7 Incredible Sight-Seeing Destination To Visit In Vadodara (2024)

Vadodara is one of the busiest cities in Gujarat. It’s home to several places of tourist, religious, and historical interest. Reaching Vadodara is a breeze as well, as it is well connected via road, rail and air. Vadodara Airport has several flights connecting to other places in India. It is also an important stop for several rail routes. If you would like to travel via bus, Vadodara connects well, and you will find several buses ply on routes that connect Gujarat and Vadodara to Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore. Some State Transport buses ply on the routes as well.

Here is a list of all the places that you should visit if you are in Vadodara.

7 Incredible Sight-Seeing Destination To Visit In Vadodara

1. The Laxmi Vilas Palace

The Laxmi Vilas Palace in Vadodara is a piece of royalty that has a historical connection. The palace is famous for several aspects, beginning with its size. Spread over more than six hundred acres, the palace is one of the biggest in the world. It was also the largest residential premise in India for the longest of times. The Royal Family still stays in the upper part of the Palace. There are more than 140 rooms in the Palace. The upper part of the Palace is not open for the tourists and some parts of the ground floor are not open for tourists as well.

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Once upon a time, the palace was the personal residence of the Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III. Today, it is home to several buildings, organizations, and offices. Today, the Lakshmi Vilas Palace is a complete solution for tourists.

There are an Ayurvedic massage center, a museum, and a swimming pool among the attractions. Also, there are various recreation rooms, a puppet show, and a pool with a jacuzzi. The museum is a living example of the pomp and splendor that the royals lived in, back in the day.

Along the way, there’s a puppet show as well, which is a great endeavor to keep a connection with the rural and ancient arts of India. While all this exists, you can spend hours marveling at the architecture in and around the Lakshmi Vilas Palace in Vadodara. You will be able to see instances of the Indo-Saracenic styles, a mix of Indian, Gothic, and Mughal architecture, giving you an idea of the history and culture that India has. You see sculptures of marble, terracotta, and bronze all over. You will also see the technical advances that Indian architecture had even back then when the palace was built in the late 1800s. Proof of the architectural know-how is the elevators in the palace.

The Maharaja Fateh Singh Museum is within the confines of the Laxmi Vilas Palace. You will see several spellbinding sculptures and paintings that belong to the royal Gaekwad family. A major attraction here is the works of Raja Ravi Varma, famous for depicting instances from Hindu mythology. The chance to view the beauty of Raja Ravi Varma’s paintings is enough for any tourist and art lover to make a trip to the Laxmi Vilas Palace. The museum also offers you audio tours, that give you better information about the palace’s past. You will see that some of the Palace areas are rented out as a banquet hall for weddings.

There is a nominal fee to visit the area. The entry fee to the Laxmi Vilas Palace in Vadodara is 150 rupees. The fee to enter the Maharaja Fateh Singh Museum is 60 rupees. All in all, you will be able to spend an entire morning and afternoon at the palace. The minimum amount of time you will need to explore all the places in the Palace is less than two hours. Most of the visit will be indoors, so you do not need to make any specific arrangements for the visit, in regards to clothing. One pro-tip, photography is allowed in some places and allowed in some places within the Palace. So, make sure that you follow the rules and regulations while visiting.

Vadodara to Lakshmi Vilas Palace distance is around 3 kms.

The exact address of the Lakshmi Vilas Palace is Jawaharlal Nehru Marg, Vadodara 390001 India.

2. Sayaji Baug

Next, you have the Sayaji Baug, one of the biggest parks in Vadodara. Sayaji Baug has something for everyone. It is also known as Kamati Baug. This is a well-maintained park, which is the green lung for Vadodara. Visitors to Vadodara can spend a lot of time here experiencing the greenery, trying to identify the various trees, plants, and flowers. The Sayaji Baug in Vadodara has a train ride, named the Sayaji Express, within the park’s environs as well, a must experience for the kids. Also, there are golf carts that ferry people around the Baug. You also have go-karting rides within the park, another favorite for the kids. You also have a cafeteria within, so you don’t need to worry about packing food or beverages. Sayaji Park has a Planetarium as well, something that helps everyone, especially children develop a scientific mindset. The park has a zoo as well, which is home to several exotic and local animals and birds, including deer, peacock, nilgai, and others. You also see birds like parrots, love birds, and others. And yes, you also have alligators, lions, and tigers to view, making it all a very exciting outing.

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Vadodara to Sayaji Baug distance is about 2 kms.

You will find the Sayaji Baug at the Kala Ghoda Circle in Vadodara.

3. Nimeta Garden

Another interesting place to visit in Vadodara is the Nimeta Garden. The Garden is famous for its lush greenery, trees, plants, and fountains.

The good part about the Garden is that it is one of the few that allow professional shooting, including pre-wedding shoots for a price. The Nimeta Garden is a bit further from the Vadodara city, so you should plan to add it to your Vadodara itinerary only if you plan to spend at least a weekend there. The Nimeta Garden is also famous as the Ajwa Nimeta Garden. Additionally, the Nimeta Garden has some rides for children as well.

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Vadodara to Nimeta Garden distance is 18 kms.

The exact address of Nimeta Park is Ajwa Nimeta road

4. EME Temple

Another place of religious interest in Vadodara is the EME temple, one of the most unique temple architectures that you will see. The EME temple is in the Army compound in Vadodara, Gujarat, and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple is also known as the Dakshinamurthy temple. The unique architecture of the EME temple, consisting of aluminum sheets and a unique, geodesic structure was a novelty when it was built in the 60s as it is today.

You will see the idols of the Lord Dakshinamurthy and Lord Ganesha. The EME Temple is also unique because it mixes aspects from several religions and is a symbol of the secular values of India. For example, the Kalasha on the top represents Hinduism. The dome, that’s created because of the geodesic structure is a representation of Islamic architecture. Christianity finds a representation in the tower beneath the Dakshinamurthy idol. There are other representations of the Buddhist, Jain, and Zoroastrian religions and sects.

This aspect, along with the metal architecture, makes the EME temple a must-visit place in Vadodara.

Vadodara to EME Temple distance is about 5 kms.

The exact address of the EME temple is 26, Eme Road, Fatehgunj, Vadodara, Gujarat 390002.

5. Sursagar Lake

The next most important place when it comes to religious tourism in Vadodara is Sursagar Lake. We have previously covered all you’d need to know about the Lake, which’s almost in the middle of Vadodara city.

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Vadodara to Sursagar lake distance is 3 kms.

6. Hathni Waterfall

For nature lovers, Vadodara has the Hathni waterfall if they visit it during the correct season. It’s a natural waterfall that you can visit and can take a dip in. Of course, you should go there during the rainy season, when the greenery is lush all over and the waterfall is at its full potential.

Reaching the Hathni waterfall requires a little bit of trekking. Also, because it is in the wilderness, you will have to pack some food and beverages. Along with that, you will also need to ensure that you pack your caps and sunglasses, as you will need to combat the harsh weather. Nearby, you will see the Hathni temple. Hathni Waterfall is near the Shivrajpur village, Panchmahal.

For example, you have the GRG Hotel, The Hotel Royal and the Palm View Club, which offer their rooms for about 1000 rupees. You also have some OYOs in the vicinity and some premium hotels like Four Points by Sheraton Vadodara, which offer their rooms for something around 2000 per night.

There are some dormitories as well, but the costs of the rooms in the economic hotels is almost equal to the price of staying at the dormitories.
Vadodara to Hathni Waterfall Distance is around 80 kms.

7. Mahisagar Van Vehrakhadi

Mahisagar Van Vehrakhadi is near the Mahisagar River and an excellent place for greenery and nature lovers. You will see a variety of plants and flowers and can spend hours, taking in their natural beauty. This is the farthest area on this list, as it is about 30 KM away from the main Vadodara area. You also have boating options here. Visiting Mahisagar Van Vehrakhadi in Vadodara is an excellent option for a morning and afternoon affair. Unfortunately, this is one of those places that don’t have clear instructions about photography, so you will need to go with the flow about that here.

These are the top places to visit in Vadodara. Vadodara is a tourist spot, so you will find several tourist companies offering you a complete tourist spot that takes you through most of these places within a day or over the weekend. Such programs work out well, as they take a flat payment for the entire trip.