City of Junagadh

Nestled at the foot of the sacred Girnar hills in southern Saurashtra, Junagadh is a town layered with history, its very name meaning old fort. Successive rulers, Mauryan, Buddhist, Hindu and Muslim, have left their mark here, making it one of the richest historical destinations in Gujarat and a fascinating contrast to the state's deserts and coastline.

The sights span centuries. The Uparkot Fort, perched on a rocky outcrop, conceals ancient stepwells, cannon and rock-cut caves. Nearby stand the Ashokan rock edicts, carved more than two thousand years ago, and the flamboyant Mahabat Maqbara, a mausoleum whose silver gates and spiralling minarets make it one of India's most exuberant pieces of Indo-Islamic architecture. Above it all rise the Girnar hills, sacred to both Hindus and Jains.

The great pilgrimage of Junagadh is the ascent of Girnar, a long flight of thousands of stone steps climbing past Jain and Hindu temples to the summit shrines. For the energetic it is an exhilarating, devotional climb; for others, the view of the temple-crowned peaks from below is reward enough. Local Kathiawadi cooking, robust and generously spiced, fuels visitors well.

A visit here has a wonderfully unhurried, lived-in quality: exploring fort ramparts, wandering bazaars scented with spice, and watching pilgrims set off in the cool of dawn towards the mountain. The town wears its long past lightly and warmly.

We include Junagadh for its remarkable depth of heritage and its proximity to Gir's lions. It rounds out a Gujarat journey with archaeology, architecture and pilgrimage in equal measure, appealing especially to travellers who relish history and a genuine sense of place.