City Palace Udaipur is the most important historical site in the city, and one of the best places to understand Mewar’s royal history in a single visit. It stands above the eastern bank of Lake Pichola, and it’s actually a cluster of several palaces built over four centuries, not one single building.

This guide covers the history, the courtyards worth your time, current timings and ticket prices, and how to fit it into a full day of sightseeing.

🏰 A Short History of City Palace

City Palace was founded in 1559 by Maharana Udai Singh II, who established Udaipur as the new capital of Mewar after repeated attacks made Chittorgarh difficult to defend. Over the next 400+ years, successive Maharanas expanded the complex by adding courtyards, halls, temples, and royal residences, which is why City Palace feels more like a royal city than a single palace.

The palace served as a royal residence, administrative centre, and venue for important ceremonies and traditions. Today, the complex has different sections: a significant portion has been opened to the public as a museum, while members of the present royal family still reside in a private section of the palace complex. This unique combination of a public museum and a living royal residence makes City Palace particularly special. In 1969, the museum section was opened by the Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation, allowing visitors to experience the palace’s architecture, royal collections, and history.

Entrance gate of City Palace Udaipur, the historic seat of the Mewar dynasty

Architecture Worth Slowing Down For

City Palace is a beautiful blend of strength, elegance, and detailed craftsmanship. Built mainly from marble and granite, its exterior has a grand, fortress-like appearance. Inside, however, the atmosphere becomes much more decorative, with carved balconies, colourful glasswork, mirror decorations, paintings, arches, and intricate mosaics throughout the palace.

The architecture reflects the palace’s long history. Since different Maharanas added and renovated sections over several centuries, you can see layers of traditional Rajput architecture with Mughal influences across the complex. Its hilltop location makes the architecture even more impressive. From several terraces, balconies, and courtyards, you can enjoy beautiful views of Lake Pichola, Udaipur’s old city, and the surrounding Aravalli hills.

Highlights Inside City Palace

Mor Chowk (Peacock Courtyard) — One of the most beautiful sections of City Palace, Mor Chowk is famous for its colourful peacock mosaics, created with detailed blue, green, and gold glasswork. The intricate designs reflect the exceptional craftsmanship of the Mewar period and make this one of the palace’s most photographed spots.
Sheesh Mahal (Palace of Mirrors) — This elegant room is decorated with thousands of small mirrors and reflective details that create a beautiful effect when light falls across the walls. It gives visitors a glimpse of the luxury and artistic decoration found in the royal living spaces.
Zenana Mahal (Palace of the Queens) — This section was traditionally associated with the royal women of the Mewar household. Today, several rooms form part of the museum, displaying textiles, paintings, furnishings, and other objects connected with royal life.
Badi Mahal (Garden Palace) — Located on a higher level of the palace, Badi Mahal is known for its open courtyards, marble features, greenery, and peaceful atmosphere. Its elevated position also provides pleasant views of the surrounding city and lake.
Kanch Ki Burj — Known for its beautiful red, yellow, and white glass decoration, this former royal bedroom also features mirrors and ivory doors. The detailed interiors show the attention given to even the private rooms of the palace.
Rai Angan — Considered one of the oldest sections of City Palace, Rai Angan is closely connected with the early history of Udaipur and the foundation of the palace under Maharana Udai Singh II. It provides an important link between the palace you see today and its beginnings in the 16th century.

Mor Chowk peacock mosaic, one of the highlights of City Palace Udaipur

The City Palace Museum

The City Palace Museum is an important part of the palace experience, as it brings the history of the Mewar royal family to life through its collection of original objects. Inside, you can see royal paintings, weapons and armour, traditional costumes, textiles, silverware, manuscripts, furniture, photographs, and other historic artefacts. The museum works especially well when explored alongside the palace courtyards. While the architecture shows how the Maharanas lived and conducted their royal life, the museum gives you a closer look at the objects they used, wore, and valued.

If you are interested in the history and culture of Mewar, don’t rush through the museum. The collections provide a deeper understanding of the people, traditions, and royal lifestyle behind the impressive palace walls.

City Palace Udaipur timings and ticket prices

Here’s where you need to be a little careful. Different official sources currently list different visiting hours, so it’s worth checking the museum’s own website right before you go.

Most sources The City Palace Udaipur is open daily from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM,(ticket counter closes at 4:30 PM). Some newer listings on the museum’s own site mention later closing hours, so treat 9:30 AM–5:30 PM as the safe planning window unless the palace confirms otherwise.

🎟️ City Palace Udaipur — Ticket Prices for Tourists

Ticket Type	Price
Adult Tourist – Museum Entry	₹400
Child Tourist (5–18 years)	₹150
Student Tourist (with valid ID)	₹150
Children Below 5 Years	Free
Still Camera Fee	₹200 extra

You can get City Palace Museum, Udaipur tickets in two ways:

Online: Book through the official City Palace Museum website: https://eticket.citypalacemuseum.org/
The museum also has an online e-ticketing system.
At the palace: You can buy tickets directly from the ticket counters at Badi Pol and Shitla Mata Gate, the two main entry points mentioned by the museum

Guided Tour at City Palace Museum

If you want to understand the history, stories, and hidden details of City Palace, taking a guide is highly recommended. The museum has trained and certified guides who can explain the history of the Mewar rulers, palace architecture, royal traditions, important rooms, and galleries as you walk through the complex. The museum’s official visitor information says that authorised guides can be identified by an orange-coloured lanyard and identity card, with their charges fixed by the museum and mentioned on the guide’s ID card.

We strongly recommend tourists take a guide, especially on their first visit, as it helps you understand the meaning behind the architecture, paintings, rooms, and royal artefacts instead of simply walking through the palace without knowing their significance.If you want to understand the history and stories behind City Palace, taking a guide is a good option. The museum has trained and certified guides, who can explain the history of the Mewar rulers, the architecture, royal traditions, and the important rooms and galleries as you walk through the palace. The museum’s official visitor information says that its guides can be identified by an orange-coloured lanyard and identity card. The guide charges are fixed by the museum and are mentioned on the guide’s identity card.

Guide charges

Hindi-Speaking Guide: ₹200–₹300 for a standard complex and museum tour.
English-Speaking Guide: ₹350–₹500, depending on the group size and guide.
External Guide/Escort Permission Fee: ₹600 if you bring your own licensed guide from outside the palace.
Audio Guide: ₹200–₹250 per device, available in English, French, German, and Spanish.

Note: Guide charges may vary depending on the number of people in the group. The above guide rates are intended as an approximate cost for a group of 2 persons; larger groups may have different charges.

Prices have shifted more than once in recent years, so don’t rely on an old travel blog for the final number. Check the official ticket page before you visit, and buy at the counters near Badi Pol or Shitla Mata Gate if you’d rather not book online. For the most current details, the City Palace Museum’s official website https://citypalacemuseum.org/is the most reliable source.

Sheesh Mahal mirror work inside City Palace Udaipur

⏰ How Much Time to Spend at City Palace?

We recommend keeping 2.5–3 hours for City Palace, as this gives you enough time to properly explore the historic palace interiors, museum galleries, royal rooms, and important architectural highlights without rushing.

Most of the palace’s history, royal artefacts, paintings, weapons, and beautifully decorated rooms are located within the museum section, so taking enough time here is worthwhile.

🏛️ Key Areas to Explore

Zenana Mahal – The former royal women’s quarters, known for its beautiful architecture and courtyards.
Mardana Mahal – The royal men’s section, featuring historic rooms and palace artefacts.
Sheesh Mahal – Famous for its intricate mirror and glass decoration.
Peacock Courtyard (Mor Chowk) – One of the palace’s most beautiful areas, featuring stunning colourful mosaic peacock designs.

💡 Recommendation: Don’t rush City Palace. Allow at least 2.5–3 hours so you can appreciate both the history and the intricate details of the palace architecture.

Go early, ideally near opening time. The complex has narrow passages and courtyards that get uncomfortable once a few tour groups arrive at once, and mornings are noticeably quieter, according to the Rajasthan Tourism official website https://www.tourism.rajasthan.gov.in/.

Best Time to Visit & What to Pair It With

October to March is the best time to visit Udaipur, when the weather is pleasant and comfortable for exploring the city on foot. Winter is especially suitable for spending several hours at City Palace and walking through the old city. April to June can be very hot, with temperatures often rising above 40°C, so outdoor sightseeing is less comfortable during the afternoon.

City Palace is best treated as the starting point for a full day of sightseeing, as several important attractions are close by. A natural route is:

City Palace → Jagdish Temple → Gangaur Ghat → Bagore Ki Haveli → Sunset Boat Ride on Lake Pichola

This route combines royal history, temple architecture, the old city, traditional culture, and a relaxing lake experience. After spending the day exploring the palace and nearby attractions, finishing with a sunset boat ride on Lake Pichola is an ideal way to end the day.

For the full list of Udaipur attractions beyond the palace, see our complete places to visit in Udaipur guide https://lazyatra.com/blog/rajasthan/places-to-visit-in-udaipur-sightseeing-guide and check our best time to visit Rajasthan guidehttps://lazyatra.com/blog/rajasthan/best-time-to-visit-rajasthan/ before you lock in your dates.

Sunset view over Lake Pichola from City Palace Udaipur

Why City Palace is worth prioritising

City Palace isn’t just a pretty building. It’s where you can trace the story of Mewar and Udaipur in one visit — the courtyards show the scale of the royal court, the museum preserves the objects, and the terraces hand you the best views in the city.

If you’re short on time in Udaipur, put this first. Give it two to three hours, then move on to the old city and Lake Pichola.

If you’d rather have a local team handle the route, entry tickets, and guide, you can browse our Rajasthan tour itineraries https://lazyatra.com/tour-package-for-rajasthan/8, which include Udaipur and City Palace as standard stops.