Beautiful rivers, sandy beaches, lively temples, ancient cave paintings, natural caves, colorful fairs, fun-filled festivals, artistic and historical museums, and a powerful Industrial sector and historical murals Welcoming the tourists you to Gujarat in the western part of India.
Ahmedabad
The former capital of Gujarat, Ranked 3rd in Forbes 2010 list for the World’s fastest growing cities, Ahmedabad is the administrative centre of the state. Ahmedabad was founded by Sultan Ahmed Shah on 22nd February, 1411. Here you can see a mix of Hindu craftsmanship and Islamic architecture in the historical monuments. Victoria Gardens, Kankaria Lake, Gandhi Aashram, Bhadra Fort, Sidi Sayed Mosque, Akshardham Temple and Vaishnodevi Temple, Jama Masjid, Parimal Garden in Ellis Bridge area, Shri Swaminarayan Temple. Also a splendid sight of Sabarmati River and the adjoining bridges can be enjoyed from the coastal areas of the city of Ahmedabad.
Surat
Situated on the banks of Tapti River, Surat is another commercial capital of the state, known for its textile and diamond business. The Chintamani Jain Temple, exquisite in its wooden carvings and paintings is a place of huge interest and the ancient Dutch gardens is a famous attraction. You can also find a lot of beaches in Surat city like Suvali, Hazira and Dandi beach, where one can enjoy the peace and isolation, away from the city hustle-bustle or you can enjoy the charm and beauty of a hill station, in Saputara on the Sahyadri hills.
Gandhinagar
Gandhinagar is the biggest city in Gujarat and it is the capital city as well. This city is well planned and named after Mahatma Gandhi and to reach here you need to travel only 23-25 km from Ahmedabad. The places of interest here are, Akshardham Temple, Adalaj Ni Vav, Sarita Udyan, Deer Park (Indroda Park), Dinosaurs Park and Punit van-a botanical garden.
Vadodara
Formerly known as Baroda,famous as the cultural capital of the state, the city of Vadodara is located on the banks of River Vishwamitri. The few best places that one can see in Baroda are the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda and the Lakshmi Vilas Palace, famous for its Venetian mosaic-floor, Belgium stained glass windows and delicate decorative work on the walls. One section of the palace has been transformed into a museum , where various art works belonging to the Royal family are displayed along with the paintings of Raja Ravi Varma.
Patan
This district is located in North Gujarat and surrounded by Banaskantha district, Mehsana district, Surendranagar district and Kutch District. Established in 2000, the tourist sites which you can visit here are Rani ki Vav, Bhimdev, sahasralinga talav, Mahavir Swami Derasar and Siddhapur.
Jamnagar
Earlier known as Nawanagar and later substantially built by Maharaja Kumar Shri Ranjitsinhji in 1920, this city is also known as Oil City of India. Located at the south of Gulf of Kiutch there are various places to see like Darbargadh Palace, Lakhota Fort and lake, Willingdon Crescent, Pratap Vilas Palace, Kotha Bastion and Bhujio Kotho.
Pavagadh
Famous for the Mahakali Temple, Pavagadh attracts thousands of pilgrims every year. It is the gateway to Panchmahal and influenced by the tribal group of Bhils. The places to visit here are Machi Haveli, Raval Palace and Dudhia Tala.
Champaner
Only 47 km from Vadodara this is a historical city of Gujarat and founded by Vanraj Chavda in the 8th century. The award winning film Laagan was shot in one of the village in Champaner. Here you can see three fortification bases Champaner, Pavagadh and Machi. The other places to see are Gates Halol gate, Delhi gate, Chhota Udepur, Jambu Ghoda and Laxmi Vilas Palace.
Saputara
The hill resort located in the Sahyadri Range, Saputara means The Abode of Serpents. As per the Hindu mythology, Lord Ram spent his 11 years of exile in the dense forests of Saputara. There is a deity of a serpent (snake) placed on the banks of the river Sarpaganga. Local tribal folks pay worship to this serpent god and celebrate festivals like Holi. Here you can visit Vansda National park, Purna Sanctuary, Gira falls and Mahal Bardipura forest.
Rajkot
Along the bank of Aji and Nyari River, Rajkot is the fourth largest city in Gujarat. Its a very important tourist destination as well. There are many important places that you can visit during your trip o the city of Rajkot.
This is because the city of Rajkot is deeply immersed in the local culture, and there are also many monuments and museums of public interest in Rajkot. There are several landmarks, which makes the city unique by itself, like Kaba Gandhi’s Gate, which is Mahatma Gandhi’s old ancestral home. This was built during 1880 and stands tall till date. This house has now been converted into a museum, Watson Museum, Lang Library, Gebanshah Pir Dargah, Hashanshah Pir Dargah and Turkibapu’s Dargah, Jagat Mandiris a very beautiful temple that is dedicated to Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa..
Dwarka
It is believed that Dwarka is the dwelling place of Lord Krishna. Situated along the coast of Arabian Sea, the Dwarakadhish Temple is the main attraction of the Dwarka, Temple is rich in architectural value because of various sculptures and carved pillars. Here you can also see the convergence of River Gomti and Arabian Sea.
Bhavnagar
Bhavsinhji Gohil founded this city in 1723 AD and today it is an important tourist destination. 228 km away from the capital city, Bhavnagar is the fifth largest city of Gujarat. The main tourist attraction here are Takhteshwar Temple, Neelambag Palace and Bhav Vilas Palace.
Junagadh
At the foothills of Girnar Hills the natural beauty of the city attracts tourist to enjoy the place. The places of interest here are Somnath, Girnar, Ashok Shilalekh, Sakkarbaug Zoo and Narsinh Mehta No Choro.
Uparkot
Five kilometers from Junagadh this location is visited by tourist for pilgrimage purpose. Here you can see Buddhist Stupas of 500-700 AD. The fort built by the Rajput on the Uparkot Hill is a beautiful creation.
Porbandar
Porbandar is mainly a coastal city that is well known among tourists, famous as the birth place of Mahatma Gandhi, gandhi house. The places to visit here are Sudama Mandir, Shri Hari Mandir, Ram Krishna Mission, Ram Dhoon Mandir, Rana Bapu’s Mahal and Chowpati.
Bhuj
At an elevation of 360 ft, Bhuj is the gateway to Kutch. Bhuj is known for its palaces built in the traditional Kutchi architectural styles. Among them, the Aina Mahal or the Palace of Mirrors is the most famous and one of its main highlights. Wildlife sanctuaries like Narayan Sarovar Sanctuary, Kutch Bustard Sanctuary are the major tourist attractions here.
Sarnath
Near to the port town in Junagadh, Sarnath is a famous as a pilgrimage center. The major tourist sites here are Chaukhandi Stupa, Ashoka Pillar and Sarnath Archeological Museum. The Chaukhandi Stupa is thought originally to have been built as a terraced temple during the Gupta period between the 4th to 6th Century to mark the site where Lord Buddha and his first disciples met traveling from Bodh Gaya to Sarnath. Later Govardhan, the son of a Raja, modified the stupa to its present shape by building the octagonal tower to commemorate the visit of Humayun, the powerful Mughal ruler.
