Travelers from all over the world go to India during the holiday season to immerse themselves in the country’s diverse culture, history, and landscapes by exploring its tourist places.

Gujarat is a popular wintertime tourism destination in India. Here are the top Gujarat attractions to visit this winter so you can make the most of your time in India, especially with Runn Utsav just around the corner and the weather being just right for exploring the state’s great cultural and archaeological riches.

Considering all the holiday possibilities in Gujarat, we have compiled a list of the top 5 places to visit in the state.

1. Adalaj Vav

One remarkable example of architectural fusion between Indian and Islamic styles is the step well, or “Vav” in Gujarati. The elaborate carvings within this five-story building have made it famous. Adalaj Vav has a fascinating folklore attached to it because of its rich history. According to folklore, the Muslim King Mohammad Begda defeated and killed the local ruler, Veer Sing. Legend has it that Begda was head over heels for the stunning queen the moment he laid eyes on her. Upon his successful completion of the step, the queen assured him that she would oblige him. The step well, which Begda had built in record time, was completed according to her instructions. Begda publicly urged the queen to marry him after she had promised. However, the queen, who remained faithful to her late husband, chose to jump from the same well to end her life. The Vav’s walls portray the entire episode.

2. Champaner-Pavagarh Archaeological Park

The Champaner Pavagarh Archaeological Park is situated fifty kilometers to the east of Baroda City. The ecclesiastical buildings and remains here date back to the eighth century, and in 2004, they were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Those interested in culture, architecture, and history should definitely make the trip. Built and extended over 600 years, the site now boasts military, ecclesiastical, and agricultural facilities. Being the sole pre-Mughal site that has remained untouched since its brief stint as capital of Gujarat under the independent Sultan Mehmud Begda, it was abandoned shortly after.

Jama Masjid, built during Begda’s reign, is a superb illustration of the Indo-Islamic fusion style of construction and a model for Friday mosques all over India. Agricultural structures, residential buildings, palaces, military precincts, and water-retention infrastructure are also part of the archaeological site’s ruins.

Perched atop Pavagarh Hill is a sacred Hindu temple known as Kalika Mata Temple, which sees an annual influx of worshippers.

3. The Temple of Dwarkadhish

As part of the Char Dham Yatra, pilgrims visit the most sacred Hindu temple in Gujarat, the Dwarkadheesh Temple. One of the most magnificent temples in India, Dwarkadheesh Temple stands on the banks of the Gomti Creek and is thought to have been constructed by Lord Krishna’s grandson. The temple is famous for its intricately carved construction and its surreal appearance as it rises from the Arabian Sea. As a stop on the Char Dham Yatra, the most important Hindu pilgrimage, it is thought to be among the most sacred Hindu temples. Dwarka is supposed to be the permanent residence of Lord Krishna and his Yadava clan. When he passed away as the Krishna avatar, the ocean sucked up the entire island of Dwarka. Archaeological digs have recently supported claims that modern-day Dwarka is one of six ancient cities in the region. If you are planning a tour of Dwarka and looking for Dwarka tour packages, Explore Gujarat can help you get the best value for money packages including stay, accommodation, site visits, and a tour guide.

4. Patan’s Rani ka Vav

A magnificent step well in remarkably good condition, Rani Ka Vav is one of the unusual monuments built by a queen for her adored monarch. In remembrance of her late spouse, King Bhimdev I, Rani Udayamati commissioned it in 1063. The step well was inundated with water and silt from the adjacent Saraswati River shortly after its completion. Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) archaeologists did not begin excavating and desilting this Vav until the 1980s. A magnificent example of carved sculptures, niches, and pavilions with compartments and pillars was the construction that was unearthed. Rani ka Vav, one of the biggest, best, and most distinctive step wells, is on the UNESCO World Heritage Site preliminary list at this very moment. Pillared pavilions indicate the way down this subterranean step well’s stepped passages. The ten forms of the Hindu god Vishnu, known as the Dasavataras, serve as the primary motif of the elaborately carved sculptures. Apsaras, sadhus, and brahmins accompany the avatars. The apsaras in the sculpture are symbols of the “solah shringar,” or sixteen distinct ways to enhance one’s appearance through the application of cosmetics.

Also read: How To Plan The Perfect Gujarat Tour

5. The Great Somnath Temple

Of Shiva’s twelve Jyotirlingas, the most revered is Somnath, the first and foremost. The myth goes that the Hindu moon deity Soma, in honor of the lord’s majesty and kindness, erected a golden temple that was later called the Somnath Temple. Ravana used silver, Krishna used wood, and King Bhimdev used stone to rebuild the same temple, according to the stories.

This temple, which lies on the coast of the Arabian Sea, has been rebuilt several times, most recently following India’s independence. Ranked among the most sacred temples in all of India, Somnath attracts millions of worshippers every year who pray for the blessings of Lord Shiva.

Conclusion

There are several reasons why you could visit Gujarat. From the Neolithic art of cave paintings to the stone masonry of a succession of modern and old civilization buildings, Gir is home to a wide variety of artifacts, including the fossil fields of indigenous dinosaurs and the only outside of Africa habitat to Asiatic lions.

From the Hindu temples of Somnath and Dwarka and the Jain wonders of Somnath that rise from the Arabian Sea to the island of Kutch, which transforms into a white salt desert in the summer and is home to some of India’s finest weavers as well as those who brave the harsh climate of Little Rann, Gujarat is truly a wonderland. Explore this wonderland with personalized Gujarat tour packages designed for you by Explore Gujarat.