Many associate Pune only as an IT hub or education city(Oxford of East). People often skip Pune for more modern and vibrant Mumbai or visit it for a day. But Pune is a city full of history, and it deserves at least 3 days.
To help you plan your trip to Pune, here is my suggested Pune 4 day itinerary.
Day-1
Shaniwar Wada
Very popular among the locals, Shaniwar Wada was the seven-storey fort built by Peshwas in the 18th century. After a military attack and a massive fire, what remains today is the stone base of Shaniwar Wada. Today, the foundation of Shaniwar Wada encloses a big garden complex that has the remains of the lotus-shaped fountain – the Hazari Karanje (Fountain of a thousand jets). One hour is enough to see the fort structure and garden complex. Avoid visiting in the afternoon as it can get very hot at that time.
Address – Shaniwar Wada, Shaniwar Peth, Pune, Maharashtra 411030
Opening Hours – 8 AM to 6:30 PM (closed on Sunday)
Suggested Duration – 1 hour
Ticket Cost – 25 INR (Indian), 300 INR (Foreigners)
Darshan Museum
Darshan displays the life and teachings of Saint Sadhu Vaswani through audio-video, real-life mannequins, 3-d holographic. The museum is divided into 8 zones; each zone takes you for a ride into various phases of Sadhu Vaswani’s life, right from childhood until his demise. This is not a museum in a true sense as there are no exhibits on display but the use of technology makes the visitors more engaged than exhibits with descriptions. You will need a couple of hours to go through all the zones. Darshan museum was one of the highlights of our trip and we recommend everyone to visit it.
Address – 10, Sadhu Vaswani Rd, Near G.P.O, Agarkar Nagar, Pune, Maharashtra 411001
Phone – 020-26123847, 020-26125679
Official website – https://darshan.net.in/
Opening Hours – 10 AM to 5 PM (closed on Thursday)
Suggested Duration – 2 hours
Ticket Cost – Free
Pune-Okayama Friendship Garden
Pune-Okayama Friendship Garden is inspired by the Kōraku-en Garden in Okayama, Japan; hence, the name. Walk along the tracks while enjoying the beautiful landscape. The garden was extended a few years back to include a replica of the Mughal Garden of Delhi. The garden is not for a picnic as both walking on the lawn and outside food are not allowed.
Note: The garden is closed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic; so do check before visiting.
Address – Sinhgad Rd, Pune Okayama Friendship Garden, Dattawadi, Pune, Maharashtra 411030
Opening Hours – 6:30 AM to 10:30 AM, 4 PM to 8 PM
Suggested Duration – 1.5 to 2 hours
Ticket Cost – 10 INR (Adult), 5 INR (Child)
Swaminarayan Mandir
Wrap your day by visiting Swaminarayan Mandir at night when the temple is colourfully illuminated. The temple is exquisitely carved in Indian pink sandstone and red stone. It is not as grand as the Akshardham temple of Delhi but is definitely worth a visit.
Address – A1-B1, Mumbai-Bengaluru National Highway, 4, Narhe Ambegaon Rd, Narhe, Pune, Maharashtra 411041
Official website – https://www.baps.org/Global-Network/India/Pune/Visitor-Info.aspx
Opening Hours – 7:30 AM to 11:45 AM, 4 PM to 9 PM
Suggested Duration – 1 hour
Ticket Cost – Free
Day-2
Aga Khan Palace
Aga Khan Palace is of national significance as Mahatama Gandhi, his wife Kasturba Gandhi, and his secretary Mahadev Desai and Sarojini Naidu were imprisoned there in 1942 for 2 years following the launch of the Quit India Movement. Kasturba Gandhi and Mahadev Desai passed away during their captivity period in the palace. Both of their samadhis along with Gandhiji’s are located in the complex.
The palace has fours halls open to the public. Each hall has statues and pictures of Gandhiji and others along with detailed descriptions of their time in the palace. Few rooms also have things used by them during captivity.
The palace is surrounded by a huge garden that is well-maintained.
Address – Nagar Road, Samrat Ashok Rd, Pune, Maharashtra 411006
Opening Hours – 9 AM to 5:30 PM
Suggested Duration – 1 to 2 hours
Ticket Cost – 25 INR (Indians), 300 INR (Foreigners)
Pataleshwar Cave Temple
It is an 8th-century rock-cut cave temple currently dedicated to Parvati, Shiva and Ganesh. Outside the cave, there is a circular Nandi Mandapa supported by square pillars. Unlike other temples of India, photography is allowed inside the temple. The temple is surrounded by a garden that is not that well-maintained.
Address – 1170/15B, Kushabhau Jejurikar Rd, Revenue Colony, Shivajinagar, Pune, Maharashtra 411005
Opening Hours – 6:30 AM to 8:30 PM
Suggested Duration – 30 minutes
Ticket Cost – Free
Lunch at Cafe on FC Road
Whether on a budget or not, I would suggest you have at least one meal at one of the cafes on FC Road. Food is delicious and reasonably priced as Fergusson College is nearby. We had lunch at Kathaa Cafe and everything from burgers, and pizza to pasta was amazing.
Gram Sanskruti Udyan (Village Park)
Gram Sanskruti Udyan is a mock village that depicts village life through life-like statues of people of different professions going about their day. Here, you will see statues of blacksmith, barber, goldsmith, sweet shop owner, vaidya(Doctor), and many others. Farmers, Panchayat, a village wedding, and a school class under a tree are also wonderfully depicted. There are also statues of different animals.
It is the hidden gem of Pune. This was one of the top two favourite places in Pune, the other being the Darshan museum. I loved the level of attention given to making the sculptures life-like.
Behind the park, there is the Someshwar temple which is dedicated to Lord Shiva and also houses the replicas of 12 Jyotirlingas.
Also Read: Gram Sanskruti Udyan: A Hidden Gem in Pune
Address – Late Sanjay Mahadeo Nimhan Gram Sanskruti Udyan, Ward No. 9, Ward No. 8, Someshwarwadi, Pashan, Pune, Maharashtra 411008
Opening Hours – 10 AM to 8:30 PM
Suggested Duration – 2 to 3 hours
Ticket Cost – INR 50 (12+ years), INR 30 (3 to 12 years), INR 150 (Foreigners)
Dagdhusheth Ganpati Mandir
This is a Ganesh temple located on the busy road of old Pune. It is frequently visited by many celebrities. We visited it at night and there was no big queue. It hardly took us 15 minutes to get in and out of the temple.
Address – Ganpati Bhavan, 250, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Rd, Mehunpura, Budhwar Peth, Pune, Maharashtra 411002
Official website – https://www.dagdushethganpati.com/
Opening Hours – 6 AM to 11 PM
Suggested Duration – 30 minutes
Ticket Cost – Free
Day-3
Day Trip to Sinhagad Fort
Sinhagad Fort is a hill fortress located around 25 kilometres away from Pune. It is a very popular weekend destination for Pune residents. To fully explore the fort, you will be required to climb 250 odd stairs and lots of walking. The fort in itself is in ruins. People visit Sinhagad fort for the amazing views it offers.
Also Read: Sinhagad Fort Travel Guide
Address – Sinhagad Ghat Rd, Thoptewadi, Maharashtra 411025
Opening Hours – 5 AM to 6 PM
Suggested Duration – 3 to 4 hours
Ticket Cost – Free
Parking Fee – INR 100 (4-wheelers), INR 50 (2-wheelers)
Day-4
Lonavala and adjacent Khandala are twin hill stations and are just 60 kilometres away from Pune. Lonavala has few viewpoints and a rock-cut Buddhist cave; Khandala has a fort and a rock-cut cave. The viewpoints are ordinary and may give them a miss. The Lohagad fort in Khandala provides birds-eye views from the top. You may also look to visit either Karla Caves in Lonavala or Bhaja caves in Khandala. If forts and caves do not interest you, then you may think of skipping Lonavala.
Also Read: Lonavala Day Trip
We have listed out the places that we have visited or wanted to visit but couldn’t due to covid restrictions. Darshan Museum and Gram Sanskruti Udyan were the highlights of our trip and are must-visit places in Pune.
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