Super Seven
1. Adalaj Stepwell
Located around 20km outside the city, and was the highlight of my trip. Built in 1498 and is a great piece of Indian architecture at it’s best. The build was instructed by Queen Rudadevi in memory of her late husband, but today it’s a popular tourist attraction.
Entry is 300 INR ($4 USD) and off you go. You can access both the upper and lower levels of the stepwell. If you’re a photographer, I’d definitely recommend a wide-angle lens.
2. Sarkhej Roza
Sarkhej Roza is a mosque and tomb complex which is located 7km south-west of Ahmedabad. The architecture is credited to two Persian brothers back in 1451 and is a very peaceful calming place.
There’s no entry fee and the complex overlooks the water.
3. Sabarmati Riverfront
What surprised me the most about Ahmedabad was how clean it is in comparison to other neighbouring cities. An example of this is along the Sabarmati Riverfront. A peaceful area to walk along in the evenings.
It’s a two-level promenade with ongoing construction (2019) but facilities are open to the public as and when they finish completion. Ellis Bridge spans across the waterfront, which was constructed by the British in 1870.
4. Manek Chowk
Located within the walled city of ‘Old Ahmedabad’ and is a must see for foodies. This same location is a vegetable market during the morning, a gold market in the afternoon, and then turns into a street food market at night.
The area is clean and easy to navigate around, but does get extremely busy. After 9pm seems to be the best time to check the place out. The food options are extensive, the locals are friendly, and the prices are low. A perfect hangout for foodies!
5. Hutheesing Jain Temple
This is the best known Jain temple in Ahmedabad and is hugely impressive from an architectural angle. There’s lots of intricate detail carved into the stone which adds to the ‘wow factor’.
From the outside it reminded me of a temple in the Angkor Wat complex of Cambodia due to the pillars all around the temple. Photography inside is forbidden, but seemed to be a little more slack at night, which is the time of day I’d recommend you visit.
6. Old City Walking Tour
The historic city of Ahmedabad is a UNESCO Heritage Site in it’s own right and is definitely worth a visit. There’s plenty to see in this area, so I’d recommend a guided walking tour if available (Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation - AMC).
There’s plenty of temples, as well as the city gates, and plenty of crumbling architecture. It’s a great place to ‘people watch’ and see everyday life of the locals.
7. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Memorial
Ok so for clarity, I’m not a museum person, unless the topic is unique. However, this place gets rave reviews. The building itself is a palace built by the Mughal emperor Shahjahan built in 1618, but inside is essentially an exhibition dedicated to Vallabhbhai Patel.
Entry fee is 200 INR ($3 USD). Worth noting that photography inside is forbidden (well unless you’re sneaky).
Accommodation Advice
I chose to stay at Lemon Tree Premier The Atrium due to the central location and I thought you get a lot of ‘bang for your buck’ with the facilities available.
For $60 a night (2019) you get a centrally located hotel with modern rooms, a gym, and an indoor pool. My highlight was the glass elevators running up and down the floors, but I am an architecture geek in case I didn’t mention it earlier.
Food Factor
Other than Manek Chowk being an absolute must do for foodies, there is a very unusual restaurant called Lucky Restaurant. The reason it’s so unique is because there are a number of graves, inside the restaurant surrounding the dining tables.
I’ve never seen anything like this on all of my travels, so it was certainly unique for me. The restaurant has been operating for over 50 years, but my guess is that the graves were there first. I only had a coffee, so can’t comment on the standard of food, but it seems extremely popular with he locals, including one that joined me at my table.
