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Vadodara

Vadodara

city · Gujarat

Vadodara, historically Baroda, is the cultural capital of Gujarat, and the Gaekwad dynasty made it the grand city it is.

State
Gujarat
Type
City
Best season
Winter
Things to do
3+

Vadodara, historically Baroda, is the cultural capital of Gujarat, and the Gaekwad dynasty made it the grand city it is. The palaces are opulent, the art academies are serious, the public gardens are vast, and the old royal city and the modern industrial one sit side by side.

When to go

October to March is mild — good weather for the historic architecture and the grand estates.

Why visit

To tour one of India's largest privately held royal palace estates, explore rare European and Indian art galleries, and visit the nearby UNESCO park of Champaner-Pavagadh.

Cultural notes

Vadodara holds the most traditional and classical Navratri Garba nights in India, with a deep artistic heritage behind them and community gatherings on an enormous scale.

How to reach

By Air: Vadodara Airport (BDQ) has daily domestic flights. By Train: Vadodara Junction is one of the busiest railway centres in western India. By Road: The city sits directly on National Highway 48.

Vadodara in 3 days

See the full itinerary

3 days in Vadodara

Take the whole plan, or add any single stop.

Laxmi Vilas PalaceDay 1

Day 1

Laxmi Vilas Palace

Commissioned in 1878 by Sayajirao Gaekwad III and finished in 1890 to designs by the British architects Charles Mant and Robert Chisholm, named for Sayajirao's first wife Lakshmibai. The grounds run to more than five hundred acres, which makes it the largest private residence in the world, and it is still the home of the Gaekwad family. The style is Indo-Saracenic: Indo-Islamic massing with Renaissance detail. It cost six million rupees, and had indoor lifts and its own telephone exchange when it opened. Part of it is open to visitors; the rest is a house.

Sayaji Baug (Kamati Baug)

Day 1

Sayaji Baug (Kamati Baug)

More than a hundred acres in the middle of Vadodara, laid out by Sayajirao Gaekwad III and the largest garden in western India. It works as a public park rather than a formal garden — joggers at six in the morning, families at six in the evening, and a toy train that has been running for decades. The Baroda Museum and Picture Gallery stands inside it, along with a planetarium and a zoo. Free, open from early, and the one place in the city where you can walk for an hour without crossing traffic.

Day 1

Sursagar Lake statue at dusk

Sursagar Lake statue at dusk

Day 2

Day 2

Jami Masjid of Champaner

Jami Masjid of Champaner

Day 2

Pavagadh ropeway & Mahakali temple

Pavagadh ropeway & Mahakali temple

Day 2

Stepwells & city gates

Stepwells & city gates

Day 3

Day 3

EME (Dakshinamurty) Temple

EME (Dakshinamurty) Temple

Day 3

Mandvi Gate & Khanderao Market

Mandvi Gate & Khanderao Market

Day 3

Fine Arts faculty campus & cafés

Fine Arts faculty campus & cafés

Vadodara guide & itineraries

Vadodara is perfect for

heritagefamilycouples

Shopping

Look for beautiful ethnic silver jewellery, local Baroda-style paintings, handloom textiles, and legendary local savoury snacks like Bhakarwadi from the old markets.

Popular attractions

The places in Vadodara most people come for.

Laxmi Vilas Palace

Laxmi Vilas Palace

Attraction2 hrsmorning

Sayaji Baug (Kamati Baug)

Sayaji Baug (Kamati Baug)

Viewpoint1.5 hrsevening

See all attractions

Frequently asked questions

Is Laxmi Vilas Palace fully open to the general public?

Certain inner royal wings remain private residences, but the grand durbar hall, armory room, and extensive palace grounds are fully accessible via paid audio-guided tours.

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