Samode Haveli
Jaipur, Rajasthan, India[1.8 miles]
A beautiful boutique hotel combining heritage and romance in an atmospheric corner of the Old City.
Official star rating:
Bucket list experience:
Johari Bazaar
Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
Last updated: 10 November, 2022
When Maharaja Jai Singh founded his new capital in the 1720s, its grid plan helped make it a commercial centre, too, with particular trades congregating in their own little enclaves.
In downtown Jaipur, stretching from Sanganeri Gate towards the Palace of the Winds, Johari is its principal gem and jewellery centre. For all its multifarious arts and crafts, the city is renowned above all for its jewellery industry and the arcaded shop-fronts that line the busy main thoroughfare are largely given over to it.
Filled with hole-in-the-wall workshops and industrious craftsmen perched on their haunches with braziers, burrs and sanding files, its side streets and lanes are even more interesting.
While you’re there
Those interested in Rajasthan’s jewellery culture might like to visit the private Amrapali Museum, whose comprehensive displays cover a range of styles and traditions. It’s around 1.5km west of Johari.
Want more recommendations in this destination?
Destination Guide >Price: Free
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 13+
When: All year around
Getting there & doing it
In the city centre stretching south from the Palace of the Winds, Johari is easy to find and reach. It’s a particularly busy area, but the bazaar’s side alleys and lanes are considerably calmer and more atmospheric.
Johari is often included as a stop in Jaipur shopping or city tour itineraries (see recommendations below). However, it’s perfectly straightforward to visit the market independently and few artisans will mind curious tourists watching them at work. It’s worth bearing in mind that most shopkeepers have a set price for their products, and won’t barter.
All visitors should beware the age-old ‘Jaipur gem scam’ – typically involving being approached on the street with a so-called opportunity to profit from re-selling inexpensive gems bought here back home. Avoid unless you really know gems and the business.
When to do it
It’s open all year round, seven days a week. The weather is cooler between October and March, making shopping a more manageable experience.
The bazaar stays open until around 11pm, but the best time to visit is early evening, when some of the crowds have dispersed.
Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first
Diggi Palace Hotel
Jaipur, Rajasthan, India[1.8 miles]
Characterful and charming heritage hotel in central Jaipur – a haveli, or mansion, originally built for a wealthy noble family. Excellent value for money.
Official star rating:
Rambagh Palace
Jaipur, Rajasthan, India[3 miles]
Formerly the Maharaja of Jaipur’s palace, this superb heritage hotel boasts luxurious and characterful rooms, coupled with impeccable service and charming gardens.
Official star rating:
The Oberoi Rajvilas, Jaipur
Jaipur, Rajasthan, India[7.5 miles]
A top-end, spacious reinvention of a Rajput fortress with beautiful gardens spread over 32 acres, with accommodation in elegant Maharajah-style tents or luxurious villas.
Official star rating:
Destination guides including or relevant to this experience
Jaipur
Rajasthan, India
Rajasthan’s state capital is a compelling blend of huge hillside forts, extravagant palaces, bustling bazaars, memorable heritage hotels and almost comically thronged streets.
Website >
Overview >Our writer’s recommendations of other bucket list experiences our writer says you must do in this destination, closest first
Palace of the Winds
Jaipur, Rajasthan, India[0.5 miles]
Designed to lend seclusion to ladies of the royal court, the intricate lattice-screened and salmon-pink facade of the Hawa Mahal, or ‘Palace of Winds’, is among the most iconic of Jaipur’s buildings.
Best for ages: 13+ | £1
Website >
Overview >
City Palace
Jaipur, Rajasthan, India[0.7 miles]
A fascinating, and among the best-preserved palace complex in Rajasthan, set in the heart of Jaipur’s Old City.
Best for ages: 13+ | £2
Website >
Overview >
Raj Mandir Cinema
Jaipur, Rajasthan, India[1.7 miles]
One of India’s most famous and flamboyant cinemas, it remains a Jaipur landmark and often screens movies to a full house.
Best for ages: 18+ | £1 | 90+ minutes
Website >
Overview >
Amber Fort
Jaipur, Rajasthan, India[7.7 miles]
One of Rajasthan’s great maharaja fortress-palace complexes, dating back to the 16th century, set amidst a spectacular backdrop of stark hills.
Best for ages: 13+ | Free
Website >
Overview >Other worthwhile experiences near this experience if you have time or interest..
Experience
Bhangarh Fort
Bhangarh, Rajasthan, India[49.6 miles]
A small, part-ruined medieval ‘ghost-town’ – reputedly one of India’s most haunted places – in picturesque countryside near Sariska Tiger Reserve.
Best for ages: 13+ | £1
Website >
Overview >