Vadodara, a town in Gujarat in India, also known as Baroda, is named for the Vad (Banyan) trees that flourished in this area. The city is located along the banks of River Vishwamitri and was formerly a princely state until the time of independence. The city is a mix of many historical sites as well as new industries and IT parks. It is the cultural capital of the state of Gujarat.

Vadodara is also nown as 'Sanskari Nagari', i.e. Cultured City. It is the most sought after location for the folk dance Garba in the entire state of Gujarat. The language spoken by people in Vadodara varies, but almost everyone speaks Gujarati and Hindi. The city enjoys local Gujarati food distinguished by the typical vegetarian Gujarati ‘Thali’ and sweets.

Best time to visit:

The place experiences a mix of tropical and savannah type of climates and the best time to visit Vadodara is from November to March.

Top five places to see:

Laxmi Vilas Palace – An extravagant building, this Palace was built by Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III. It is reputed to have been the largest private dwelling built till date and four times the size of Buckingham Palace. At the time of construction it boasted of the most modern amenities such as elevators and the interior is reminiscent of a large European country house. It remains the residence of the Royal Family, who continues to be held in high esteem by the residents of Vadodara.

Fateh Singh Museum – The building was constructed as a school for the Maharaja's children. Today a large number of works of art belonging to the Maratha Royal family are displayed in the museum. The museum contains works of art by European and Indian artists collected by Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III during his numerous trips.

Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park – This UNESCO World Heritage Site is studded with forts and is spread over an area of more than 1,329 hectares (3,280 acres). The park's landscape includes several archaeological, historic and living cultural heritage monuments.

Pavagadh Kalika Mandir – The most visited temple is the Kalika Mata Temple. It has three images of goddesses: the central image is of Kalika Mata, flanked by Kali on the right and Bahucharamata on the left.

Khanderao Market – Khanderao Market is a palatial building erected by Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III. Today, the offices of the Vadodara Municipal Corporation are located in this building.