Things to do
HISTORY
Pune is a historic melting pot that takes you from the 8th-century Pataleshwar Cave Temple that’s dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, to the palatial ruins of Shaniwarwada Palace where the Peshwas (prime ministers) ruled for nearly 150 years. Wander through the old town’s bustling lanes where markets, shiny new tech hubs and colonial buildings stand side by side. And stop by Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial, whose ashes are preserved in the pristine gardens of the grand Aga Khan Palace, built in 1892.
FOOD & DRINK
Pune’s cuisine reflects its spirited personality. Street-side stalls treat you to favourites such as missal pav, a spicy moth bean curry and sabudana khichdi made with rice, lentils and tapioca pearls. While high-end restaurants reinterpret Maharashtrian classics served with robust Indian wines. Prepare for a sensory overload in the markets. Walk past stall after stall, piled high with seasonal produce, fragrant spices, freshly roasted peanuts and delicious laddoo sweets, made from an unrefined, rustic sugar called jaggery.
CULTURE
Nicknamed the ‘Oxford of the East’, Pune is renowned for business and higher education. Classical music concerts, theatre performances, art galleries and Ayurvedic clinics continue the city’s long tradition as one of Maharashtra’s cultural and wellness capitals. Shop for selling handwoven textiles and delicate silverwork, and keep a look out for rangoli art. These intricate patterns of coloured powder are created fresh every morning, outside homes and temples.
