Vadodara Travel Essentials

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Ideal duration: 1-2 days

Best Time: October to March Read More

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Baroda

Vadodara Tourism

Vadodara or Baroda is a cosmopolitan city located in Gujarat. Home to some of the most exemplary displays of architecture, Vadodara is a fitting memorial to Maratha leader Sayaji Rao Gaekwad III who had envisioned a dream to make this Big City an educational, industrial and commercial centre.

Known for one of the most lavish palaces in India- the Lakshmi Vilas Palace and plenty more legendary monuments, Vadodara is the cultural capital of Gujarat. With a prominent part of it being occupied by the Gujaratis, this place is the most sought after during the nine days of the Navratri festival. No city in India celebrates the festival of Navratri with as much zeal and exuberance as Vadodara does. It houses one of the premier universities of India- the Maharaja Sayajirao University.

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Cultural Hub of India

A trip to Vadodara would mean taking a break fro. the commercial ambience of Gujarat. Located by the beautiful Vishwamitri River, there are several beautiful gardens, museums and art galleries. Vadodara has preserved the culture of Gujarat as well of its rulers and different kingdoms across the years.

Architecture

During the 2000 year long history, the city of Vadodara has gone through several phases of urbanisation and development. The city Brims with architectural heritage as most of the offices and buildings designed during the ruling of Guptas, Solankis, Marathas and Mughals still stand tall today. There are several landmarks that are still evident of the fact that how powerful the impact of those ruling was over that period. The kila-e -daulatabad or today known as Old Baroda is a walled section of the city where you can explore shrines, century-old tenements, pilgrims and medieval bazaars. The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda established in 1881 by Sayajirao III is an evident example of an architectural design which has 144-foot high dome top in their Faculty of Arts Building, which is the second largest masonry dome in India. The Baroda Museum and Picture Gallery is another heritage with remarkable design on walls. The Kothi building is where the administrative office is located which is inspired by Scotland’s Balmoral Castle. Also known as the ‘temple of fame’ Kirti Mandir is a memorial for the deceased of Gaekwad family. Sayajirao Gaekwad hospital is another example that shows the influence of Indo – Saracenic architectural style.

Shopping

The city of Vadodara is marked with several shopping hot - spots for shopaholics. One can find spots ranging from multiplexes and malls to small markets with vibrant atmosphere of shoppers. If you think you can get everything with the brand tag, shopping is incomplete in Vadodara without jumping to the streets. National Plaza and Alkapuri are two major malls in the city. The industrial market is one of the largest street market which provided a wide range of goods, from furnitures to apparel and textiles. Lehripura market is another street market famous for its supply of traditional goods. This market is dominated majorly by the middle class population of the city.

History of Vadodara

The history of Vadodara can be traced back to 2000 years ago. Situated on the bank of Vishwamitri River, the city was formerly called Chandravati after the ruler Raja Chandan. Later the name was changed to Virvati and then Vadpatra because of the densely populated banyan trees on the bank of river Vishwamitri. The present name Baroda or Vadodara got derived from ‘Vadpatra’. The rich historical background of this place started from the Moghul rule which ended in 1732. The greatest rule was of Maratha which started with the accession of Maharaja Sayajirao III, 1875. Maharaja Sayajirao was a foremost reformer and initiated a socio-economic reform. He also started textiles and tile factories, visualised a scheme of development in educational sectors. He was the one to introduce compulsory primary education and library moment to emphasise the importance of education. The maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda marks his vision and modern Vadodara is a fitting memorial to this late ruler. The city has witnessed the rise and fall of several kingdoms and empires, Hindus, Pathans, Moghuls and Marathas and now occupies a vibrant position in the industrial and educational map.

Restaurants and Local Food in Vadodara

Vadodara has a large range of restaurants serving typical Gujarati thalis and also other cuisines, which means that the tourists do not have limited options in terms of food. Though there are more vegetarian restaurants in this city than there are non vegetarian. But the Gujrati cuisine offers a lot of variety in food and with so much variety in eating vegetarian food, the famous Indian British cookbook writer Madhur Jaffrey has termed Gujarati cuisine as "the haute cuisine of vegetarianism" in one of her TV serials about Indian food.
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Suggested Itinerary for Vadodara

Day 1- Begin day at the EME Temple. Then visit the Inorbit Mall, Maharaja Fatehsingh Museum and Gandhinagar Gruh Town Hall.
Day 2- Begin day at Iskon Temple, Laxmi Vilas Palace, Baroda Museum and Picture Gallery and Sayaji Baug.

Best Time to Visit Vadodara

How to Reach Vadodara

How to Reach Overview

Vadodara is easily accessible by road, rail, air and waterways. Vadodara has an aerodrome of its own, though it currently operates domestic flights only. For international flights, the nearest airport is Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad which is located 100 km away. You can avail the facility of buses from the STC bus station which is in close proximity to the Vadodara Junction. The Vadodara Junction Railway Station is one of the most major railway stations in India and also the busiest in the state of Gujarat. Vadodara can also be accessed by travelling in river Mahi in a boat from Savli.

How to reach Vadodara by flight

Vadodara has an aerodrome of its own, though it currently operates domestic flights only. All the major cities of India are well connected to this airport and hence, travelling from within the the country to this destination should not be a problem. For international flights, the nearest airport is Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad which is located 100 km away.

How to reach Vadodara by road

Getting to Vadodara by road is also a favourable and speedy option. The city is connected to other parts of the country with well developed and super fast highways. You can avail the facility of buses from the STC bus station which is in close proximity to the Vadodara Junction. These buses take you to all the major cities of Gujarat and are also connected to the major cities of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra.

How to reach Vadodara by train

The Vadodara Junction Railway Station is one of the most major railway stations in India and also the busiest in the state of Gujarat. Premium and super fast trains like the Shatabdi and the Rajdhani Express connect Vadodara to cities like Delhi and Mumbai.

How to reach Vadodara by waterways

Vadodara can be accessed by travelling in river Mahi in a boat from Savli.

Local transport in Vadodara

Intracity commuting is very convenient and affordable. One can get around the city in city buses and auto rickshaws which are extremely cheap and also easily available. The VITCOS City Buses take you to all parts of the city and the VITCOS Bus Stand is right opposite to the Railway Station. These buses are also cheap, they charge INR 1 per 1.2 kms.

Most frequently searched routes to Vadodara

Route Name Distance Time
Anand to Vadodara 46.4 km 1 hour 3 mins
Jaipur to Vadodara 738 km 11 hours 20 mins
Pune to Vadodara 549 km 9 hours 7 mins
Ahmedabad to Vadodara 111 km 1 hour 52 mins
Bangalore to Vadodara 1,385 km 20 hours 46 mins
Delhi to Vadodara 1,006 km 15 hours 49 mins

Vadodara Photos

Vadodara, Gujarat
Laxmi Vilas Palace
Sayaji Gardens
Vadodara Museum and Picture Gallery

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FAQs on Vadodara

What are the places near Vadodara?

The top places near to Vadodara are Anand which is 36 km from Vadodara, Udaipur which is located 257 km from Vadodara, Champaner pavagadh which is located 41 km from Vadodara, Ahmedabad which is located 103 km from Vadodara, Surat which is located 131 km from Vadodara

What are the things to do in Vadodara?

The top things to do in Vadodara are Laxmi Vilas Palace, Sayaji Baug (Kamati Baug), Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park, Ajwa Nimeta Garden, Baps Sri Swaminarayan Mandir, Vadodara Museum and Picture Gallery. You can see all the places to visit in Vadodara here

What is the best way to reach Vadodara?

Vadodara is easily accessible by road, rail and air. Being such a popular holiday destination, there are various alternative commute options to reach here.
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What is the local food in Vadodara?

Vadodara has a large range of restaurants serving typical Gujarati thalis and also other cuisines, which means that the tourists do not have limited options in terms of food. Though there are more vegetarian restaurants in this city than there are non vegetarian. But the Gujrati cuisine offers a lot of variety in food and with so much variety in eating vegetarian food, the famous Indian British cookbook writer Madhur Jaffrey has termed Gujarati cuisine as "the haute cuisine of vegetarianism" in one of her TV serials about Indian food.
Read More

What is the best time to visit Vadodara?

Vadodara experiences one of the hottest summer seasons in the country. It gets excruciatingly hot during the summer season, with temperatures going up to 42 degrees Celcius sometimes. The winters are very pleasant and also not extremely cold. The minimum temperature experienced is around 16 degrees Celcius. Hence, the best time to visit this Big Lil City would be during the months of October-March, so that it also gives the tourists an added advantage of attending the widely celebrated Navratri festival in the city.
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Who should visit Vadodara?

Vadodara is a great getaway for all the people living in Gujarat. It is also a great place to visit for people of all generations.

What is not so good about Vadodara?

Summers can be very harsh.

What is famous about Vadodara?

Culturally rich. Easily accessible.

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Vadodara Reviews

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Rohit Shroff

5 years ago
- Gujarat being a dry state, has completely banned alcohol. Though, foreign nationals can procure alcohol after getting a permit. The wine shop at the Hotel Kaviraj (the hotel is currently being refu (Read More)rbished but the wine shop is open on the side of the building) is open from
- Preferably visit during the nine days of Navratri.

niraj

2 years ago
Great city. High per capita High litracy Clean and good infrastructure Best connectivity Not small not big in size. Cultured people Lot of industries Good city for enterpernour

Gujju Traveler Aditya

5 years ago
Vadodara is the best city of Gujarat with lower density. Laxmi Vilas Palace is one of the best palaces of India which is main attraction of Vadodara. The best bus station of India, EME temple, Pavaga (Read More)dh, Jambughoda wild life sanctuary, Statue of Unity are some of the best attractions which can be visited while being in Vadodara.
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