Gorgeous heritage houses, imposing mosques, colorful temples and lively, narrow streets – you will be amazed at the UNESCO World Heritage City Ahmedabad. The city is not really known to the general public yet, but that is precisely why it is the perfect destination if you want to see a different side of India. In this short travel guide I share the best tips and practical information for your trip to Ahmedabad.

AHMEDABAD TRAVEL GUIDE: TIPS, SIGHTS AND PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Sights

Ahmedabad is full of beautiful sights. Especially in the old center there is much to see, although you will also find a lot of beautiful buildings outside the old city.

Adalaj Stepwell

This richly decorated water source is located in Adalaj, a small village that is around 30 minutes’ drive from the center. The age-old stepwell, which has no fewer than five floors, is best known for its magnificent sculpture and is seen as the most beautiful stepwell in Gujarat – a real must-see when you are in Ahmedabad!

Also Read- ADMIRE THE BEAUTIFUL ADALAJ STEPWELL IN AHMEDABAD

The old center

In addition to the many shrines and the Bhadra Fort, the old part of Ahmedabad is best known for its wrist: narrow streets with beautiful heritage houses, where small communities have been living together for centuries. Each wrist has its own port with the name of the wrist on it, but if you do not want to look for the wrist yourself, you can also go with the government’s free Heritage Walk . In the old center you will also find the Manek Chowk, best known for the lively food market in the evening.

Shrines

Muslims, Hindus, Christians, Jains and Buddhists have been living together in the old city for centuries – without any problems or unrest. And that can also be seen in the buildings that you encounter; from temples to mosques to churches – you will find it all there, often only a few meters apart. The most famous shrines are the Jama Masjid Mosque, the Sidi Saiyyed Mosque, the Hutheesingh Temple and the Shree Swaminarayan Temple.

TIP: Visit the many temples and the Adalaj Stepwell with this private tour . In 8 hours you will visit all the highlights of Ahmedabad, including lunch and an English speaking guide.

Also Read- BEST TIME TO VISIT GOA

Other places of interest in Ahmedabad:
• Sabarmati Ashram, Ghandi’s home
• Sarkhej Roza
• Sidi Bashir Mosque

Sleep and eat

There are numerous hotels in Ahmedabad and because the city is not that touristy, you already have a wonderful place to sleep for a few tens. During our visit to Ahmedabad we slept in Lemon Tree Premier “The Atrium” , right next to the old center. The hotel was really good – we had a fantastic suite, the food was delicious and the service was exceptionally good. Highly recommended if you go to Ahmedabad!

If you prefer to stay in the new, modern part of the city, Hyatt Regency Ahmedabad (€€€), DoubleTree by Hilton Ahmedabad ($$$) and The Fern – An Ecotel Hotel ($$$) are a very good choice. If you don’t have such a big budget, it’s best to go for OYO 9805 Hotel Apollo Odhav (€€), FabHotel Flora Vastral (€€) or Hotel One Up (€€). These hotels all score an 8 or higher and cost a maximum of 17 euros per night.

Because our food was so good the first time, we only ate in our hotel the entire weekend. We had lunch twice in the Citrus Café and we had dinner at The Riverfront Grill – a grill & barbecue restaurant with a beautiful outdoor terrace.

Transport

To get to Ahmedabad, you must first fly from Amsterdam to Mumbai or Delhi. It is an hour and a half flight from Delhi to Ahmedabad and an hour from Mumbai. From Udaipur you can also easily get there by car (5 hours) or train (4.5 hours).

The old center, with its many wrists and sights, can be explored on foot. This part of Ahmedabad is a jumble of narrow streets and markets where you are guaranteed to look out – so plan enough time to wander around. To visit the sights outside the old center, it is best to use a rickshaw or taxi.Transport

To get to Ahmedabad, you must first fly from Amsterdam to Mumbai or Delhi. It is an hour and a half flight from Delhi to Ahmedabad and an hour from Mumbai. From Udaipur you can also easily get there by car (5 hours) or train (4.5 hours).

The old center, with its many wrists and sights, can be explored on foot. This part of Ahmedabad is a jumble of narrow streets and markets where you are guaranteed to look out – so plan enough time to wander around. To visit the sights outside the old center, it is best to use a rickshaw or taxi.

Good to know

In the summer months – from March to May – it is very hot in Gujarat and the temperatures can even rise to 50 degrees. It is therefore best to avoid those months if you want to visit Ahmedabad.
Although Ahmedabad is a UNESCO city, almost no foreign tourists approach it. That means that you can still see the “old India” here – we sometimes had the idea that we had gone back 50 years. At the same time, this also means that you will encounter a lot of poverty and dirt in the old center, although we have never felt unsafe for a moment. In fact, we have never seen so many sweet and friendly people as in Ahmedabad.

Best time to visit Ahmedabad: October to February.

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