City Palace, Udaipur

Rising in a wall of cream stone above Lake Pichola, the City Palace is the beating heart of Udaipur and the grandest palace complex in Rajasthan. Built and expanded over nearly four centuries by successive Maharanas of Mewar, it's less a single building than a small city of interconnected palaces, courtyards, terraces and towers.

Inside, the museum leads you through a dizzying sequence of mirror-work halls, peacock mosaics, painted chambers and balconies that frame postcard views of the lake and the Aravalli hills beyond. The higher you climb, the better the panorama — and at sunset, the whole complex glows.

• ›The Mor Chowk (Peacock Courtyard) and its glittering glass-mosaic peacocks.
• ›The views over Lake Pichola, Jag Mandir and the Lake Palace from the upper terraces.
• ›The Crystal Gallery at the adjoining Fateh Prakash Palace.

It's the busiest attraction in the city — go early to beat the crowds and the heat. The complex is large and involves plenty of stairs; wear comfortable shoes. Guides are available at the entrance and genuinely add to the visit.