Pune Travelers Recommend

India’s quintessential college town, Pune is as celebrated for its laid-back atmosphere as it is for its tourist sites. With two days, you’ll have time to check out Pune’s top attractions and see how locals experience this hip city. Here’s how.

Day 1: Pune Highlights

Morning: Start your morning at the Osho International Meditation Resort, one of the city’s best-known (and most unusual) points of interest. Founded by Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (the subject of Netflix’s Wild Wild Country series), the center offers programs in yoga and meditation. It’s best explored with a guide, who can give you insight on practices and beliefs.

Afternoon: In the afternoon, check out some of the city’s most important historic sites; you’ll get the most of your time by joining a guided tour, as there’s a lot to see in just a few hours. Don't miss the 19th-century Aga Khan Palace or the rock-carved Shiva temple at Pataleshwar Cave.

Night: When night falls, head over to the Koregaon Park area, an upscale neighborhood with plenty of lovely illuminated buildings. The area is safe, but you'll get the most of your experience by exploring as part of a night walking tour with a local guide who can tell you about the area and its architecture.

Day 2: Like a Local

Morning: Pune is famous for Savitribai Phule Pune University, one of the top universities in the country. Spend your second morning exploring the campus, celebrated for its beautiful, British-colonial buildings. Note that the campus is huge, so you’ll get around faster if you join a bicycle tour instead of exploring on foot.

Afternoon: By the end of your campus tour, you'll likely have worked up an appetite. Spend your afternoon exploring the city's street-food culture, sampling popular snacks and sweets. Joining a food-themed walking tour is ideal, as your guide will be able to show you what to sample and the best places to try it.

Night: In the evening, head back to Koregaon Park to check out the area’s many bars and clubs. Grab a quick dinner at the famous German Bakery before heading out for a night of bar-hopping. Joining a guided pub crawl led by a local is a good way to find the best spots to drink.

With a full day in the city, you’ll have enough time to visit the famous Osho International Meditation Resort, spend time in historic palaces, and visit an 8th-century cave temple, with time left over in the evening to check out local nightlife. Follow this itinerary to make the most of your day in Pune.

Morning: Tour the Osho International Meditation Resort

Start your morning off with a visit to the Osho International Meditation Resort, one of Pune's best-known attractions. This ashram was founded by Osho, the late spiritual leader formerly known as Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (of Netflix's Wild Wild Country fame), and although many of its visitors are resident spiritual aspirants, it’s open for day visits from the general public. You’re best off going with a guide who can help you find your way around. After your visit, grab lunch across the street at the German Bakery, a fantastic international-food restaurant that’s been a popular haunt among travelers from abroad for decades.

Afternoon: Palaces and Temples

After lunch, make your way to the 19th-century Aga Khan Palace, where Mahatma Gandhi was once imprisoned. A good guide can explain the significance of the palace with regards to the Quit India Movement, and many tours focused on India’s Independence spend a good chunk of time here. Afterwards, continue to the Pataleshwar Cave Temple, a beautiful rock-hewn cave temple dating back to the eighth century. End your afternoon at Shaniwar Wada, the former seat of the Peshwa rulers; according to local legend, it's the most haunted spot in the city.

Night: A Night on the Town

With its large student population, Pune has long been celebrated for its thriving nightlife scene, so wrap up your day by checking out its many bars and nightclubs. Some of the best nightlife is concentrated in the Koregaon Park area (where the Osho International Meditation Resort is located), with plenty of hot spots within walking distance of one another. Join a pub crawl–style tour (some even include free drinks) to explore with a ready-made party crew.

With its abundance of palaces, historic university, and thriving nightlife scene, Pune is a great place to spend a few laid-back days. With three days, you’ll have time to check out architectural and spiritual highlights, immerse yourself in local culture, and take a day trip out into nature. Here’s how.

Day 1: Palaces, Architecture, and Spiritual Attractions

Devote your first day in Pune to the city’s top attractions. Begin at the Osho International Meditation Resort, a popular residential ashram founded by Osho (formerly known as Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh), a spiritual leader and the subject of the Netflix documentary series Wild Wild Country. Visit independently, or book a guided tour to learn about the group’s beliefs. Then visit 19th-century Aga Khan Palace and Pataleshwar Cave, a rock-hewn temple dedicated to Lord Shiva that's believed to date to around the eighth century. From here it's a short jaunt to Shaniwar Wada, a former Peshwa palace that's allegedly haunted. When night falls, join a walking tour of Koregaon Park, a posh neighborhood that’s beautifully illuminated at night.

Day 2: Pune Through the Eyes of Locals

Spend your second day in Pune checking out the city as locals experience it. Start with a visit to Savitribai Phule Pune University, one of India's best-known colleges. The giant campus is filled with greenery and British-colonial architecture, and bicycle tours are a good alternative to exploring on foot. Move on to an afternoon food tour where you can try traditional Maharashtrian food such as vada pav, a local veggie-burger alternative featuring a fried potato patty served in a fluffy white bun. In the evening, head back to the Koregaon Park area, this time to check out local nightlife; join a pub crawl to see where locals like to hang out.

Day 3: Day Trip Into Nature

Spend your last day getting out into nature. Popular nearby options include Mahabaleshwar, known for its scenic views and thriving strawberry industry, and Matheran, a car-free getaway where visitors have to get around on foot, by bicycle, or on horseback. Wildlife lovers might opt to visit Yashwant Sagar lake, near the town of Bhigwan, a bird sanctuary home to ibis, storks, spoonbills, and spotted owls and best-known for its huge flamboyances of flamingos. Along the way stop by Bhuleshwar Temple, a 13th-century temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. Return to Pune in the evening and grab a last dinner at the famous German Bakery, an international restaurant in Koregaon Park.