A fast-growing metropolitan city, thanks to its proximity to Mumbai (formerly Bombay), Pune is witness to a boom in business activity. Known by many sobriquets including: Queen of the Deccan, cultural capital of Maharashtra, Pensioner's Paradise and Oxford of the East (Pune has many educational institutes of repute). It is a city with a glorious past of nearly 1000 years. It is a beehive of many cultural activities including theatre, music, dance and film, and its history is woven with Shivaji Maharaj, the Peshwas and Lokmanya Tilak. When the British dethroned The Peshwas they made Poona (as it then was) a permanent Army Cantonment. Today, the city is headquarters to the Army's Southern Command.
Pune is also internationally acclaimed for its educational traditions. The city boasts of the National Defence Academy, Institute of Military Engineering, the Film and Television Institute, Armed Forces Medical College, Deccan College (Linguistics and Archaeological studies) and the prestigious University of Poona.
By Air:All domestic airlines fly to Pune and it is well connected to other Indian cities. Pune airport is about 10 km from MG Road - a major commercial hub.
By Rail: Pune is extremely well connected by rail. Several super-fast trains run between Mumbai and Pune.
By Road:The 170 kms Mumbai Pune highway is fast being turned into an expressway. Maharashtra State Transport and several private bus services operate from Pune to major towns in the state as well as other states.
The best mode of conveyance in Pune is autorickshaws. The city bus service is also good. Within the city one can also hire motorcycles and bicycles.
A plateau surrounded by hills, Pune's climate is moderate throughout the year with temperatures ranging from 10 to 35 degrees centigrade. During the monsoons, from June to September, light woollens are comfortable. The best time to visit Pune is between November and March.
Kasturba Gandhi Smriti Mandir (The Aga Khan's Palace)
A historical landmark, this formal palace of the Aga Khan is a gracious building with salons and suites and beautiful gardens. During the 1942 Quit India Movement, Mahatma Gandhi was imprisoned here. Ba - Kasturba Gandhi, the Mahatma's wife died here in internment. Her memorial is located on the palace grounds.
National Defence Academy
Situated at Khadakwasla, 14 kms. from Pune, the Academy imparts basic training to officer cadets of all the three branches of the Defence Services for commission in the Army, Navy and Air force.
Shaniwarwada
Built in 1736, Shaniwarwada was once the palace of the Peshwa rulers. It was mysteriously destroyed by fire in 1827.
Parvati Hill And Temple
The Parvati hillock has a panoramic view of Pune. It's four famous temples are worth a visit. A steep flight up 108 steps will take you to 'Nagarkhana' drum house, the imposing temple of Parvati and Devdeveshwar.
Pataleshwar Cave Temple
An 8th century rock-cut temple, is situated right in the heart of the city on Jangli Maharaj Road. The temple, reminiscent of Ellora, has been hewn from a single rock and includes massive pillars, a Shiva shrine and a Nandi bull.
Raja Dinkar Kelkar Museum
A personal collection of the most fascinating Indian artifacts, it is housed in a quaint Rajasthani styled building.
Saras Bagh
With pleasant lawns and well-lit fountains, this is the best place to stroll around in the evenings. The famous Ganapati temple built by Madhav Rao Peshwa is another attraction.
The Film And Television Institute Of India
A premier institute, FTII imparts training in all branches of the film industry and has produced some of the finest professionals in the country.
Osho Commune
The Osho Commune International is located on a beautiful campus of marble walkways, waterfalls and tropical gardens with exotic plants. It's a spiritual oasis offering a multitude of possibilities for inner discovery and exploration.
Zen Garden
A 12-acre open-air sewer has been transformed into a landscaped garden by the Osho Commune. It's a unique environment project.
Express Citizen Forum's War Memorial
The unique war memorial at Morwada junction is one of the most attractive landmarks of Pune. The 50 feet high marble panels, designed and built by the Military Engineering Service, are engraved with the names of 1080 officers and members of the defence services, hailing from Maharashtra, who have laid their lives in action since the country's independence.
Its proximity to Mumbai has brought a lot of bright lights and glitz to Pune. You can find just about anything and everything in this city. Pune sarees in cotton silk weaves are famous, as are Kolhapuri chappals. The main shopping areas are MG Road (also known as Camp), Deccan Gymkhana, Lakshmi Road, and Karve Road (the best places to find Pune sarees).
Pune has a variety of speciality cuisine restaurants. It also has a number of good bakeries including Kayani's on East Street. The German Bakery offers a wide selection of coffee and cakes near the Osho Ashram. For traditional sweets and savouries try Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwale which has a branch in Deccan Gymkhanna and Lakshmi Road. Don't forget to sample the local thali . There are fast food joints like Marzorin that are immensely popular. Koregaon Park has a lot of great eating hangouts like ABC Farms, a green campus that houses speciality cuisine restaurants like Golconda, Swiss Cheese Garden, Sala Thai and Jazz Garden where you can swing to a live band on weekends.
| NAME | CUISINE | ADDRESS | CODE | PHONE |
| Thousand Oaks | Continental | East Street | 95-20 | 643194 |
| Chia Ming | Chinese | Sasoon Road | 95-20 | 628474 |
| China Park | Chinese | Koregaon Park | 95-20 | 639637 |
| Roopali | South Indian | Fergusson College Road | 95-20 | 5532951 |
| Meridian Food Court | Multi-cuisine | Senapati Bapat Road | 95-20 | 5656868 |
| Sarangi Restaurant | Indain | East Street | 95-20 | 841325 |
| Burger King | American | East Street | 95-20 | 842045 |
| Malacca Spice | North Indian | Koregaon Park | 95-20 | 636293 |
| La Pizzeria | Italian | Bund Garden | 95-20 | 6173885 |
| Poona Coffee House | Snacks & Indian | Deccan Gymkhana | 95-20 | 5531256 |
| Greenfields Jazz Garden | Continental and South Indian Chettinad | ABC Farms. Koregaon Park | 95-20 | 6817412 |
| Golconda | Hyderabadi | Koregaon Park | 95-20 | 6817415 |
| Swiss Cheese Garden | Swiss and Indian | ABC Farms. Koregaon Park | 95-20 | 6817413 |
| Sala Thai | Thai | Koregaon Park | 95-20 | 6817414 |
| River View | Keralite | Koregaon Park | 95-20 | 6811335 |
| Farshid?s | Indian and Continental | 95-20 | 6138941 | |
| Arthur?s Theme | French | 95-20 | 6132710 |
| NAME | ADDRESS | CODE | PHONE |
| Crossword | RBM Road | 91-20 | 6101603 |
| Popular House Book | Deccan Gymkhana | 91-20 | 5673315 |
| Danai?s | Hotel Blue Diamond | 91-20 | 6125555 |
| International Book Service | Deccan Gymkhana | 91-20 | 5677405 |
| Book World | F.C. Road | 91-20 | 5530080 |
Pubs & Discotheques
| NAME | ADDRESS | CODE | PHONE |
| Ten Downing Street | Boat Club Road | 91-20 | 628343 |
| Crystal Ball | M.G.Road | 91-20 | 604650 |
| Black Cadillac | Dhole Patil Road | 91-20 | 622864 |
| Thousand Oaks | Camp | 91-20 | 643194 |
Ganeshotsav - the Pune Festival is celebrated for 10 days in August-September. During this time, Pune vibrates with the sound of dance, drama, music, art, culture and sports.
Apart from this Pune celebrates all major festivals including Makar Sankranti in January, Rang Panchami and Gudi Padwa in March/April, and Naga Panchami in July/ August.