Ahmedabad Travelers Recommend

With two days in Ahmedabad, you’ll have enough time to visit most of the city’s important attractions and get off the beaten path to immerse yourself in local art and culture. Here’s one way to do it.

Day 1: Ahmedabad’s Major Attractions

**Morning:**Spend your morning in the heart of Ahmedabad, where many of the city’s major attractions are located; joining a walking tour makes finding your way around easy. Don’t miss the Sidi Saiyyed Mosque, celebrated for its beautiful marble screens, and the Jama Masjid, a fine example of Indo-Islamic architecture.

**Afternoon:**In the afternoon, head out to the Gandhi Ashram, the mahatma’s former ashram that’s now a museum dedicated to his life. From here, continue to Akshardham, a modern temple complex and a great place to learn about Hindu culture. If you have time, stop at the medieval Adalaj Stepwell along the way.

**Night:**In the evening, make your way back to the heart of town to visit the city’s Law Garden, with its popular night market full of crafts vendors and food booths. Do some shopping or grab a bite before returning to your hotel.

Day 2: Local Arts and Culture

**Morning:**Start your second morning visiting the Calico Museum of Textiles, which houses a huge collection of traditional textiles from across the state; visitor numbers are restricted, so prebook your visit. From here, continue to Manek Chowk Bazaar, a lively market filled with handicrafts.

**Afternoon:**Stick around Manek Chowk for lunch before heading out to the Sarkhej Roza, a beautiful Sufi complex with a tomb and a mosque situated a short drive from town. While it’s fun to just admire the architecture, consider a tour if you want to learn about its historical significance.

**Night:**After Sarkhej, you may want to hit up the nearby Veechar Utensils Museum (some tours combine both), and stick around for dinner at the on-site restaurant, Vishalla. Alternatively, consider a dining experience in the home of a local family, where you’ll get the chance to try a variety of popular dishes and learn how to make them yourself.

With just one day, you can hit up quite a few attractions in Ahmedabad, but you’ll need to be organized and may want to consider booking a taxi for the day or a tour to maximize your time. Use this itinerary to help plan your day in Ahmedabad.

Morning: On the Outskirts of Town

Start your day with a visit to the Swaminarayan Akshardham complex in Gandhinagar, just north of town. Though it was built in the 1990s, its traditional Hindu architecture makes it appear much older. With a mix of shrines and exhibition halls, it's a good place to learn about Hinduism. After your visit, continue south to the Adalaj Stepwell, a 5-story-deep structure built at the turn of the 15th century and a fine example of Indo-Islamic architecture. Then head to the Gandhi Ashram at Sabarmati, the former ashram of the mahatma himself, which is now a museum dedicated to Gandhi and the Resistance movement.

Afternoon: Central Highlights

After your visit to the ashram, grab lunch before starting your afternoon activities. There’s a lot to see within a small area, so join a walking tour to learn about the area from a guide. Begin at the Sidi Saiyyed Mosque, the most famous mosque in town, known for its beautiful marble lattice work, notably a screen featuring an intricate tree pattern that’s one of the de facto symbols of the city. From here, it’s a short stroll to the Jama Masjid, an enormous architectural marvel dating back to 1424.

Night: Evening in the Law Garden

If you have time before the sun sets, head over to Hutheesing Jain Temple, a beautiful example of Jain architecture dating back to 1848. Otherwise, make your way straight to the Law Garden, a sprawling public garden that's at its most popular in the evening time. The night market here is the main draw, with all sorts of vendors offering everything from traditional handicrafts to food. It’s a good spot to pick up souvenirs or grab dinner before returning to your hotel.

With its beautiful mosques and temples, numerous museums, colorful markets, and fascinating Gandhi Ashram, the state capital of Gujarat offers plenty to see and do. With three days in Ahmedabad, you’ll have enough time to check out all of the highlights and take a day trip into the surrounding region. Here’s how.

Day 1: City Highlights

Devote your first day to visiting the city’s most popular attractions; consider booking a full-day tour to save time (and get valuable insight from a guide). Start with the Swaminarayan Akshardham just north of town, a contemporary temple complex with exhibits about Hindu culture. From here, continue south toward the well-preserved Adalaj Stepwell, celebrated for its Indo-Islamic architecture. Your next stop should be the Sabarmati Ashram, the former ashram of Gandhi and now a museum dedicated to his life. Head back into the city center for a quick lunch before making your way to the Sidi Saiyyed Mosque, known for its beautiful marble screens and interiors, and the gargantuan Jama Masjid mosque. As the sun begins to set, join the locals at the Law Garden night market, and peruse its numerous handicraft stalls and food vendors.

Day 2: Cultural and Culinary Treasures

On your second morning, pay a visit to the Calico Museum of Textiles, with its stunning collection of locally produced fabrics. From here, continue to the Hutheesing Jain Temple, known for its marble architecture, before continuing to the bustling Manek Chowk, the city's largest market and a great place to grab lunch. In the afternoon, visit the Sufi complex Sarkhej Roza, then wrap up your day with a stop at the Veechar Utensils Museum. Alternatively, book a cooking class in the home of a local family.

Day 3: Day Trip to Patan and Modhera or Vadodara and Champaner

On your last day, take a trip out to some of Gujarat's most impressive ancient sites in the towns of Modhera and Patan. As the towns are less than an hour apart by road, most day trips to one include the other. Patan's biggest draw is its UNESCO World Heritage Site stepwell, Rani ki vav, which features detailed bas reliefs and intricate architecture, while Modhera is best-known for its  11th-century Sun Temple. Alternatively, explore the architectural marvels of Vadodara (formerly known as Baroda), including the Indo-Saracenic-style Laxmi Vilas Palace. From Vadodara, it's a quick drive to Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site celebrated for its numerous fortresses, mosques, temples, and mausoleums.