Tourist Attractions in Gujarat  |
Ancient cave paintings, natural caves and historical murals welcome you to Gujarat in the western part of India. The major cities and districts of Gujarat are Ahmedabad, Amreli, Anand, Banaskantha, Bharuch, Bhavnagar, Dahod, Dang, Gandhinagar, Jamnagar, Junagadh, Kutch, Kheda, Mahesana, Narmada, Navsari and more.
Here you can find ports, beaches and hills, which makes this state a popular tourist destination. The ports worth mentioning are Okha, Porbandar, Veraval, Bhavnagar, and Salaya. The beaches to visit in Gujarat are Mandvi-Kutch, Dwarka, Chorwad, Gopnath, Tithal and Porbandar. Saputara, Pavagadh, Girnar, Taranga hills add more beauty to this place. Different locations of Gujarat, which are popular as tourist spots are discussed below:
Ahmedabad
The former capital of Gujarat, 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 are the most important places to see here.
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.
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, Willingdon Crescent, Pratap Vilas Palace, Kotha Bastion and Bhujio Kotho.
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, Sahastralinga Talav, Mahavir Swami Derasar and Siddhapur.
Vadodara
Earlier known as Baroda, today Vadodara is the third populated city in Gujarat. The history of the state will take you back to the 9th century. Filled with historical monuments, the places of interest here are Laxmi Vilas Palace, Nazarbaug Palace, Makarpura Palace, Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Kirti Mandir, Maharaja Fateh Singh Museum and Gandhi Nagar Gruh.
Pavagadh
Famous for the Mahakali Temple, Pavagadh attracts thousands of pilgrims every year. It is the gateway to Panchmahal and influenced (did you want to say inhabited?) 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.
Surat
One of the fastest growing cities on the banks of River Tapti and also a center for gold and silver threadwork is Surat. This was the primary port during the Mughal rule and the major tourist attractions here are Chintamani Jain Temple, Dutch Garden, The Surat Fort and Sardar Patel Museum.
Saputara
The hill resort located in the Sahyadri Range, Saputara means The Abode of Serpents. 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. There are several landmarks, which makes the city unique by itself, like Watson Museum, Lang Library, Gebanshah Pir Dargah,Hashanshah Pir Dargah and Turkibapu's Dargah.
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, Nilambag 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.
Uperkot
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 Uperkot Hill is a beautiful creation.
Porbandar
Famous as the birth place of Mahatma Gandhi, 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. 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.
Dwarka
It is believed that Dwarka is the dwelling place of Lord Krishna. The Dwarakadhish Temple is the main attraction of the Dwarka. Here you can also see the convergence of River Gomti and Arabian Sea.
Events and Festivals in Gujarat
There are several festivals in Gujarat, which makes the state more vibrant and effervescent. The main festivals here are Janmashthami, Navrati and the important fairs are Saputara Summer Festival, Madhavrai fair and Desert Festival.
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