Embark on a boat ride to Pichola Lake’s east banks, where the grandeur of the City Palace awaits. This fort showcases both Rajasthani and Mughal architectural marvels, serving as a living testament to the Mewar dynasty’s history. The palace exhibits antique furniture, clothes, weapons, paintings, and utensils to give a close look at the royal lifestyle. The City Palace welcomes visitors seven days a week from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM. Your visit offers a plethora of experiences, from boat rides to mesmerizing sunsets and captivating sound and light shows, each with its own entry fee. You can Explore Udaipur City Palace with us during our famous Golden Triangle Tour with Udaipur Package to explore famous Places to visit in Udaipur along with three famous Heritage Cities of India- Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur.
History of Udaipur City Palace
The Grand Palace came into existence in 1559 when the Mewar king Udai Singh wanted to prevent his defeat in Chittorgarh ( his capital) by the Mughals. He shifted his capital near Lake Pichola, surrounded by Aravali, making it a geographically viable location to protect from enemies and recreate the lost empire.
A loner hermit has advised him to do so!!!
The king chooses the same place to build the massive fort as his new capital.
The palace came under the reins of the Mughals and Britishers after defeats, but later on, it was handed over to the Mewar dynasty after independence. Udaipur is still a princely state and has many royal properties under the Mewar Royal family and with various trusts.
Don’t step inside the Palace without knowing its architecture.
This city palace is a labyrinth of Chowks, corridors, small courtyards and complexes to defeat surprise attacks from enemies.
An Architectural Guide to The Udaipur City Palace
As you enter the city palace you will find the ticket counter at Badi Pol the main gate to City palace
From there you will see a tripled arched gate known as Tripolia gate. The massive entrance is hovered by beautiful balconies and lights welcoming the royal entrance.
In the passage towards Tripolia gate from Badi pol, you will spot the Bhairav site. The foundation of the palace was laid on this site after a holy man met on hills and proposed Maharaja Uday Singh to make his palace there.
The gates are beautifully decorated by Torans, the hanging fringes, that are part of the auspicious marriage ritual of Gujarati and Marwaris.
As you walk through Tripolia Gate, you land in the Big square courtyard of Manek Chowk, from where you can have a view of the area of the City you have walked through. The Toran Pol and Hathi Pol are the two distinctive ornate gates where competition among elephants to exhibit their strength used to be held and the winning elephant use to become the ride of the Maharaja.
As you enter the palace, lord Ganesh’s idol in the glass inlay chamber is the mark of starting any journey with his blessing. Ganesh Deodhi must have been built with the same philosophy.
Moving forward, you will enter Pratap Kaksh, which is also known as Pratap Gallery, which exhibits the heroic icon Maharana Pratap’s story in documented and sculpture format.
Beside this room is Nav Chowki Mahal, a 16-pillar coronation hall of the Sisodia Dynasty.
Moving Ahead, you enter the Chandra Mahal or Moon Palace, named after the Marble basin, which used to be filled with silver coins to be showered over on the public and needy people by the generous kings.
Now you are about to enter the second important part of the Palace Badi Mahal or Big Palace. The highest point of the city palace is beautiful inside by huge pools and fountains. The place allows you to view the city from heights and enjoy the beautiful trees and gardens surrounding it. The place has beautiful carve windows and light coming from colored glass reflects the hues of life in royalty. It is also known as Amar Vilas.
The passage that bridges Badi Mahal to Moti Mahal is called Chitrashali Chowk and is an artistic one. The courtyard has windows cemented with Dutch and Chinese tiles, giving a panoramic view of the city below. It used to be the place to celebrate life with music and dance of the royal era.
You would be stunned with the glittering golden light coming from the Sheesh Mahal or Kanch ki Burj, a popular structure of Dilkhush Mahal close to Badi Mahal. The entry is prohibited, but the glittering lights make their way through closed doors.
The other important structure of Dilkhush Mahal is Krishna Villa. A meditating residence of the princess who committed suicide to stop a war between two kingdoms fighting to woe her for marriage. The walls have paintings from the life of Lord Krishna.
As you move forward, the glittering beams from Moti Mahal will strike you with the vibrant display of colours falling from the coloured glasses.
Moving further from here, you will explore places used as the personal residences of rulers.
Bhim Niwas was a structure owned by Maharaja Bhim Singh.
Pritam Niwas was the place for the physically challenged Maharana Gopal Singh. His wheelchair can still be seen in the palace.
Moving forward from the Male dorm to the women’s dorm, you will explore the Manak Mahal space, shining bright like a ruby gemstone. The prestigious hall for a private meeting of the royal company is still fascinating with its glorious history.
The lower level of Manak Mahal has an embossed golden plated sun symbol, which is worshipped daily to start a perfect day.
Voila, here you enter now the magnificent Mor Chowk or Peacock corridor. The royal blue glass work with silver and gemstones carved in beautiful jharokhas or windows and also peacock mosaic is what will be cherry to the pie.
The Zenana Mahal and Laxmi Niwas Chowk are part of a lady’s dorm covered in hues of blue and accessorized, reciting the life of royal princesses and queens. The place has a wide-open garden in the centre, making it a perfect place for parties and meetings.
Adjoining the place is the royal kitchen, which exhibits the utensils used while preparing the lavish feast for maharajas.
You can’t take an exit without sneaking into the Udaipur City Palace Museum and getting a load of the clothes, chariots and palanquins of the royal lifestyle 400 years back.
After your exit, you can sum up the experience as a royal treat to your eyes. You feel part of the legacy!!!!
Udaipur City Palace Entry Timings
Timings: 9:00 A.M.-5.30 P.M. (Ticket counter closes by 4.30 P.M.) for all days of the week.
Best time to visit: The winter season, from October to March, is the best time to visit. Make an early morning visit to avoid the crowd and enjoy every corner of the palace.
Boat Rides & Entrance Fee of City Palace Udaipur
| Particulars | Rate |
| Boat Ride Adult (Winter boat 10:00 am to 2:00 pm and summer 10:00 am to 3:00 pm) | Rs 400 |
| Boat Ride Children ( 5-12 YEARS ) (Winter boat 10:00 am to 2:00 pm and summer 10:00 am to 3:00 pm) | Rs 200 |
| Sunset Boat ride (Adult) (Winter boat 10:00 am to 5:00 pm and summer 10:00 am to 6:00 pm) | Rs 700 |
| Sunset Boat ride (child 5 – 12) (Winter boat 10:00 am to 5:00 pm and summer 10:00 am to 6:00 pm) | Rs 400 |
| Cargo Boat (Per Hour) | Rs 4100 |
| Crystal Gallery Visit (Adult) | Rs 550 |
| Crystal Gallery Visit (Child 5 – 12 year) | Rs 350 |
| Charter Boat (Capacity 7 PAX ) (Regular) (Winter boat 10:00 am to 2:00 pm and summer 10:00 am to 3:00 pm) | Rs 4500 |
| Charter Boat (Capacity 7 PAX ) (Sunset) (Winter boat 10:00 am to 5:00 pm and summer 10:00 am to 6:00 pm) | Rs 6500 |
| Charter Boat (Capacity 8 TO 12 PAX) (Regular) (Winter boat 10:00 am to 2:00 pm and summer 10:00 am to 3:00 pm) | Rs 7500 |
| Charter Boat (Capacity 8 to 12 PAX ) (Sunset) (Winter boat 10:00 am to 5:00 pm and summer 10:00 am to 6:00 pm) | Rs 10000 |
| Charter Boat (Capacity 13 TO 18 PAX ) (Regular) (Winter boat 10:00 am to 2:00 pm and summer 10:00 am to 3:00 pm) | Rs 11500 |
| Charter Boat (Capacity 13 TO 18 PAX ) (Sunset) (Winter boat 10:00 am to 5:00 pm and summer 10:00 am to 6:00 pm) | Rs 14000 |
| Charter Boat (Capacity 19 TO 24 PAX ) (Regular) (Winter boat 10:00 am to 2:00 pm and summer 10:00 am to 3:00 pm) | Rs 15000 |
| Charter Boat (Capacity19 TO 24 PAX ) (Sunset) (Winter boat 10:00 am to 5:00 pm and summer 10:00 am to 6:00 pm) | Rs 18000 |
| Vintage & Classic Car Collection visit (Adult) | Rs 250 |
| Vintage & Classic Car Collection visit (Child) | Rs 150 |
| Lunch/Dinner Coupon (Veg. Thali at Garden Hotel Restaurant) (Adult) | Rs 200 |
| Lunch/Dinner Coupon (Veg. Thali at Garden Hotel Restaurant) (Child) | Rs 150 |
| The Mewar Sound & Light Show (Yash ki Darohar) (Hindi) (May to August ) (8:00 pm to 9:00 pm): | |
| Hathnal Ki Chandani (Adult) | Rs 250 |
| Hathnal Ki Chandani (Child) (8 – 12 Year) | Rs 150 |
| Manak Chowk (Adult) | Rs 150 |
| Manak Chow (Child) (8-12 Year) | Rs 100 |
| The Mewar Sound & Light Show ( English) (April 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm) (Sept – March 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm) | |
| Hathnal Ki Chandani (Adult) | Rs 500 |
| Hathnal Ki Chandani (Child) (8 -12 Year) | Rs 200 |
| Manak Chowk (Adult) | Rs 200 |
| Manak Chow (Child) (8 -12 Year) | Rs 100 |
Entry Fee for City Palace Udaipur
The City Palace Udaipur entry fee is ₹30 for adults, ₹15 for children and ₹200 extra charges for Cameras.
How to Reach Udaipur City Palace to experience the legacy?
Udaipur is connected by Air to all the major metro cities of India.
The East-West Corridor and Golden Quadrilateral, as well as several national highways, intersect in Udaipur, making it an easily accessible city from any corner of India.
The Railway Station in Udaipur also connects various trains running through different states.
You can travel locally in Udaipur on taxis, auto-rickshaws, private cabs, and tongas from any corner to City Palace.
Best Time to visit City Palace
In order to avoid the crowds and the scorching heat, it is advisable to visit the City Palace during the morning and evening hours. The winter season, from October to March, is considered the best time to visit City Palace as the weather is quite enjoyable during this time. Check out our custom-designed, all-inclusive Rajasthan tour packages here.
Things to do at Udaipur City Palace
Boat ride: The city palace is on the banks of Lake Pichola. Tourists can enjoy the boat rides at a charge of ₹400-₹500 per person. If you are travelling with a group, you can also hire a charter boat for ₹6500-₹7000. Riding a boat ride at Lake Pichola is one of the best things to do in Udaipur, which gives you a wonderful view of sunset and beautiful lake views of Hotels in Udaipur. The charges are high during sunset time. The boating time is from 9.00 AM to 6.00 PM.
Light and sound show: You can enjoy the Mewar Light and Sound show, reciting the glorious history of the kings in both Hindi and English. You can book your seat for 1 hour Hindi show for ₹150-₹250 (8.00P.M-9.00 P.M), and for an English show, the charges are high from ₹250-₹500.
Lunch and dinner: You can enjoy the meals at Garden restaurant inside the city palace, which serves authentic Rajasthani food along with multi-cuisine at very reasonable rates. Reserve your seat for ₹200 for adults and ₹150 for kids, and enjoy the lavish food.
Vintage Car collection preview: You can be proud spectators of the vintage Rolls Royce, Mercedes, and all fancy machines used by the kings demonstrated in City Palace at the cost of ₹250 per person.
Book your Rajasthan Tour Packages with LIH, the best tour operator in Rajasthan, to the beautiful magnificent city of Lakes Udaipur and celebrate life in the most authentic manner.
Refer to our Comprehensive Rajasthan Travel Guide to explore more about Udaipur as well as other cities of Rajasthan. Our Comprehensive Guide has covered all the key points regarding Rajasthan.
City Palace Udaipur Timings:-
| Day | Time |
| Monday | 9:30 am – 5:30 pm |
| Tuesday | 9:30 am – 5:30 pm |
| Wednesday | 9:30 am – 5:30 pm |
| Thursday | 9:30 am – 5:30 pm |
| Friday | 9:30 am – 5:30 pm |
| Saturday | 9:30 am – 5:30 pm |
| Sunday | 9:30 am – 5:30 pm |
Location Map for City Palace Udaipur
FAQs
Q1) Why is City Palace Udaipur famous?
City Palace is Famous for its Historical Architecture combined with Medieval, European and Chinese Architecture, and it is situated by Lake Pichola.
Q2) Is City Palace Udaipur worth visiting?
Yes, it is the most famous Historical structure in India. Maharaja Udai Singh built it in 1559. This is one of the greatest palace complexes in Rajasthan. It takes two hours to explore the entire palace.
Q3) Can we visit City Palace Udaipur at Night?
No, you can’t visit the city palace at Night. But you can enjoy a night in Udaipur by walking around the City Palace. The visiting time of the city palace is around 9.30 AM to 5.30 PM.
Q4) Is photography allowed in City Palace Udaipur?
Yes, you can carry a camera inside the palace by paying a reasonable amount of ₹250 per camera.
Q5) Is City Palace closed on Sunday?
No, City Place is open on all days of the week. The visiting time of the palace is 9.30 AM to 5.30 PM.
