The largest city of Gujarat, the state’s commercial capital and a haven for textiles and handicrafts, Ahmedabad is a city that grows on you. With its blend of the old and the new, you will come upon majestic monuments that whisper the tales of the past and will then confront modern buildings that are a testament to the city’s rapid progress and urbanization. An aerial view of the city displays a maze of fast-moving highways along with frequent pockets of dilapidation.
Zooming in, you’ll meet old Gujarati men and women, who have lived here all their lives, seen far more than you and I, conversing in Gujarati, munching on some khakhra or strolling around a park in saris and sneakers, without a care in the world! It’s a city where the true meaning of community comes to the fore.
Founded in 1411 by Sultan Ahmed Shah, from where the city derives its name, Ahmedabad served as the capital for post-independence Gujarat from 1960 to 1970, before the title was shifted to Gandhinagar.
Driving off the highway and weaving through the crowded inner streets, while encountering reams of mirrored cloth and lines of lit-up stores, you will find the essence of the city, somewhere along the way.
Ahmedabad is home to a number of monuments dating back to the Moghul era. It also has a large number of museums, memorials, lakes and sanctuaries, but is most famous for the local Gujarati hospitality and cuisine.
Spend an entire day at the Calico Museum of Textiles, which has grown in significance to the global fashion fraternity. Take a boat ride on Chamola Lake or simply sit by the banks watching the sun set.
Take a tour of the forts and shrines that have witnessed the birth and growth of this city. You can also sign up for a heritage tour that will take you to all the places you need to see. Shop for local Ahmedabadi textiles, jewelry and handicrafts at local markets that dot the city, but most of all, soak in the local flavor of a city that gives to the country a lot more than it takes.
The best way to go sightseeing would be to hire a private taxi for the day. If you’d rather scrimp on the transport, hop onto a state bus or use a shared auto-rickshaw to get a truly local feel. Private auto-rickshaws are also available for those who don’t want to share a ride with strangers.
On a daily basis there are approximately 135 flights that operate at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.IndiGo, SpiceJet and Air India are the most popular airline brands that fly frequently to this airport.
Besides flying you can also reach Ahmedabad through train.Ahmedabad Junction, Sabarmati Jn, Maninagarare some of the most popular train stations in Ahmedabad.On an average about 300+ trains pass through Ahmedabad on a daily basis.Vadodara to Ahmedabad, Anand to Ahmedabad, Surat to Ahmedabadare some of the most popular routes to Ahmedabad with 302, 284, 240 trains weekly respectively.
By road Ahmedabad is surrounded by Vejalpur, Ranip, Naroda which are 4.93 km, 5.09 km, 10.84 km away respectively. These places are ideal spots for people to plan their short weekend break.
Ahmedabad has a total of 179 hotels.There are 179 hotels in Ahmedabad with the popular ones being Lemon Tree Hotel Ahmedabad, Courtyard by Marriott Ahmedabad, The Pride Hotel Ahmedabad, The Taj Gateway Hotel Ummed, The House Of MG, Sarovar Portico Ahmedabad etc.