Udaipur Rooftop Cafés

Udaipur's old city is stacked with rooftop cafés, and they offer some of the most beautiful café views in India. Terraces around Lal Ghat, Gangaur Ghat and Hanuman Ghat look straight out over Lake Pichola to the City Palace and the island Lake Palace — a backdrop no city café can match.

Nursing a coffee, a lassi or a meal as the sun sets over the water and the palaces turn gold is the quintessential slow Udaipur moment. Many cafés stack several storeys high, competing for the best view — and they're an ideal way to soak in the City of Lakes between sightseeing.

• ›Sunset is the golden hour — arrive early to claim a lake-facing table.
• ›The ghats (Lal, Gangaur, Hanuman) have the best rooftop clusters.
• ›Great for a relaxed break between the City Palace and a boat ride.

Food is often secondary to the view — come for the setting and a drink. Rooftops can be busy at sunset; a little patience gets you the best seat.