi for the day is the best way to visit. This is because when you leave, you’ll have someone to pick you up directly and don’t need to contend with the many tuk tuk drivers vying for your attention and for a steep price for your ride back. Another tip is that if you’re not visiting with a guide, there are lots of government approved tour guides at the entrance. Either this is really useful if you would like a guide and the price is consistent (400 rupees for 1-4 people) or it’s a bit of a hassle if you’ve already decided you don’t because they will keep coming up to you until you enter the fort. We decided not to take a guide because we were feeling quite exhausted by the end of our trip and just wanted to take it at our own pace, this also means a bit more freedom for taking photos.
One additional watch out and tip is don’t be fooled by someone ‘showing you a secret spot’. The spot may be secret but it’s also probably out of bounds and your friendly secret shower will ask for money. This is not particularly fun when you’re at the top of the fort and there’s quite a steep drop from the balcony. Please don’t follow them! Also, please don’t ride the elephants, it might seem like a novelty but seeing how they were treated just in public, let alone in private is enough to tell you not to.
3. City Palace
Next is the City Palace which is a royal residence in Jaipur. There are two types of ticket to visit. The first allows you access to the museums and the courtyards and costs 1000 INR for foreigners whilst the second takes in a tour with access to royal apartments and costs 5000 INR (over £40). Based on the vast price difference and some research into whether it’s worthwhile or not, we decided to opt for the cheaper ticket. The reality, for me, is that booking the Royal Tour ticket was only to see the Blue and the Red room and £30+ for two photos seemed too much for the ‘gram. Take a google or Insta search and you can decide for yourself if you want to include these shots.
The City Palace has so many stunning locations. The most charming location is Pritam Niwas Chowk which has four ornately decorated doorways including the famous peacock doorway. You can also capture the dapper City Palace guards but it’s best (of course) to ask them if they mind and please do be respectful of them and the job they have to do.
4. Bar Palladio
Bar Palladio is a blue and white oasis in bustling Jaipur with inside and outside seating. It has got to be the most Instagrammable bar in the city and I have to say I gasped when I saw its interior. We visited mid week just after opening time and it was very quiet but I imagine if you’re visiting later on or at a weekend you might need a reservation and much of what I’ve read online suggests you can’t get in without one. The restaurant serves mainly Italian food but we just visited for a drink. Initially we chose to sit outside with the fabulous canopied outdoor chairs which make you feel like you’re lounging at a palace but the mozzies were a bit fierce and so we headed inside. I’m so glad we did because the light was gorgeous and with no one else inside it was a great opportunity to really admire the decor.
If you’re interested in food tour in Jaipur I can highly recommend this one with the No Diet Club. This company has plenty of food tours around the world (particularly in Europe) so they’ve got a reputation to uphold! Plus, No Diet Club really means no dieting and plenty of food – we were so full of tasty dishes and flavours by the time we finished.
5. Nahargarh Fort
From Amber Fort to Nahargarh Fort, you wind further and further up into the mountains and it seems a much further journey than it perhaps looks on the map! Nahargarh is considerably quieter than the Amber Fort although potentially gets busier later in the day as it is a popular spot for sunset. It’s quite easy to lose track of time admiring the stunning artwork and doorways of the fort, getting lost amongst the narrow corridors. You can also walk over the rooftop with fabulous structures dotting across it. Don’t miss the little windows at each end of the courtyard which give a charming perspective.
You don’t need to rush here early morning to have the quiet shots but of course if you have the time in Jaipur, this would be the best way to have quieter shots. If I remember correctly, there were only two wedding shoots here in comparison the the hundreds (ok not really) at the Amber Fort.
6. Patrika Gate
The Patrika Gate in the Jawahar Circle Garden is a very recent addition to Jaipur’s architectural scene (and Insagram fave locations) built less than ten years ago in 2016. It’s a vibrant party of colours and paintings set within a majestic pink arched structure. I normally love an early start, but the struggle with sleep on this trip was real, partly with late flights, wedding partying and probably some level of jetlag, that we didn’t end up arriving here until after midday. It wasn’t quite as busy as I was expecting and one perk of the wedding season photography craze in India is that you can sneak in the back of a photo and get their clear background cry 😂 I mean ultimately, they haven’t paid to book it our for themselves, they also haven’t arrived early and the photographers are really quite rude telling people to get out of the way when the reality is, this is an open, free, public space so go for it 😉
7. The Tattoo Cafe & Lounge
I’ve set the Tattoo Cafe as a separate location to Hawa Mahal because you get a different perspective of the stunning building from here. It also requires a cost to enter whereas the barriers of (1) do not. But is is definitely worth it. We decided to have lunch here on the rooftop so the 250 INR entry we paid becomes a cover charge and if you’re eating or drinking here rather than literally coming to snap the view then you’re not actually paying for the entry. Their portions were big, filling and tasty and there was something rather lovely about enjoying the view with the noise and bustle below instead of surrounding you.
8. Panna Meena ka Kund
Panna Meena ka Kund is a stepwell located very near to the Amber Fort. If you booked a driver that takes you right up to the main entrance then you’ll pass by the stepwell on the way up so make sure to jump out for 5-10 minutes to take your photo. You can somewhat tell from the name that a stepwell is a well which has a series of steep steps leading to the bottom. The best way to photograph the stepwell would be heading down the steps but unfortunately this has been banned. Understandable because it does look dangerous. There’s a guard on duty so I would not advise trying, it’s not worth it and gives a false impression of what this place looks like in reality today. Despite the change, Panna Meena ka Kund still makes for a fabulous photo as you can see above.
9. The Pink City Doors
Jaipur is famous for its doors and its famous for being The Pink City so combine both of these things to enjoy iconic Jaipur snaps. I always think there’s something quite satisfying and quite lovely about a doorway shot and the possibility that they suggest. They’re also a great backdrop for a beautiful dress shot.
10. Jantar Mantar
Jantar Mantar is an astronomical site and consists of nineteen different astronomical instruments. As I was writing this post and looking at the inspo for Jantar Mantar Insta angles, I realised I missed the main one…oops sorry! One of the instruments looks like an upside down heart in a pink shade so yes, ideal! But some of the other astronomical devices are great for architectural and more other worldly type shots.
11. Albert Hall Museum
The Albert Hall Museum has a fabulous exterior to photograph with ornately decorated towers. The interior galleries are quite interesting with plenty of exhibits and some areas that are good for photographing. The interior is looking quite tired to be honest so there weren’t as many opportunities as I was hoping for.
12. Gaitor Ki Chhatriyan
This location is a little more of a hidden gem than some of the other Instagrammable spots on this list. Our visit, around midday on a Monday, saw no queue to get in and just a handful of other people wandering around the complex. Gaitor Ki Chhatriyan is actually a royal crematorium so it is important to be respectful here and enjoy the intricate carvings and details around the structures. There are some beautiful leading lanes and framing opportunites.
13. Raj Mandir Cinema
For Art Deco in Jaipur, head to the Raj Mandir cinema. Now, I wish we had bought a ticket even if it was just to see the inside, if not to watch a film because you can’t access any part of the cinema without a ticket. What a shame! Don’t make this mistake because you can get a ticket quite cheaply and the photos I’ve seen of the auditorium look incredible. Anyhow, the exterior is still beautiful with the shades of pink and the stars.
14. Jal Mahal
Jal Mahal is the Water Palace and appears to float in Man Sagar Lake. The most Instagrammable photo of this spot will be at night when the lights are on in the palace but seeing it in the evening wasn’t on our Jaipur itinerary. The most convenient way to photograph Jal Mahal is when you’re on the way to the Amber Fort since you’ll drive right past it. This is a pretty quick stop really and you can’t actually visit Jal Mahal, so be wary of any tour that suggests you’ll spend any more than 15 minutes here…
For more Jaipur content check out these posts:
Cat x