If the colours pink and blue are common to the landscapes of Jaipur and Jodhpur, Udaipur may very well be regarded as a vision in white for its shining palaces and buildings in white marble. Udaipur is located in the southern part of the state of Rajasthan. Mount Abu is to the west of Udaipur while the town of Chittaurgarh is to its north.

The shining marble palaces, well laid out gardens, beautifully sculpted temples and clear blue water lakes have earned Udaipur many names. Popularly known as the lake city of India, many prefer to call Udaipur a romantic city also. Udaipur is surrounded by the Aravalli mountain ranges on a few sides. In the midst of an arid desert, Udaipur can also be called a mirage whose sweltering weather has never been able to daunt the spirits of tourists.

The beautiful city was established by Maharana Udai Singh after an astrologer advised the warrior to shift his capital to the banks of Lake Pichola. Udaipur has been named after Udai Singh.

Udaipur has a typical desert climate. Summers are very hot and the mercury has even touched 47 degrees in the past. Dust storms may also occur occasionally. Rainfall in the place is also scarce. During winters, however, the weather becomes very cool and pleasant.

Air : Dabok Airport is located on the outskirts of Udaipur at a distance of 24 kms. There are regular flights from New Delhi, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Ahmedabad, Aurangabad and Mumbai.
Rail : Udaipur figures prominently in the rail map of India. There are express train services from many destinations including Delhi. India's luxury trains-The Palace on Wheels and Royal Orient Express also cover Udaipur.
Road : There are regular bus services to Udaipur from various destinations of northern India including Ahmedabad, Ajmer, Delhi, Jaipur ,Chittaurgarh, Indore and Kota

Nagda : The ruined remnants of ancient city of Mewar dating back to the 6th century A.D could be seen in Nagda. The place is located at a distance of 20 kms northeast of Udaipur. Although most of the buildings of Nagda are in ruins, a 10 th century Vaishnavite temple known as Saas-Bahu still survives. The famous temple complex of Eklingji are also visited in large numbers.Built way back in the year 734 A.D, the temple complex of Eklingji has 108 small temples inside. Eklingji is an incarnation of Lord Shiva.

Nathdwara : Nathdwara is located at a distance of 48 kms from Udaipur. Literally, Nathdwara means 'Gateway to God'. The place is an important pilgrimage centre of Hindus. Nathdwara is home to one of the most revered 17th century temples dedicated to Lord Krishna. It is predicted that this temple is the second richest temple of India after the Tirupati temple. The festivals of Diwali, Holi and Janmashtami are celebrated in a grand manner in the temple. The place is also famous for the radiant Pichwal paintings of Rajasthan.

Ranakpur : Ranakpur, at a distance of 90 kms from Udaipur is considered one of the five holiest places of Jainism. The Jain temples of Ranakpur are famous for their intricate marble works. The main shrine known as Chaumukha temple (four faced temple) is dedicated to Adinath, the first Jain Tirthankar while the other temples are dedicated to Parshvanath and Neminath. An attractive Hindu temple dedicated to Sun God also adorns the landscape of the place.