Things to do in Pune

Landmark · Central Pune

The 1732 fortified seat of the Peshwa rulers of the Maratha Empire — the walls and gates survive, the palace within burned in 1828.

Local tip: The evening light-and-sound show is the usual visit; the better move is to walk the surrounding Peths in the morning, when the old city is at work and the wada sits in the middle of ordinary life.

Nature · 30km south-west

A hill fort on a Sahyadri ridge at 1,300 metres, reached by a steep climb, with pithla-bhakri and buttermilk sold at the top.

Local tip: The classic Pune weekend. Walk up rather than driving — it takes about ninety minutes — and go in the monsoon when the ridge is green and cloud rolls through the gates.

Culture · Yerawada

An 1892 palace where Gandhi, Kasturba and Sarojini Naidu were interned during the Quit India movement, now a memorial and museum.

Local tip: Kasturba Gandhi died here in 1944 and her samadhi is in the grounds. It is quiet, rarely crowded, and among the more affecting historical sites in India.

Neighborhood · East-central

Tree-lined lanes, cafés and the Osho International Meditation Resort, with the adjacent public park open to all.

Local tip: The Osho Teerth gardens beside the resort are free, beautifully landscaped and open in the mornings — most people assume the whole thing is gated and paid. German Bakery nearby is a Pune institution.

Neighborhood · Old city

The old walled quarters — wooden wadas, brass and copper workshops, and a market that has run for centuries.

Local tip: Tulshibaug for household goods and Laxmi Road for saris. Go on foot in the morning; the lanes are not passable by car and that is the point.

Culture · 50km west toward Lonavala

2nd-century BCE Buddhist rock-cut caves with a chaitya hall, carved pillars and a waterfall beside them in the monsoon.

Local tip: Karla gets the visitors; Bhaja is a short distance away, older, quieter and has a monsoon waterfall right beside the steps. Combine with a ghat drive and you have the best day out from Pune.