By the virtue of which the city has been decorated by many such buildings and locations that attract a large number of tourists to the city every year.

Places Of Interest

Aga Khan Palace: Aga Khan Palace was built by Sultan Muhammad Shah Aga Khan III in the year 1892. A landmark in the Indian history, the palace was created as an act of charity by the Sultan. The main motive behind its construction was the helping hand lend by Aga Khan in famine hit Pune. During the national freedom struggle, the palace was used as a prison by the Britishers. Beautified by spacious lawns and Italian arches, the building comprises of five halls. Presently, the palace has been turned into a museum. In the year 2003, Archaeological Survey of India declared the site protected and tagged the palace; a monument of national importance.

Sinhagad: Literally meaning The Lion Fort, the site has been witness to many important battles in the medieval age of India. Placed in the Bhuleswar ranges of the Sahyadris, the fort is strategically situated at the center of a string of other forts Rajgad, PurandarTorna. Though ruined now, the steep slopes of the defensive walls protected the fort from foreign invasions for a very long time. There are two gates of the bastion- KalyanDarwaza and Pune Darwaza. The fort is now a new address to the trekkers coming to the city or living around the area.

Shaniwada: Another fort in the area, Shaniwada was built by the Marathas, in the 18th century. The fortification was the property of the Marathas until 1818, when they lost control to the East India Company. The Fort Complex has several gates namely -DilliDarwaza, MastaniDarwaza, KhidkiDarwaza, Ganesh Darwaza and JambhulDarwaza- along with severalpalaces and an impressive lotus shaped fountain in the Shaniwarwada Garden. During the Maratha reign, Shaniwarwada served as the center of rule over India. In 1828 the fort got destroyed in an arson. But still the site is a tourist magnet in the land of Shivaji.

Raja Dinkar Kelkar Museum: A home to many artworks collected and preserved by Dr. Dinkar G. Kelkar is a memorial of his son. This three story building houses many ancient sculptures, ornaments, musical instruments, war weapons and vessels. The museum is currently a property of the Government of Maharashtra, under the supervision of Department of Archaeology. The popular section, according to the officials and visitors, is the MastaniMahal, which is a depiction of the palace of the Maratha Queen, designed using the remnants of the palace itself.

SarasBaug: If you dreamt of walking over a lake, then this one is definitely the place for you. A lake-turned-park, this green land mass is an important landmark in the city. There is also a Ganesh temple in SarasBaug, which is known as TalyatalaGanapati.

Parvati Hill: A hillock in Pune, Parvati Hill rises approximately 640 feet above the sea level. On top of the mound, is Parvati Temple, one of the oldest heritage structures of the city. One has to climb almost 103 steps to reach this temple built by the Peshwas. Providing a great panoramic view of the city from the second highest point of Pune, the main temple here is made of Blackstone. Along with the temple, one can also witness the samadhi of BalajiBajiRao, a Peshwa museum and a water tank that provides water to the half of the Pune city.

Pataleshwar Cave Temple: Also known as the Panchaleshwara, this is a rock cut cave temple. The 8th century monument was built during the Rashtrakuta period. This basalt rock Hindu temple is a protected monument now.

How To Reach

Air
Pune International Airport is an international airport at Lohegaon, operated by the Airports Authority of India. Along with the domestic flights connecting Pune to all major Indian cities, several international flights are also operational here connecting it to several international destinations as

Road
Pune is well-connected to other cities by Indian highways and state highways. National Highway 4(NH 4) connects it to Mumbai, Bangalore and Kolhapur. NH 9 to Hyderabad, and NH 50 to Nashik. rnThe Mumbai-Pune Expressway, India's first six-lane high-speed Expressway, was built in 2002, that has red

Rail
Daily Express trains connect Pune to all metropolitan and other important cities of the country.

Best Time To Visit

September to April: After the massive industrialisation that took place in the city, the climatic conditions have reached the extremes. The average temperature during summers remains between 26° – 40° Celsius, which stays from March to the first week of June. Next is the monsoon that drenches the city in the months of June, July, August and September recording an average rainfall around 70 cm. Thus, one can choose the period between September to April to avoid the heat and the onslaught of the monsoons, while enjoying the warm winters.