Makarpura Palace

             

           Makarpura Palace, the supposed royal summer palace, though the royal family mostly spent their summers in the Nilgiris of Tamil Nadu, is now used for Indian Air Force training and is not open to the public. Still, the striking 3-storey Italian Renaissance structure is worth peeping at from the outside.  

Nazarbaugh Palace

            

             Nazarbaug Palace" was Gaekwad Royal Palace in the city of Vadodara, Gujarat state, western India. Nazarbagh Palace was build in 1721. It has solid gold and silver guns, each barrel weighing over 100kg. It also has a Sheesh Mahal, a Glass Palace.

Lakshmi Vilas Palace

           
          Maharaja Sayajirao III commissioned Major Charles Mant (also known as 'Mad' Mant for his eccentric work) to build the Lakshmi Vilas Palace, which was later finished by R.F. Chisolm. It was built in the Indo-Saracenic tradition, with an eclectic mix of Indian, Islamic, and European elements, as if, as Philip Ward writes, “an architectural Paul Klee had taken solid lines for a walk”. The imposingly impressive interior is full of multi-colored marble, mosaic tile and various works of art and the courtyards of palms and fountains have arched entrance-ways big enough for “the tallest elephant with the largest howdah on his back” to pass through, as reported by Edward Weeden, one of the earliest Europeans to stay in the palace. The palace grounds include a golf course and Sayajirao's personal museum, containing, among other displays, original paintings by Raja Ravi Varma. While less impressive than the Vadodara Museum, this one is still worth a brief visit.
          The museum is open from 10:30am - 5:30pm and the entrance fee is Rs. 25/- for Indians and Rs. 100/- for Foreigners.
           The palace is open from 11am - 5pm and entrance fee is Rs.100/-. To view the palace you must ask for a permit from the Maharaja’s secretary in the palace office or call +91 265 242 6372. Both palace and museum are closed on Mondays.

Vadodara Museum

           One of the two museums in the Sayaji Baug is the famous Vadodara Museum and Picture Gallery, built in 1894, one of the various buildings peppering the city that was commissioned by Sayajirao and designed by Mant and Chisholm (see following section on palaces). Sayajirao traveled widely and commissioned various dealers and scholars to find objects to build a wide-ranging collection with everything from Mughal miniatures, to sculptures, textiles and objects from Japan, Tibet, Nepal, and Egypt and coins from all over the world to exhibits of the Indian musical instruments. There are also exhibits on Earth Sciences, Natural History and Zoology. One of the highlights is the 22m long blue-whale skeleton found in 1972 at the mouth of the River Mahi, most likely washed up in a storm. The Ethnography section has exhibits about tribes from Gujarat: the Rabaris, Gamits, Bhils, Chaudhuris and Wagharis. The museum library has nearly 23,000 books and periodicals on a range of subjects, some of them extremely rare.
The Picture Gallery displays paintings by European masters, mostly from Sayajirao's private collection. There are also two wings on modern paintings.
             This is a great place to learn from before traveling to other destinations, with displays such as sculptures removed from sites at Roda and Shamlaji in Eastern Gujarat, architectural fragments and pottery from Champaner, pieces from the carved ceiling in Sheikh Farid's tomb in Patan, glazed ceramics from Ahmedabad, and the unique patola saris from Patan, and a collection of bronze images of Jain tirthankars found at nearby Akota
            The museum is open from 10:30am-5pm. Entry for Indians: Rs. 10/-, for Foreigners: Rs. 200/-.

Sayaji Baug

               
         This large park on the banks of the river in the center of the city, across from the busy railway station and bus stand, was built by Maharaja Sayajirao III in 1879 and named after him, but also commonly known as Kamati Baug. Take at least half a day to fully explore the 45 hectares of garden grounds, with 2 museums, a zoo, a planetarium, a flower clock, and an operational toy train, among other attractions, and then come back to the park whenever you need a respite from activities in the rest of the city.
          The planetarium shows you the universe in half an hour, at 4pm in Gujarati, 5pm in English, and 6pm in Hindi. Entry for Adults, Rs. 7, Children Rs. 5. After the show take a look at the astronomy park next door to see the astronomical instruments of ancient India.

Dediapada Range

            In these beautiful forest range you find the Ninai waterfalls and Shoolpaneshwar wildlife sanctuary. There are excellent trekking and camping options, especially after the monsoon season, when the area is most lush. As a visitor to an area being developed as an "ecotourism" site, treat this as an opportunity to find out how your visit can have the least adverse impact on the area (as some impact is unavoidable), and how what you learn can potentially even be enriching for it, or for other areas of biodiversity around the world.

Sayaji Bagh

            One of the major tourist attractions in Vadodara is the Sayaji Bagh in Vadodara, the large green park whose main entrance is on the Tilak Road. The Sayaji Bagh contains a planetarium that offers a 35 minutes show daily, except on Thursday.
              This garden also known as the garden of Sayaji, is an extensive park sprawling over more than a hundred acres with a mini rail track around the periphery. Cheerful kids can be seen enjoying a joy ride on the toy train. Elders may also join the fun after a little coaxing of the guard.
Baroda Sayaji Bagh is situated on river Vishwamitri and was built by Sayajirao III in 1879. Inside the Sayaji Bagh, Vadodara is the Baroda Museum and Art Gallery. It was set up by the Gaekwads in the 1890’s and situated within the Sayaji Bagh. The displayed works are on innumerable 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 Buddhist and Jain preachers. Sayaji Bagh in Vadodara also has a planetarium named after the Indian freedom fighter Sardar Patel.
                Trich and diverse history, the indulgence of Maharajas and the largesse of the British has bequeathed a distinguishing 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. The city has something to offer to every guest.
Sayaji Bagh in Vadodara will fascinate you with blossoming flowers in the huge landscaped gardens full of heavenly fragrance and cool breeze. These gardens are the victory of human will over the severity of the nature and it's a joy to stroll through them with all their gorgeous pavilions and fountains that adorn them.
Garden represents greenery, serenity, aesthetic approach, nature and blessing of the Almighty. The city has some beautiful landscaped gardens and lakes that are truly a treat for the eyes of the visitors. The gardens in Vadodara provide a break to the tangled nerves of the city dwellers. These gardens are certainly green and pristine retreats in the busy city life of Vadodara.