Rajasthan’s stepwells were built to store water through the dry months: deep, geometric tanks with flights of steps zig-zagging down to the waterline. Today they’re some of the most striking places in the state, and the best ones are quiet if you get there early.

Panna Meena ka Kund, Amer

This 16th-century stepwell sits in a lane just below Amer Fort, about half an hour from central Jaipur. Its criss-cross stairways look almost digital in early light. Entry is free.

• Arrive around sunrise. By mid-morning the tour groups from Amer Fort start to arrive.
• Walking on the steps is often not allowed, so view and photograph from the edge.
• Dress modestly and keep noise down; it sits in a residential neighbourhood.

From the kund it’s a short walk up to Amer Fort, which opens early and is far calmer in the first hour.