Pune Travel & Living Guide: Best Places to Visit and Stay

Why Pune Is One of India's Favourite Cities

Pune — the Oxford of the East — combines education, culture, IT industry, and pleasant weather. With 7M+ population and 50+ engineering colleges, it's a city of students, professionals, and retirees. And the food? Extraordinary.

Top Tourist Attractions

• Shaniwar Wada: 18th-century Maratha fortress, light and sound show at night
• Aga Khan Palace: Memorial to Mahatma Gandhi, serene gardens
• Sinhagad Fort: Historic fortress with trekking trails and panoramic views
• Osho Ashram (Koregaon Park): International meditation resort
• Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati Temple: Famous Ganesh temple in the heart of the city

Food Punekars Are Proud Of

• Misal Pav: Spicy sprouted lentils with bread — Bedekar's and Katakirr are legendary
• Mastani: Thick milkshake topped with ice cream and dry fruits — Sujata Mastani
• Vada Pav: Mumbai's gift but Pune does it justice
• Sabudana Khichdi: Perfect breakfast near Deccan Gymkhana
• Puneri Dal Bhat: Classic Maharashtrian meal

Neighbourhoods to Know

• Koregaon Park: Upscale, cafes, expats, nightlife
• Aundh/Baner: IT hub, tech professionals, good restaurants
• Viman Nagar: Near airport, IT park, young crowd
• Kothrud: Residential, families, cultural hub
• Pimpri-Chinchwad: Industrial area, affordable housing

Day Trips from Pune

• Lonavala (65 km) — hill station, chikki, waterfalls
• Mahabaleshwar (120 km) — strawberries, valley views, horse riding
• Bhimashankar (110 km) — Jyotirlinga shrine, wildlife sanctuary trekking
• Ajanta & Ellora Caves (240 km) — UNESCO World Heritage rock-cut caves