Places To Visit In Pune

[Sejal]

As the title of the thread mentions, I want to know about the places to visit in Pune. I will be there with five other friends for a duration of 2 weeks, and we would like to see all of Pune and possibly the surrounding areas which are worth seeing. I have heard there are some great hill stations near Pune but I am not too sure of the place name.

If it is possible, I would like the places to see be segregated into history/religion, landmarks, temples, and architecture and of course shopping.

If there are some really famous places to eat in Pune don't forget to list those as well.

Please keep in mind we all six girls travelling so mention places to see keeping in mind we would be on our own and should always be in a safe place, not a deserted place.

Some idea of the current weather in Pune would be good to know.

 

[Anurag]

Pune is a large city, and it has many places to visit ranging from temples to forts or beautiful gardens. A list of the places to visit in Pune are:

Landmarks
Aga Khan Palace
Tower of Silence

Temples
Pataleshwar Cave Temple
Parvati Hill
Chaturshingri Temple
Saras Baug
St Marys Church
Dagdusheth Halwai Ganapati Temple

Places Associated with History
Shaniwar Wada
Lohagad
The Peths of the Old City

Lakes and Gardens
Mulshi Dam
Khadakwasla Dam
Pu La Deshpande Garden
Peshwa Udyan
Katraj Snake Park
Malshej Ghat

Museums
National War Museum
Raja Dinkar Kelkar Museum
Tribal Museum

Forts and Caves
Rajgad Fort
Sinhagad Fort
Korigad Fort
Lenyadri Caves

There are many hill stations near Pune, which are worth a visit. Some of the famous and popular hill station near Pune include Lonavala and Khandala.

There are so many wonderful places to eat at in Pune, and I have listed only some which are Dorabjee & Sons, Kayani Bakery, Pune Baking Co, Bedekar Tea Stall, Maratha Samrat, Eviva Sky Lounge, Kalyan Bhel, Hotel Kaveri, German Bakery, Burger King (not the food chain company), Sujata Mastani, Tiranga Non Veg.

Temperatures in Pune can reach up to 40 c with high humidity, and that's fine, but if it is something you would rather avoid then it would be best to visit Pune from September.

 

[briannagodess]

Hello and welcome to the forum!

Pune is the second largest city in the state of Maharashtra. It's a melting pot of culture and heritage as well as modernity and tradition. It is fondly called as the "Oxford of the East" for the numerous educational institutions that can be found in here. Here are the best attractions in the city of Pune:

Forts

• Shivneri Fort. This is where Shivaji, the great Maratha emperor, was born. You can find the fort in a 300 metre hill. There's about 7 gates you'd have to traverse to reach the fort itself. Tourists can reach the fort two ways: one is via the stone steps and the other is via a rough and hazardous path. You can also find a Shivai Temple inside the fort. At its entrance, there's a huge statue of Shivaji as well. The Badami Talav Lake can also be found inside.

• Rajgad Fort. You can find this in the Raigad District of Maharashtra. This served as Shivaji's capital for many years. The fort is about 820 metres above sea level. The main palace here was made of wood, although its ruins are the only remains now. You can also find the ruins of the three watchtowers in here.

• Sinhagad Fort. This is also called the Lion's Fort. It is situated in the Bhuleswar Range of Sahyadri Mountains. It is above 760 metres above sea level. Some say that the fort was built over 2,000 years ago. The tomb of Rajaram, Shivaji's younger son, can also be found inside the fort.

Palaces

• Aga Khan Palace. It was Sultan Muhammed Shah Aga Khan III who built this palace. He built this as an act of charity for the people of Pune who were hit by famine. However, this palace also served as a prison for Mahatma Gandhi, his wife Kasturba Gandhi and his secretary Mahadev Bhai Desai. This is also where the latter two died.

• Lal Mahal. It was the father of Shivaji who built this majestic red structure. However, various events led to the fall of the Lal Mahal and its destruction. The reconstructed Lal Mahal only occupies a part of the land of the original one and it was PMC who reconstructed the palace.

• Shaniwar Wada Palace. It was the Peshwa Rulers of the Maratha Empire who occupied this palace during their tenure. The main palace was built first and later, fortifications, bastions, gates, court halls and other buildings were built as well.

Religion/Temples

• Dagdusheth Halwai Ganesh Temple. This temple is dedicated to Lord Ganesh. There's a 7 feet statue of Lord Ganesh in the temple itself.

• Kasba Ganpati Temple. Kasba Ganesh of the temple is the major deity of the city of Pune. It's best visited during the Ganesh Festival when the entire temple is decorated and cultural events are staged here as well.

• Pataleshwar Cave Temple. You can find sculptures of Lord Pataleshwar, Sita, Rama, Laxman and other Hindu deities here. It is a single rock cut temple, resembling the Ellora Caves.

Museums

• Raja Dinkar Kelkar Museum. This houses about 20,000 artefacts collected by Dr. Kenkar. Perhaps, what's most interesting here, are the warrior armours made of crocodile skin and fish scales.

• National War Museum. This is a war memorial dedicated to the war martyrs post-independence.

Gardens/Parks

• Bund Garden or Mahatma Gandhi Udyan. You can ride a horse here, watch the magic shows or just enjoy the greenery all around.

• Empress Garden. There's a beautiful stream here that you can enjoy. Kids can also enjoy the play zone areas in the garden. Aside from that, there's several food stalls to fulfil your tummy.

• Kamla Nehru Park. The main attraction here is the fountain which provides some relaxation because of its beauty and elegance.

• Butterfly Park. This is the second park of its kind in India. You can find several species of plants here aside from the beautiful butterflies.

Restaurants/Eateries

• Barbeque Nation in Sayaji Hotel, 10th Floor, 135/136, Mumbai Bangalore Bypass Highway, Wakad, Pune. They have North Indian and Mughlai cuisines. Try out their Chicken Dalcha and Barbecue Chicken Wings, yum!

• Aaoji Khhaoji in Shop 31, Raghukulnagari, Opposite Patil Complex, Ambedkar Chowk, Bopodi, Aundh Road, Aundh, Pune. They have North Indian cuisine. Their Thalis are worth trying out but be sure you have an appetite as the servings here are quite big.

• Kayani Bakery in 6, Opposite Victory Theatre, Camp, East Street, Pune. Their Shrewsbury Cookies and Masa Cake are mildly sweet and super delicious.

Shopping

• Hong Kong Lane. You can find this in Deccan near the Garware Bridge. You can find affordable clothes, accessories, shoes and bags here.

• Phule Market. This is a great place to shop for kitchen and food essentials.

• Laxmi Road. You can shop for textiles, fabrics and other types of clothing items here.

• MG Road. This is where you can shop for branded items. There's also a few bakeries and eateries here.

There you go. Now, let's list some nearby places to Pune where you can go:

1. Khandala. This is a hill station about 69 kms from Pune. Attractions here are:

• Duke's Nose. Named after Duke Wellington as it is said the cliff resembles his nose. It's a great place for enjoying the views of the valleys below.

• Rajmachi Fort. You'd have to trek on foot to reach this fort as it is surrounded by valleys on the three sides and a thick forest on one side.

• Bedsa Caves. This has a large Chaitya Hall and an impressive vaulted wooden roof.

2. Lonavala. This is about 65 kms from Pune and it's another hill station. Attractions here are:

• Tiger's Leap. This is located right off a cliff and offers amazing views of the surroundings.

• Ryewood Garden. This was once the residence of an Englishman named Mr. Rye, hence the name. It's a beautiful park with lush greenery and tranquility.

3. Panchgani. This is about 100 kms from Pune and yet another hill station. Attractions here are:

• Table Land. The second highest plateau in Asia after the Tibetan Plateau.

• Rajpuri Caves. Another must visit here, it is surrounded by kunds or ponds which are believed to heal diseases.

• Parsi Point. A popular picnic spot in the region.

I hope this helps!

P.S.

Pune has three seasons: summer, monsoon and winter. Summers can be as hot as 43°C and the warmest months are from April to May. July is the wettest month during the monsoon season. Lastly, winter season can have temperature as low as 5°C. December and January are the coldest months.