On the city’s outskirts, the many marvelous forts of Marathas, perched on Sahyadri mountain ranges, look down upon the city protectively—as if assuring the locals that they are still ready to defend them like they did in the times of the brave Peshwas and great Shivaji. But the heart of the city has now been conquered by high-rising, glass structures of the booming IT and manufacturing industries. Each year, this ‘Oxford of the East’ sees more influx of youths to its innumerable centers of higher learning. In the evening, they will be hanging near the food stalls and ordering ‘SPDP’(Sev Batata Dahi Puri)—a favorite local snack. Every weekend, visitors from neighboring Mumbai flock here to find the city cooler, calmer and far less crowded than their own.
Pune was initially the capital of the ruling Shivaji and the Peshwas. The city’s cool and dry climate attracted the British in 1817 and they made it the Bombay Presidency’s monsoon capital. In 1990s, Pune began witnessing the effects of globalization, but some pockets of the city still retain the old-world charm with imperial-era structures.
The city seems to have endless options for everything from shopping to eating and sightseeing With a young population, Pune boasts of many eateries, streetside and swanky. So take a break from exploring the city and head out to a nearby café or sweet shop to enjoy some great local delicacies.
You’ll find some great local items on wholesale at famous shops near Laxmi Road and Mahatma Gandhi (M.G.) Road. Don’t be shy, let those bargaining skills shine!
Monsoon is a great time to be in Pune. If you take the Express Highway from Mumbai, the fog and mist will transport you to a north Indian hill station. You can plan your trip around the bright fortnight of Bhadrapada (August – September), and witness Pune’s most important Ganesh Festival. Watch in awe as the large, famous idol navigates the streets of Pune in all his glory.
Transport in Pune is fairly convenient. You can hire auto-rickshaws and taxis from most parts of the city. Government buses also run on scheduled routes within the city. Many youngsters, though, opt to ride around the city on scooties and bikes, and boys and girls with handkerchiefs wrapped around their faces is a common site, due to the excessive dust Pune is known for. As a tourist, you’ll be able to hire a bike easily as well.
On a daily basis there are approximately 109 flights that operate at Pune Airport.IndiGo, SpiceJet and Air India are the most popular airline brands that fly frequently to this airport.
Besides flying you can also reach Pune through train.Pune Junction, Sivajinagar, Khadkiare some of the most popular train stations in Pune.On an average about 200+ trains pass through Pune on a daily basis.Mumbai to Pune, Lonavala to Pune, Daund to Puneare some of the most popular routes to Pune with 269, 231, 212 trains weekly respectively.
By road Pune is surrounded by Khopoli, Satara, Alibag which are 37.21 km, 59.93 km, 65.11 km away respectively. These places are ideal spots for people to plan their short weekend break.
Pune has a total of 248 hotels.There are 248 hotels in Pune with the popular ones being The Westin Pune, JW Marriott Hotel Pune, Le Meridien Pune, Vivanta By Taj Blue Diamond, Royal Orchid Central Pune, Sun N Sand Hotel Pune etc.
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