The
Lake Palace is placed on the Jag Niwas Island in the middle of the Lake
Pichola. It used to be a recreation palace for the royal family in summers
and has now been turned into a heritage hotel. Fantastic location, dreamy
ambience, fairy tale slight craftsmanship and the interiors based on ethnic
themes using textiles and handicrafts all over are simply stupendous. This
fancy white palace has a bar, restaurant, little shopping arcade, open air
courtyard, lotus ponds, and a small swimming pool. Needless to say, you need
to book well in advance.
How To Approach
Sky Way :
Udaipur has a nice
network of air services linking it to from New Delhi,
Jaipur,
Jodhpur,
Ahmedabad, Aurangabad and Mumbai. Nearest airport is Dabok Airport, which is
21 km from the city centre.
Trackway :It is well connected to and from all the major cities of
India such as Chittrogarh,
Ajmer, Jaipur
and Delhi by trains. Palace On Wheels is a foremost attraction of course.
The railway station is 4 km from the focal point of the city.
Expressway : The roads are smooth and link Udaipur to various major
cities of India such as Delhi, Jaipur, Chittrogarh, Ahmedabad, Ajmer,
Indore,
Kota,
Mount Abu and Mumbai. Thus, there are
bus services to and from Gujarat, Delhi and major cities of Rajasthan that
end at the bus terminal, 2 km from the railway station.
The Most Popular Sights to Visit
The City Palace
Erected
by Maharaja Udai Singh, the elegant City Palace is a marvel in marble,
situated on the banks of Lake Pichola. Majestically positioned on a hill, it
is flooded with balconies, towers and cupolas along with the superb views of
the lake and the city that can be appreciated from the upper terraces. A
perfect fusion of Medieval European and Chinese architecture, the palatial
complex has a number of astounding buildings, well-planned gardens and
fountains.
Jag Mandir
The first island palace of Lake Pichola, Jagmandir was constructed by
Maharana Karan Singhji in 1622 AD and was intended to be a pleasure palace
for imperial parties and functions. It has served as a shelter for Moghul
Emperor Shahjahan when he was a prince against the wrath of his father in
the seventeenth century. The tale goes on to say that Jagmandir was the
inspiration behind the world-renowned Taj Mahal, which Shah Jahan built in
the memory of his departed wife, Mumtaz.
Lake Pichola
Maharana Udai Singh II significantly inflated the gorgeous Lake Pichola as
a security measure, when he founded Udaipur. Embraced amongst hills,
gardens, havelis, temples and ghats, Lake Pichola is the picturesque
highlight of Udaipur. The lake sports two islands palaces - Jagniwas
(popularly known as Lake Palace) and Jagmandir. Visitors can enjoy boat
rides, which can be extremely pleasurable in the backdrop of the setting
sun.
Lake Fateh Sagar
Lake Fateh sagar is a man-made lake built by Maharana Jai Singh in 1678 to
the north of Lake Pichola. It is bordered by hills and woodland. There is a
canal connecting the two lakes via Swaroop Sagar and Rang Sagar Lakes. Nehru
Island on the lake is just as good-looking as well as an islet bearing a
solar observatory that seems to emerge from the lake.
Sahelion Ki Bari
On the shores of Fateh Sagar Lake, a lovely garden was built for the 48
maidens destined to be a part of the dowry of the princess. Extensive lawns,
gushing fountains and mottled walking lanes exemplify the garden. The garden
has four pools with supple kiosks and fountains that sport elephant trunks
for spouts. These gardens appear discrete and pristine in taste.
The Significance of the Lake Palace (
Book
your room in Lake Palace, Udaipur)
Accommodation : 81 rooms including 13 suites.
Restaurants & Bars : Jharokha : 24-hour coffee shop facing the
lake, and the city palace.
Amrit Sagar: The bar decorated with intricate glass mosaic work on
the walls and ceiling.
Neel Kamal : Facing the lily pond, serves Indian and Continental
cuisine.
Facilities : Swimming pool, mini-gym, travel desk, car rental,
shopping arcade, currency exchange, safe deposit lockers, doctor-on-call and
baby sitting. 24-hour copier/telex/facsimile facilities. Secretarial
service.
