Experience the best of Pune

Pune stands on the Deccan plateau where the Mula and Mutha rivers meet, about 560 metres above sea level, with the Western Ghats rising to the west. It was the seat of the Peshwas, the Maratha prime ministers, and Shaniwar Wada, their fortified palace of 1732, still has its great gate and gardens. The Aga Khan Palace, where Mahatma Gandhi was held in the 1940s, and the Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati temple are among the city's best-known sights.

Old Pune's markets and wadas, courtyard mansions of wood and stone, fill the lanes around Tulshi Baug and Laxmi Road. Hills and forts surround the city: Sinhagad, a Maratha fort on a high ridge, is a favourite morning climb, and Parvati Hill has temples with a view over the rooftops. Lonavala, a hill station in the Western Ghats, and Mulshi lake lie within an hour or two by road.

Misal pav, a spicy sprouted-bean curry eaten with bread rolls, and vada pav, a spiced potato fritter in a bun, are the street staples, and puran poli, a sweet stuffed flatbread, comes at festival time. Irani cafés serve bun maska and chai, and thick mastani milkshakes with ice cream are a city drink. Ganesh Chaturthi fills the streets with processions, and the monsoon from June to September turns the hills green.