Must-see attractions in Maharashtra

Pratapgad Fort, built by Shivaji in 1656 (and still owned by his descendants), straddles a high mountain ridge 24km northwest of the town of Mahabaleshwar…

Indian wine pioneers first produced juice with imported French vines at their Karnataka estate in 1982. Today it's easily India's most lauded winery (113…

Architecturally speaking, the Aurangabad Caves aren’t a patch on Ellora or Ajanta, but they do shed light on early Buddhist architecture and make for a…

Soma Vine Village, 17km west of the city centre, is one of Nashik's newer wineries and offers 45-minute tours that end in a sampling plucked from its 11…

This group of interesting Hinayana Buddhist caves sit soaring above Lenyadri. Of the 27 caves, cave 7 is the most impressive and, interestingly, houses an…

Shivneri Fort holds the distinction of being the birthplace of Shivaji. The most important structure is Shivkunj, the pavilion in which Shivaji was born…

A golden arc south of Malvan, this crescent-shaped sandy beach is a vision of tropical India, fringed by coconut palms and casuarina trees, plus the odd…

Built by Shivaji and dating from 1664, this monstrous fort lies on an offshore island and can be reached by frequent ferries (adult/child ₹90/50, 8am to 5…

York Winery offers tours and wine-tasting sessions in a top-floor room that has scenic views of the lake and surrounding hills. Four reds, including its…

Kolhapur is famed for the calibre of its Kushti wrestlers and at the Motibag Thalim you can watch young athletes train in an earthen pit. The akhara …

On the other side of the expressway from Karla Caves in a lush setting 3km off the main road, Bhaja Caves is the greener and quieter of the region's caves…

There’s little to see and do in Ratnagiri apart from viewing the remnants of Thibaw Palace, where the last Burmese king, Thibaw, was interned under the…

Nashik's newest winery is a world-class facility on meticulously manicured grounds that easily rank as Nashik's most peaceful and beautiful. Tastings…

The remains of this fortressed palace of the Peshwa rulers are located in the old part of the city. Built in 1732, Shaniwar Wada was destroyed by a fire…

Dedicated to famed Marathi actor and artist Chandrakant Mandare (1913–2001), this well-maintained gallery houses stills of his movies as well as his fine…

The large Cave 29, the Dumar Lena, is thought to be a transitional model between the simpler hollowed-out caves and the fully developed temples…

Cave 9 is one of the earliest chaityas at Ajanta. Although it dates from the early Buddhist period, the two figures flanking the entrance door were…

In the heart of the old town this palace was once the ruling Chatrapati’s main residence and is still occupied by some of the family. You can enter the…

You can peer into the room where the Mahatma Ghandi used to stay as well as gawk at photos and paintings representing moments in his extraordinary life at…

Cave 6 is the only two-storey vihara at Ajanta, but parts of the lower storey have collapsed. Inside is a seated Buddha figure and an intricately carved…