Surrounded by the Western Ghats and the Sahyadri Mountain Range, Pune has a lot to offer to all kinds of travellers. Based on your interests, you can explore everything here, right from the magnificent forts, modern theme parks, well-preserved museums, huge lakes & dams, clear beaches, milky waterfalls, and zoological wonders to adventure activities, including camping & trekking. With so many scenic places, you are sure to have a great time roaming around the city with your friends. Here is a short but definite bucket list of places to hangout in Pune with friends.
Places to Visit in Pune with Friends:
The weather in Pune is usually rewarding for the early risers. If you start your day early, there are abundant places that you can explore. However, to cover all the best places to visit in Pune with friends, you might need quite a few days or weekends. For your quick reference, we have divided these places based on interest groups:
Temples, Churches & Forts (For History Lovers)
1. Parvati Hill Temple, Pune
Rising to 2100 feet above sea level in the Western Ghats, Parvati Hill Temple, located at the top of the hillock, is revered as one of the most picturesque places to visit in Pune. It is also among the oldest heritage structure built by the Peshwa dynasty. The hill can actually be called as a consolidation of temples considering the great number of temples that it houses. Visiting all these temples along with the samadhi of Nanasaheb Peshwa can take quite some time. The trek is marked with 103 wide and long steps which would take you hardly 20 minutes to cover.
2. Aga Khan Palace, Pune
This palace has great historical significance; it depicts the political prowess of Sultan Muhammed Shah Aga Khan III who built the palace in 1892 and later served as the president of the League of Nations. It has also played an important role in India’s freedom movement as Gandhiji along with his wife & secretary were imprisoned at this place for about 2 years following the Quit India Movement. The samadhis of both – his wife & secretary are also located in the campus. Some more attractions include the picture gallery & museum exhibiting the important events that took place in the time that Gandhiji spent here with his family.
3. Shaniwar Wada, Pune
Built way back in the early 18th century, Shaniwar wada once served as the fortified seat of the Peshwa empire until they lost control to the British East India Company in the early 19th century. Post that, there was an unexplained fire here that destroyed large parts of the fort. However, the remnants have been maintained as a tourist site.
4. Pataleshwar Cave Temple, Pune
Dating to the 8th century, Pataleshwar Cave Temple attracts tourists and architecture enthusiasts from far and wide. The temple is carved out from a single rock and houses the God of the Underworld (Patal). The carvings and drawings from more than a millennium ago add splendour to the monolithic creation. The seating arrangement inside the temple provides you enough space, silence and time to wonder about the true magnificence of this structure. The museum here has a single preserved grain of rice with 5000 letters inscribed on it; something that has been recognized by the Guinness Book of Records.
