With the majestic city palace looming over the old city, a lake studded with palaces in the middle and romantic restaurants interspersed in every nook and corner, couples will never run out of things to do in Udaipur. As the backdrop of countless romantic movies, Udaipur charms with its regal splendour and stately aura. Pretend to be king and queen for a day, slow down on a romantic boat ride, stay near the glistening waters of Lake Pichola and walk hand-in-hand through Dudh Talai—here is your guide to discovering Udaipur’s most romantic spots.

Spend an evening around at Dudh Talai

The perfect place to catch stunning sunset views of Jag Mandir and City Palace, Dudh Talai sits along the south-eastern part of Udaipur’s Lake Pichola. Home to two verdant parks—the M.L Verma Garden and the Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Park—Dudh Talai offers the ideal escape from the rigours of city life. Carved out of a rugged rock, the M.L Verma Garden is a rock garden that has panoramic views of the twinkling Lake Pichola. The Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Park, often known as the Dudh Talai Musical Garden, houses a spectacular music fountain—one of its kind in the entire state of Rajasthan. Adventure lovers can also hop onto the Karni Mata Ropeway to take in unbeatable views of the city below.

Take a boat ride on Lake Pichola

This picturesque lake lies at the heart of Udaipur. It is believed that it was constructed by a local gypsy in the 14th century, and later consolidated by the ruler of Mewar, Rana Udai Singh II in the 16th century. Its coast is lined with the City Palace, ghats, havelis and hills, while the lake itself is dotted with numerous island palaces. To see these, you can take the hour-long boat ride from City Palace.

Its centrepiece is the Lake Palace on Jag Niwas Island. Made entirely of white marble, it is one of Udaipur’s most iconic sights. It has appeared in several films, most famously in the 1983 James Bond movie, ‘Octopussy’. Now a luxury hotel managed by the Taj group, it was originally built as a summer retreat by Rana Jagat Singh II in 1740. Even if you aren’t staying here, you can drop in for a meal at one of its restaurants.

The Jagmandir Island Palace was built during the 16th and 17th centuries, and used as a pleasure palace. It served as a hideout for as Prince Khurram (before he became the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan), when he revolted against his father Jahangir. During the 1857 revolt, it again provided refuge to European women and children. It has beautiful carvings, a pretty green marble chhatri, a small museum, and a restaurant offering scenic views. There’s also a permanent exhibition of photographs, maps, paintings and architectural drawings. Other smaller buildings include Mohan Mandir which was used by the king to watch the annual Gangaur festival celebrations, and Arsivilas which was built in the 18th century and served as an ammunition depot and later, a small palace

Catch a spectacular sunset at Sajjan Garh

This hilltop palace was built in the 19th century by Sajjan Singh as a Monsoon Palace. It’s short drive up the Banswara hill through the densely forested Sajjan Garh Wildlife Sanctuary. While there isn’t much to see inside the actual palace, it’s an ideal vantage point to take in breathtaking views of Udaipur city as well as the surrounding countryside at sunset. You can also stop at the charming garden café for coffee and snacks

Discover the regal splendour of City Palace

This sprawling complex is the largest palace in Rajasthan. It was first built by Maharana Udai Singh, the founder of Udaipur in the 16th century, and expanded by successive rulers. Today, the palace is divided into several museums for which you can get a package rate at the City Palace’s entrance in Badi Pol. The City Palace museum is the first of these, and comprises of a series of mahals, courtyards and private chambers, connected by narrow passages. You’ll find traditional Mewari paintings, colourful mosaics, stained glass windows and beautiful mirror-work everywhere, with occasional breathtaking glimpses of the city and the lake outside.

In the Fateh Prakash Palace next door, the Crystal Gallery provides proof of the ruling dynasty’s love for luxury. It exhibits an array of crystal objects such as glasses, dinner sets, and even furniture pieces such as beds. These were made by the British manufacturer FC Osler & Co. and commissioned by Maharana Sajjan Singh between 1878 and 1881. The palace’s opulent Durbar Hall has glittering chandeliers, royal portraits and arms. Your ticket also entitles you to a cup of coffee and snacks in this palace hotel’s restaurant. Further away from the City Palace, the Vintage and Classic Car Collection exhibits vintage cars from the royal family’s collection. Highlights include a 1939 Cadillac convertible and a 1934 Rolls Royce Phantom II. These are housed in the former Mewar State Motor Garage. The tour also includes a boat ride and visit to the Jagmandir Island Palace, which has a heritage exhibition and an all-day café.

Spend a night at 18th-century fort-palace

Surrounded by Aravali hills, this heritage hotel lies 28 kilometers away from the city of Udaipur. Considered to be among the most stylish and romantic resorts in the country, it is housed in an 18th-century hill-top fort palace in the village of Delwara. Its rich heritage is complimented by a contemporary landscape design, with the interiors have been refurbished in a minimalist style, using local raw materials, white marble and semi-precious stones. It has 39 luxury suites, including 17 garden suites, 16 palace suites, 5 Aravali suites and the plushest accommodation of them all, the Devi Garh Suite. Devi Garh also houses India’s first la Terre Spa by L’Occitane, which offers Swedish, Hawaiian, Lomi Lomi, Balinese, Ayurvedic and Shiatsu treatments.