The free places to visit in Jaipur include the facade of the Hawa Mahal, the bazaars of the old Pink City, Ram Niwas Garden and the Albert Hall seen from outside, Jal Mahal from the lakeshore, Birla Mandir, the Galtaji temples and a free walking tour. Two of Jaipur’s biggest sights, the City Palace and the palace rooms of Amber Fort, need a ticket, and they’re marked that way below so you can plan which ones are worth paying for.
Free and Low-Cost Things to Do in Jaipur
Jaipur was founded in 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II as a planned city with wide avenues and walled markets, and its old center has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2019. The city’s famous color came later: in 1876 the buildings were painted terracotta pink to welcome the visiting Prince of Wales. Most of the free sights below are in or near that walled city, with Jal Mahal, Amber Fort and Galtaji a short ride outside it.
1. See the Hawa Mahal Facade
The Hawa Mahal, or Palace of Winds, was built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh. Its five-story pink sandstone facade is covered in small latticed windows, designed so the women of the royal household could watch processions in the street below without being seen. The facade faces the main road near Badi Chaupar and costs nothing to see; it’s at its best in the soft light of early morning. Going inside requires a ticket.
Entry: Free to see from the street; paid to go inside
2. Visit the City Palace
The City Palace, in the center of the walled city, is still partly the home of Jaipur’s former royal family. The visitor areas include the Mubarak Mahal, now a textile and costume gallery, and the Pritam Niwas Chowk courtyard with its four painted gates representing the seasons. This one is not free, but it’s the clearest look at how the city’s rulers lived, and Jantar Mantar, the 18th-century astronomical observatory built by Jai Singh II, is right next door.
Entry: Paid
3. Walk the Bazaars of the Pink City
The bazaars of the walled city were laid out by trade when Jaipur was planned, and that pattern still shows. Johari Bazaar is the jewelers’ street, Bapu Bazaar is known for textiles and leather mojari slippers, and Tripolia Bazaar sells brassware and lac bangles. Walking them costs nothing; if you buy, expect to bargain. Shops open late in the morning and the streets are busiest in the evening.
Entry: Free
4. Relax in Ram Niwas Garden
Ram Niwas Garden was laid out in 1868 by Maharaja Sawai Ram Singh II, just south of the walled city. It’s a large public park with lawns, shaded paths and fountains, used by local families in the evenings, and the Albert Hall Museum stands in the middle of it, so the two make an easy pair.
Entry: Free
5. Admire the Albert Hall Museum From the Outside
The Albert Hall, designed by Samuel Swinton Jacob in the Indo-Saracenic style, is named after the Prince of Wales, who laid its foundation stone in 1876, and opened as Rajasthan’s oldest museum in 1887. Its domes, arches and carved balconies can be seen for free from the garden, and the building is floodlit after dark. The collections inside, which include an Egyptian mummy, require a ticket.
Entry: Free to see from outside; paid to go inside
6. See Jal Mahal From the Lakeshore
Jal Mahal, the Water Palace, sits in the middle of Man Sagar Lake on the road from Jaipur to Amber. Visitors can’t go inside, but the promenade along the lakeshore gives a clear view of it at no cost, and it makes a natural stop on the way to or from Amber Fort. Late afternoon, when the light hits the palace, is the best time.
Entry: Free
7. Walk Up to Amber Fort
Amber Fort, about 11 kilometers north of the city, was the capital of the Kachwaha rulers before Jaipur was built; construction began under Raja Man Singh I in the 1590s, and it was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2013 as one of the Hill Forts of Rajasthan. The walk up from Maota Lake through the Suraj Pol gate to Jaleb Chowk, the first courtyard, where the ticket office is, costs nothing and gives good views over the walls. The palace halls beyond, including the mirrored Sheesh Mahal, need a ticket. The tips for visiting Amber Fort cover timing and the best route through the palace.
Entry: Free to the first courtyard; paid for the palace
8. Visit Birla Mandir
Birla Mandir, also called the Lakshmi Narayan Temple, is a white marble Hindu temple completed in 1988 at the foot of Moti Dungri hill. It’s dedicated to Vishnu and Lakshmi and welcomes visitors of all faiths; the carvings on its walls include figures from several religious traditions. Shoes are left at the entrance, and photography inside the main hall is not allowed.
Entry: Free
9. Visit Galtaji, the Monkey Temple
Galtaji is a complex of 18th-century Hindu temples built into a narrow gorge in the Aravalli Hills, about 10 kilometers east of the city center. Natural springs feed a series of stepped water tanks, or kunds, where pilgrims bathe, and the large troop of macaques that lives here gives it the nickname Monkey Temple. A path up the ridge leads to the small Surya Mandir, or Sun Temple, with views back over Jaipur. Entry is free, though a camera fee is sometimes collected.
Entry: Free
10. Join a Free Walking Tour of Jaipur
The Free Tour of Jaipur is a 2-hour walk in English through the Pink City. It starts in front of the Hawa Mahal, passes Jantar Mantar and continues toward the Albert Hall before finishing at Laxmi Mandir Temple. Monument entry isn’t included. There’s no fixed price: booking holds your place, and at the end you give the guide whatever you think the tour was worth.
Entry: Free; the contribution to the guide is voluntary
For the paid sights, Rajasthan’s composite ticket covers several monuments, including Amber Fort, the Hawa Mahal, Jantar Mantar and the Albert Hall, and can save money if you plan to go inside more than two of them; check which sites it currently includes before buying. October to March is the most comfortable time to visit; April to June is very hot, and July to September brings the monsoon. If your route also includes Delhi and Agra, the Jaipur cooking class with a local family is a good way to spend an evening.
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