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Vadodra


India City: Vadodra

Population : 1.8 million
Languages : Gujarati, Hindi and English
Best time to visit : Winters between October and February.
STD Code : 0265

Vadodra (Baroda) is known to be the capital city of the erstwhile Gaekwad rulers. It is an important cultural center of India, as it is known for its art galleries and museums. Vadodra has a number of palaces and well-laid parks that attract the tourist.

Vadodra is located in the eastern Gujarat, India. Vishvamitra River flows through the city of Vadodra. It is 100 km south of Ahmedabad and 392 km north of Mumbai. The weather in Vadodra is tropical and hot. Though it located near the Arabian Sea, summers (April-June) in Vadodra can be too hot and winters (November-February) are cool. Monsoon rains is expected in July-September.

Vadodra has many known museums and parks. The Sayaji Bagh is a big well-laid park and an important tourist attraction. Within this park, one can see the Baroda Museum and Art Gallery. The Museum has a good collection of artifacts, which not only includes Indian sculptures and ancient manuscripts, but also houses collection of Egyptian antiquities, while the art gallery has Mughal miniatures and some works of European masters. The Sayaji Bagh also has a planetarium and a small zoo within it. Maharaj Fateh Singh Museum, located in the southern part of the city, is an important tourist spot. It houses the royal collection of copies of European masters. This museum also has a good collection of Far Eastern Art and contemporary Indian works. The Laxmi Vilas Palace, north of the Maharaj Fateh Singh Museum, has a good collection of artifacts. As this museum is not generally open for public viewing, advance booking has to be made to visit it. The Naulakhi Well, a fine example of a step well or baoli, and the EME temple, a unique temple with an aluminum roof, are worth paying a visit.

Champaner (Pavagarh) 47 km northeast of Vadodra, is famous for Jama Masjid, which is one of the finest mosques to be found in the state of Gujarat. It also has a medieval fort near it. Dabohi, 29 km southeast of Vadodra is known for its 13th-century Hindu military architecture.Dakor, 50 km from Vadodra, is famous for its Temple of Ranchodrai and is a sacred place for the followers of Lord Krishna.

Ahmedabad is 100 km north of Vadodra, is known for its rich past and its association with Mahatma Gandhi. The city offers to the traveler a unique style of architecture, which is a blend of Hindu and Islamic styles (Indo-Saracenic style of architecture). It is famous for its mosques and baolis. Anand, on the way to Ahmedabad from Vadodra, is famous for its Amul range of dairy products. Anand is the hometown of the white revolution in India and the modern plant is worth visiting. Bharuch, is located on the main railway line between Vadodra and Surat city, is famous for its monuments and the River Narmada that flows through it.

Vadodra airport is 8 km northeast of the railway station. The Indian Airlines has daily flights to Delhi and Mumbai. Jet Airways operates daily flights to Mumbai.

Vadodra railway station is located on the northwestern part of the city, near the local bus station. As Vadodra is on the main Ahmedabad -Mumbai line a number of trains pass and stop at Vadodra.

The main bus station is north of the railway station. Gujarat state transport buses ply on various routes connecting Vadodra to various places in Gujarat, western Madhya Pradesh and northern Maharashtra..

The city of Vadodra offers limited budget accommodation. Most of the low-budget hotels are located on the western part of the city across the Vishvamitra River. One can find mid-range and top-range hotels, most of which are near the railway station.