Pink City (Old City)

Jaipur's iconic attractions and authentic culture, but needs careful timing. Visit during daylight when it's busy, then leave for other neighborhoods in the evening.

The historic walled Old Town with Hawa Mahal, City Palace, and Jantar Mantar. Terracotta buildings, narrow cobblestone streets, busy bazaars - this is the Rajasthan atmosphere everyone comes to see. During the day it's packed with tour groups, local families, street vendors selling samosas and lassi, artisans making jewelry in tiny shops. Tourist Police are visible at monuments and speak basic English. The trick is timing. Come between 10 AM and 5 PM when it's busy and police are everywhere. Lunch at heritage restaurants near City Palace works fine. But after sunset around 6-7 PM, vendors pack up fast and tourists leave. The cobblestone streets get poorly lit and empty, which creates real safety concerns. Even locals from other Jaipur neighborhoods avoid the Old City at night. During the day you'll get constant hassling from vendors, rickshaw drivers, and gem scammers - tiring but rarely dangerous if you're firm about saying no. Essential for the culture and architecture, but treat it as daytime-only and go back to Bani Park or C-Scheme for evenings.