Pune

Pune has several identities: seat of Peshwa power, centre of social reform and education, military cantonment, technology hub and gateway to the Sahyadri hills. Its historic core is compact enough for a focused walk, but museums, gardens and contemporary districts spread well beyond it. Start around Shaniwar Wada and the old peths, give the Raja Dinkar Kelkar Museum time rather than rushing its dense collection, and treat Aga Khan Palace as a separate eastern stop. Fort treks outside Pune require weather, transport and safety planning; they are not casual extensions of a city afternoon. The Metro is expanding and useful on selected corridors, while buses, autos and app cabs fill the gaps. Monsoon makes the surrounding hills dramatically green but also slippery and crowded, so responsible route selection matters.