Gandhinagar, named after the Father of the Nation, is the capital city of Gujarat . Built on the river Sabarmati it is just 32 kms away from Ahmedabad. In 1960 when the old Bombay state was partitioned into Maharashtra and Gujarat , the city of Bombay went to Maharashtra . It was then decided to construct a new capital for Gujarat . Thus came into being Gandhinagar, the second planned city in India after Chandigarh . It presents a spacious, well designed look of an architecturally integrated city. It has 30 sectors with each sector having its own shopping, health, community center and housing colonies. Extensive planting of trees and large recreational areas along the river gives the city a fresh, green garden city atmosphere.

 

Akshardham is a unique cultural complex built in Gandhinagar in memory of Lord Swaminarayan. Inspired by H. D. Pramukh Swami Maharaj, Akshardham is a miracle worked by the service and devotion of thousands of volunteers. It is an intricately carved, majestic monument of 6000 tons of pink sand stone. The entire monument was built without the use of steel. Besides a 7 feet gold leafed idol of Lord Swaminarayan and his holy relics, there are three exhibitions on Indian Culture with light and sound shows, a multimedia show and an animatronic show. Games, rides and food refreshments are other attractions of Akshardham. 

Pawagadh Fort, is an exemplary historical monument which is known all over the region for its architectural finesse. It is situated atop a hill with the hills near Pawagadh being constituted by a rocky terrain and the fort came as a later addition to the hill. It is easily accessible from the cities of Vadodara and Ahmedabad. People coming to Pawagadh Fort, come to consider it as an ideal picnic spot .

It consists of several amazing and uncommon features like the structure of Makai Kota, where the rulers of Pawagadh stored their grains. It is home to other attractions like the ruins of Patai Rawal Palace and Naulakha Kotha mansion and  It is equally important for Hindus and Jains going by their separate religious beliefs. Sultan Muhammad Beghada, knew that it was not an easy task to vanquish the fortifications of Pawagadh Fort, so he built a city near the Pawagadh Fort, known as Champaner .

 

Dwarka is a town and a port on the western edge of the Kathiawar peninsula, which is also known as Saurashtra, in the southwest of the Indian state of Gujarat . Dwarka is one of the holiest Hindu pilgrimage sites and one of the four places where the Hindu philosopher Shankaracharya founded monasteries in the A.D. 700's . Dwarka's main industry today is the pilgrimage trade.

 

The temple of Somnath is one of the twelve sacred Shiva shrines in India. According to legend, Somnath was built by Some, the moon God. Constantly washed by the Arabian sea, the temples of Somnath were destroyed seven times but were rebuilt each time. The majestic monument as it stands today is a replica of the earlier construction. The present temple Maha Meru Prasad was recently rebuilt on the exact location of the original shrine in accordance with the ancient plants. Somnath is 5 kms from Veraval. 

»Modhera

The Sun Temple of Modhera is one of the finest examples of Indian temple architecture of its period. Built in 1026 A.D the temple is dedicated to the Sun God, Surya and stands high on a plinth overlooking a deep stone-steeped tank. Every inch of the edifice, both inside and outside is magnificently carved with Gods and Goddesses, birds, beasts and flowers.

A 1600km. long coastline, the longest in India, binds the state of Gujarat from the west. It is dotted with some really fine beaches like those of Ahmedpur-Mandvi, Kutch-Mandvi, Chorwad and Gopnath. The coast was also a historical centre with interesting Portugese forts, shore temples, princely port cities and beach palaces.

 

380 kms south-west of Ahmedabad and 50 kms from Junagadh is the Gir Forest, sprawling on 1412 sq kms. It has dry deciduous forest and a luxuriantly rich eco system endowed with fauna aplenty. Gir is the last home of the Asiatic lion. In this sanctuary one can see lions roaming freely. This rare sight can be enjoyed on a guided jeep tour. While driving one can see animals like chital, nilgai, sambar, black buck, chinkara, wild pig, jackal etc. Guides and vehicles are available for hire. Tulsishyam, a temple dedicated to Bhim and his mother Kunti is located in the heart of Gir, which is a scenic spot because of its hot water springs.