The rich and diverse history, the indulgence of Maharajas and the largesse of the British has bequeathed a distinctive aura to the city of Vadodara. The city has exquisitely landscaped gardens, museums with ancient artifacts, old Palaces and temples representing the fine flavors in building design and the artistic blends of the modern day concrete wonders. You name it and the city has something to offer.

Laxmi Vilas Palace. The city is dotted with quite a few palaces constructed by various Maharajas. The Laxmi Vilas Palace built in the 19^th century is a curious mix of arches, domes and towers. The interiors also have a classic potpourri of antique chandeliers, fountains, silver trophies, magnificent statues and a rogues’ gallery with busts of former rulers cast in bronze.

Maharaja Fateh Singh Museum. It is situated in the precincts of the Laxmi Vilas Palace grounds. You will find representative art from the whole world; images of the works by European masters like Raphael, Murillo and others; the finest pieces of the Greco-Roman era; paintings by the Chinese and Japanese artists and few Indian masterpieces.

The other few palaces worth a visit are the Nazarbaugh Palace of the Gaekwads and the Makarpura Palace now housing the Air Force Training School. The Gaekwads had an appreciative eye for the fine arts and one can see some superlative murals in the Kirti Mandir. The murals have been the creation of the illustrious Nandanlal Bose.

Naulakhi Baoli. The literal translation would be ‘nine million gallon pond’. It is a step well, designed to store water for the city. The stepped design also allowed people to get water during drought conditions. You could have a bath on these steps. If you are interested in the old utility designs, you just can not afford to miss this.

The Garden of Sayaji. This garden also known as the Sayaji Bagh, is a sprawling park spread over more than a hundred acre with a mini rail track around the periphery. Cheerful kids can be seen enjoying a joy ride on the toy train. You may also join the fun after a little coaxing of the guard.

Baroda Museum and Art Gallery. It was set up by the Gaekwads in the eighteen nineties and located within the Sayaji Bagh. The displayed works are on myriad number of subjects; geology, natural history, and archeology. The Art Gallery would give you a glimpse of the Mughal miniatures and manuscripts on palm leaves by the Buddist and Jain preachers. The Bagh also has a planetarium named after the Indian freedom fighter Sardar Patel.

Nyay Mandir. This building with Byzantine architecture is the District court of Vadodara and aptly named the Temple of Justice. Naturally, they say that in India you can only pray to get justice.