Then came the British cantonment and a very different town across the river—broad roads, bungalows, and clubs. Education exploded with institutions like Fergusson College and later Symbiosis. Over time, Pune stitched together its many identities: university town, cultural capital, IT hub, and gateway to forts and ghats. Today you can step from a 300-year-old temple into a hand-poured coffee bar in five minutes and feel both belong.
Destinations
Pune
Early mornings smell of damp earth after a light drizzle. And then there’s a plate of misal that wakes you up better than coffee. You walk in the narrow lanes with wadas and temples jostling for space between bookfields and bakeries. You then enjoy the evenings on FC Road or in Koregaon Park, when thoughts rise like steam over cups of chai. Weekends turn into hill drives, fort hikes, and starlit skies.
Brief History
Pune grew around rivers, markets, and temples long before it became a city of students and startups. The Marathas made it their seat of power under the Peshwas, shaping the city with wadas, ghats, and a rhythm of festivals that still anchors life here. Shaniwar Wada rose as a symbol of that era—equal parts politics, culture, and everyday bustle in the old peths.
Average Costs
Transportation - Getting to Pune is simple and flexible. A train from Mumbai usually costs between ₹120 and ₹800 and takes two and a half to four hours, while buses range from about ₹400 to ₹1,200 and need three to five hours depending on traffic and rain. Inside the city, the Metro and PMPML buses are inexpensive, usually ₹10 to ₹60, and autos or app cabs for most hops sit roughly between ₹100 and ₹400. If you plan day trips to nearby forts or lakes, a day cab typically falls in the ₹2,500 to ₹4,500 range, and airport or outstation rides usually land between ₹1,000 and ₹2,500 one way.
Accomodation - Stays cover every mood. Hostels and simple guesthouses often range from ₹600 to ₹1,200 and work well if you are here for cafés, treks, and conversations. Budget hotels and homestays sit roughly between ₹1,500 and ₹3,000, while mid-range boutique places feel special at ₹3,500 to ₹7,000. If you want a treat, premium and luxury stays begin around ₹8,000 and can go to ₹15,000 or more, especially in popular neighborhoods or during festival weeks.
Food - Food is half the joy here and fits any pocket. Street favorites such as vada pav, bhakarwadi, and misal usually add up to ₹80 to ₹250 for a hearty snack or breakfast. Café meals or a casual lunch hover around ₹250 to ₹600, and a relaxed dinner at a nice place is commonly ₹600 to ₹1,200 per person. Save a little for a special night out or a dessert crawl and plan ₹1,500 to ₹3,000 if you want to linger and try a bit of everything.
Suggested daily budget – Backpackers can travel light and happy on about ₹1,800 to ₹2,800 a day. If comfort is your style, plan for ₹6,000 to ₹8,000. For a splurge, ₹12,000 to ₹20,000 and above gives you premium ammenities
TIps for first visit
1. Catch Pune’s seasons right – October to February is crisp and perfect for forts and tekdi walks. March to May is warm but lively at night. Monsoon (June–September) turns the ghats emerald—beautiful, but plan buffer time.
2. Mix old and new – Do a morning heritage walk through Shaniwar Peth, Dagdusheth, and Tulshibaug. Spend the afternoon in Koregaon Park or Kalyani Nagar cafés. Add Vetal Tekdi or Hanuman Tekdi for golden hour.
3. Escape on day trips – Sinhagad for sunrise, Pawna for waterside calm, Mulshi for long, quiet drives, Bhuleshwar for temple carvings. Pune is a city that hands you a weekend plan every Friday.
Do’s and Don’ts
Say yes to local flavors whenever you can. A plate of misal, a mastani, or bhakri with pitla tastes even better when the weather is moody and the company is easy. Be mindful when shooting photos, especially around temples like Dagdusheth, and follow local customs without fuss. A refillable bottle and a bit of care go a long way on tekdis and by the lakes, and a short chat with a local can turn into better directions and a story you were meant to hear.
Treat the forts, hills, and water fronts like living places and leave them cleaner than you found them. Skip feeding monkeys near steps and shrines, give yourself extra time because a short line on the map can stretch with rain or traffic, and avoid wandering into unknown forest paths alone, particularly during the monsoon. When you drive through the ghats, ease off the horn and let the road set the rhythm; patience here is safer and feels kinder to everyone.
