Reasons You Should Fall In Love With Pune

I was vacationing in Bangalore and now I have decided to move to Pune for continuing my vacation. The aerial distance between these two cities is 835Km and flights from Bangalore to Pune take more than 1 hour to reach Pune Airport from Kempegowda International Airport, Bangalore. Plenty of airlines operate regular flights on this route, among which SpiceJet, Air India, and IndiGo are most popular.

About Pune

Pune is the second largest city in Maharashtra. This metropolitan city is located on the bank of the Mutha River and it is a highly populous place. As this city has a rich cultural and historic background, it is also a popular tourist destination. It is also an IT hub and an important centre for higher education.

Culture in Pune

As Pune was the cultural seat of the Maratha region since the medieval age, it is still known for its rich cultural background. Marathi is the language mainly spoken here, as it is the mother- tongue of the majority of the population. However, Hindi and English are also spoken here, providing convenience to tourists. Hinduism is the main religion followed by a maximum number of people living here.

Historical places in Pune

• Aga Khan Palace - This palace built by a local Muslim ruler has immense importance in India's history of gaining independence. Kasturba Gandhi, wife of Mahatma Gandhi died here in captivity, for which a memorial is built for her here.

• Lal Mahal - This historic palace was the childhood home of Chatrapathi Shivaji and it was so named because of its red-colored walls.
• Shaniwar Wada - This huge mansion was the seat of Peshwa governance for a long time, as was built by Peshwa Baji Rao I.
• Shivneri Fort - This fort was the birthplace of Shivaji Maharaj and it is noted for its high walls and seven gates.

Religious places in Pune

• Parvati Temple - This temple complex is located on a hilltop and comprises 5 distinct temples. It is one of the earliest architectural structures of this region, as was built during the rule of Peshwa dynasty.  
• Pataleshwar Cave Temple - This rock-cut temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. This ancient temple was made of black basalt rock during the reign of the Rashtrakuta dynasty.

Tourist places in Pune

• National Defense Academy - This is the place where all defense service cadets are provided training. Tourists visit here to see the architectural design of this building, for which they need to seek written permission.
• National War Museum - This museum is dedicated to all war martyrs of India. It displays arms and replicas of warships used in the Indian-Portuguese War, Pakistan War of 1971, and Kargil War.
• Bund Garden - This place is famous for its lush greenery and scenic beauty. This garden also consists of a lake and numerous trees dwelled by various types of birds.

Pune foods that will blow your taste buds

Bakarwadi is a spicy and deep-fried snack, which is a specialty of Pune. Peanut chutney, Amti, and Sabudana Khichdi are other delicacies of this region that tourists cannot miss to taste. Vada Pav and Bhelpuri are two yummy street foods that people want to relish here.

Festivals in Pune

Ganesh Mahotsav is the most famous festival of Pune, which is held every year in August/September for 10 days. Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti is celebrated on 19^th February, to mark the birthday of Chatrapathi Shivaji. Bhaubeej, Diwali, Dusserah, Gudi Padwa, Ellora Festival, are other prominent festivals of Pune.

Shopping markets in Pune

Fergusson College Road, Fashion Street, Hong Kong Lane, Tulsi Baug, and Laxmi Road are the prime marketplaces in Pune, where numerous shops are lined up for selling various commodities. Phule Market, Clover Centre, and Juna Bazaar are other famous markets of this city.

Nightlife in Pune

There are several nightclubs, bars, and restaurants in Pune that remain open the whole night on weekends. So, people enjoy delicious foods, music, and dance there to relax from the whole week's tension. Mi-a-Mi, Coco, Oak Lounge, and Euriska are some of the well-known places to enjoy the nightlife in Pune.

Where to stay in Pune

There are plenty of luxury resorts and budget hotels in Pune. The areas close to Koregaon Park, Pune Cantonment, and Deccan Gymkhana contain many hotels for tourists.

Thus, people can make plans for visiting Pune on their vacations, to enjoy memorable moments here with their families.