14 Best Historical Places & Heritage Sites near Surat

Located on the banks of Vishwamitri River, Vadodara is a beautiful city in the western Indian state of Gujarat. Situated at a distance of 109 km from Ahmedabad, it is one of the popular places to visit in gujarat, and can be visited along with Ahmedabad tour packages.

Formerly called Baroda, Vadodara is the third-largest city in Gujarat, after Ahmedabad and Surat. The architectural brilliance of the city is the major highlight of Vadodara holiday packages. The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Lakshmi Vilas Palace, Baroda Museum, Kirti Mandir, and Sayajirao Gaekwad hospital are some of the notable architectural monuments in Vadodara. Besides, Sayaji Baug, Sursagar Lake, Nyay Mandir, EME Temple, Maharaja Fateh Singh Museum, etc. are some of the prominent tourist places in Vadodara.

Often called the Cultural Capital of Gujarat, the city of Baroda comes alive during the Navratri celebrations. No city in India celebrates the festival of Navratri with as much zeal and energy as Vadodara does.

Distance from Surat: 146 Kms

Kevadiya is a census town in the Narmada district of Gujarat. It is one of the top places to visit in Gujarat as the Statue of Unity is located here. It is about 85 km from Vadodara, and 189 km from Ahmedabad.

Nestled between the Satpura and Vindhyachal mountain ranges, the tribal village of Kevadia is home to a 182 m tall statue of the Ironman of India Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. This is the 'Tallest Statue in the World' and is the must-include place in Kevadiya packages.

Besides the Statue of Unity, Valley of Flowers, Jungle Safari, Cactus Garden, Butterfly Garden, Khalwani Eco-tourism, Zarwani Waterfall, the Narmada Dam, etc are some of the popular places to visit in Kevadiya. It can be visited along with Vadodara tour packages.

Distance from Surat: 155 Kms

Earlier known as Padliptapur, Palitana is one of the holiest places of pilgrimage in Gujarat, and among the best places to visit near Ahmedabad. It is about 171 km from Rajkot, and 214 km from Ahmedabad.

Palitana is a famous destination in Gujarat for being the base to the holy Shatrunjaya hill which is home to 863 exquisitely carved Jain temples built by devotees during a period spanning 900 years from the 11th century onwards. Along with Mount Abu, Girnar, and Chandragiri, Shatrunjaya hill is one of the most sacred places for the Jains, and among the most significant places to visit as part of Palitana packages.

Meticulously carved in marble, the temples in Palitana are famous for their architectural beauty. Out of all the temples here, the temple dedicated to the first Tirthankara, Sri Adishwar, is the most famous one. The architectural motifs of this temple are notable. Kumarpal temple, Chaumukh temple, Vimalshah temple, and Sampriti Raja temple are the other Palitana places to visit.

Distance from Surat: 369 Kms

Patan is an ancient fortified city located on the banks of Saraswati River in Gujarat, India. It is one of the popular heritage destinations in India. Situated about 129 km from Ahmedabad, it can be visited along with Ahmedabad tour packages.

The city is shielded by the fort walls and gates, which prevents the ancestral aura and old-world charm from escaping. From medieval forts to an ancient Kali temple built in the Solanki dynasty, Patan has many attractions that lure tourists as part of Patan packages. Rani ki Vav or the Queen's stepwell has the unique most architectural attributes and is the must-visit place in Patan. Sahasralinga Sarovar, Panchasara Parshwanath Jain Derasar, Khan Sarovar, Shankeshwar Jain Thirth, etc. are the other popular tourist places in Patan.

Besides, Patan is also famous for Patola sarees, one of the finest hand-made textiles in the world. It has its origin in a very intricate and difficult technique of tie-dyeing and knot dyeing known as 'Bandhani'. It has gorgeous colors, designs, and durability and is one of a kind. Costs start from Rs. 20,000 which may go up to Rs. 20,00,000 depending on work done and thread used. Only two families are making Patola Sarees nowadays.

Distance from Surat: 384 Kms

At a distance of 21 km from Ahmedabad Junction, Adalaj Stepwell, also called Adalaj ni Vav is a stepwell located in the village of Adalaj near Ahmedabad city of Gujarat. It is one of the famous places of heritage in Gujarat, and among the must-include places in Ahmedabad tour packages.

Also known as Rudabai Stepwell, Adalaj Stepwell was built in 1499 by Queen Rudabai, wife of Vaghela chief, Veer Singh. According to history, the construction of stepwell was started by King Rana Veer Singh and he died in a war with King Mahmud Begada unfortunately. Begada fell for the beauty of the widowed Queen Rudabai and asked her to marry him. The Queen agreed to marry Begada on the condition that he completes the construction of the stepwell that was started by her husband. He agreed and started the construction again. When the well got completed, Rani Rudabai jumped into the vav and committed suicide.

Regarded as one of the major Ahmedabad tourist places, the stepwell is built in the Solanki style of architecture with Islamic influence. It consists of five storeys, each of which is uniquely designed with beautiful carvings all over the walls and columns. The structure was built along the North-South axis with the entrance from the south. The stepwell is one of its kinds in Gujarat as it has three entrance ...

Distance from Surat: 277 Kms

At a distance of 6 km from Ghogha and 30 km from Bhavnagar, Piram Bet is a small island in the Gulf of Cambay, Gujarat. Also called Piram Island, it is one of the beautiful islands on the coastline of Gujarat and among the best places to visit during your Bhavnagar trip.

The Piram Bet Island is covering over an area of about 186 acres. History says that the island was under Muslim soldiers of Delhi Sultanate in the early 14th century and was captured by Mokhadaji Gohil, the Gohil chief of Umrala in 1325 CE. He made the island as his headquarters, built a fort and levied toll from all ships passing up the Gulf of Cambay. He became a noted pirate in Gulf. His demands came to the knowledge of the emperor Muhammad bin Tughlaq who was then quelling a revolt in Gujarat. He killed Mokhadaji in 1347 CE and destroyed the fort of Piram Island. The island fell into obscurity after the destruction of the fort. Later in 1729, Mulla Muhammad Ali, a merchant from Surat, built a fort on Piram Bet with an intention to establish himself as an independent chief. Subsequently, it falls under the royal family of Bhavnagar State who had built a bastion on the south west corner of the island to keep watch on the maritime activities.

The British built the 24m high circular masonry lighthouse tower on the bastion in 1864 CE. The lighthouse and quarters are now owned by Directorate General of Lighthouse and Lightships, Government of India which was the only settlement on the island and was ...

At a distance of 42 km from Nalsarovar and 79 km from Ahmedabad, Lothal is an excavated site situated Bhal region in Dholka of Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Lothal is one of the prominent cities of the ancient Indus valley civilization and among the best historical sites in Gujarat.

Literally called 'Mound of the Dead', this ancient and desolate ruined city of Lothal provides a fascinating insight into the life of the Harappan culture and the Indus Valley Civilization. The origin and history of Lothal can be dated back to 2400 BC. Discovered in the year 1954, Lothal is one of the primary sites of Archaeological Survey of India. The excavation work here began in 1955 and was continued till 1960.

Like other cities of the Indus Valley Civilization, Lothal too had an excellent architecture and town planning. Excavations have revealed that the town was divided into two parts. The upper part or the acropolis was where the ruler and other important people of the city lived while the lower part was meant for the common people. The entire city had a scientific drainage system, well laid-out, paved roads and a bath for every house, some of which were double storied and built on mud platforms.

The most architecturally sophisticated part of Lothal was its dockyard, which provided berthing facilities for the ships. Constructed from kiln-fired bricks, the dock comprised a basin 214 m long, 36 m wide, and 13 m deep. A 13 m wide channel on the northern side was included to facilitate ...

Distance from Surat: 250 Kms

At a distance of 17 km from Porbandar Railway Station, Jambavan Cave is an ancient cave located at Ranavav near Porbandar city of Gujarat. Situated near Saurashtra Cement Factory, it is one of the historical places in Gujarat and among the most visited tourist places in Porbandar.

Also known as Jambavant Cave or Jambuvant ki Gufa, this cave was the resting place of the warrior Jambuvan, who had his own special role in both the Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata. It is believed that this is the place where Lord Krishna and Jambuvan fought for the Syamantaka jewel for 28 days. Legend says that Satrajit was the proud possessor of a precious gem named Syamantaka which had mystic powers. Once his brother Prasena went out in the forests for hunting wearing the jewel and was attacked by a lion to obtain Syamantaka. Later, the lion gets killed by Jambuvan who takes the precious stone from him and gives it to her daughter. On the other side, Satrajit accuses Lord Krishna for killing his brother just to gain the gem. On hearing this, Lord Krishna goes on the lookout of the actual killer and finally finds Jambuvan with whom he battles for 28 days. Recognizing Lord Krishna and his powers, Jambuvan withdraws from the fight and gives the gem and his daughter to the Lord.

Jambuvan Cave has over 50 Shivalingas which are formed naturally. The main shivalinga is inside a natural cave. Water drops from the ceiling of the cave trickle down over the linga in a continuous downpour, ...

At a distance of 42 km from Porbandar, Ghumli is a small village located near Porbandar, Gujarat. Known for its archeological ruins, it is one of the popular places of heritage in Gujarat and among the prime tourist destinations to visit near Porbandar.

Earlier known as Bhumli, Ghumli was the capital of Saindhava dynasty which ruled western Saurashtra from the middle of the 8th century to the middle of the 10th century. Later in the 12th century, Ghumli was declared as the second capital by Rana Shiyaji of Jethwa dynasty, who took the title of Rana of Ghumli. Ghumli remained their capital till 1313 CE when Rana Bhanji Jethwa was defeated at a war with Barmaniyaji Jadeja attacked and defeated Rana Bhanji Jethwa. He completely destroyed Ghumli and turned it into ruins.

Being the prosperous capital of Saindhava and then the Jethwa dynasty of Saurashtra, Ghumli is now an important and preserved archaeological site due to its architectural ruins. The Archaeological Survey of India and Government of India have initiated a number of efforts to restore the lost glory of the town. Built-in the 12th century by the Jethwa rulers, Navlakha Temple is dedicated to Lord Surya and is considered to be the oldest Sun Temple of Gujarat. The temple is built in Solanki style of architecture with entwining tusk of three elephants as a trade mark of the temple. As the temple was constructed at a cost of nine lakh, it was named Navlakha Temple.

Just outside the main temple, there ...

At a distance of 49 km from Vadodara, Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, located in the ancient city of Champaner. It is one of the popular places of heritage in Gujarat, and among the prime places to visit as part of Vadodara tour packages.

Covering over an area of 1,329 hectares, Champaner - Pavagadh Archeological Park is located around the historical city of Champaner, founded by the Rajput King Vanraj Chavda in the 8th century. Due to its strategic point on the trade routes, it lured many invaders including Khalji Dynasty, Chauhan Gurjars, Solanki kings, Khichi Chauhans. Later Mahmud Begada captured the city in 1484 and rebuilt Champaner into a splendid new capital. The region faced major devastation in 1535 CE when looted by Mughal Emperor, Humayun who made Ahmedabad the capital city again to control Gujarat. This marked the start of the decline of Champaner, which slowly fell into ruins. Later, ASI had rediscovered the city with 39 standing monuments that are a beautiful confluence of Hindu, Jain, and Islamic architectural styles.

Among the prominent heritage sites near Ahmedabad, it was inscribed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 2004. The heritage site is studded with prehistoric (chalcolithic) sites, a hill fortress of the early Hindu capital, ...

Distance from Surat: 193 Kms