Air
Ahmedabad is connected to Mumbai, Delhi and major cities of India by air. The city is also linked to Muscat, London and New York. The airport lies 10km to the northeast of the city; auto rickshaws, taxis and tourist buses will take you to your hotel or the city centre. You could have a rented car meet you on arrival.

Train
Ahmedabad is well connected to most destinations in the country as well as to the different towns in Gujarat. The metro cities of Mumbai (545 km), Delhi (915 km), Calcutta, Chennai and other major cities are linked by a number of superfast, express and mail trains. Ahmedabad Railway Station is located east of the old city; auto rickshaws, taxis and city buses available outside the station facilitate access to the city.

Road
Gujarat has the best network of roads in India. Inter-state bus services linking Ahmedabad to other cities in the state and beyond are regular and efficient. The roads are smooth four-lane highways in some parts of the state and two-lane elsewhere, but all roads are well maintained and have motels, restaurants and gas stations at regular intervals.

Summers in Ahemdabad are a real scorcher. Summer starts by Mid-March and lasts upto Mid-June. Summer temperatures climb upto 47°C. But with summer becomes bearable with the Kesar mangoes of Junaghad which are famous in Gujarat. The Gujaratis do justice to the fruit and mangoes in every imaginable form make the summer worthwhile. Make sure, you enjoy the traditional Aam Raas (thick mango juice) or the variety of raw mango pickle that promises to tickle your taste buds. Mid-June to mid-September are the months of monsoon followed by winter when it is enjoyable to visit Ahmedabad. The typical temperature in the city during winter is between 5°C (night) to 20°C (day). The perfect time to go there, however, is mid-January when the International Kite Festival takes place, and enthusiasts come from all over the world to test their skills.

Apna Amdavad loves food. And this is evident in the tongue-tickling range of delicacies that the city offers. You will find at least one eating joint in the narrowest of lanes. You can tuck into the slightly sweet Gujarati fare: dal, bath, roti, dhokla, kadhi, theplas, srikhand, doodhpak and the rich flavours of undhyoo. Or you can go in for spicy corn and chaat at Khau Galli in Law Garden area and Khan Pan Bazaar at Manek Chowk. Various stalls start operating in both these places in the evening and run till late in to the night.

Sankalp, having more than 10 branches, is perhaps the best place for south Indian dishes. Havmore, located at CG Road (fastfood and ice-creams), Navrangpura and Judges Bunglow Road (Indian and Continental cuisines) is famous for its chhole bhature. But legendary are its range of innovative ice-creams like Raja Rani, Cassata Roll Cut, and Tall Beauty.

Narmada is an Indian specialty restaurant, with Mughlai food being its specialty. A nice cozy atmosphere; Chestnut brown furnishing and traditional artifacts lend color and a sense of tradition to the place. The mood is set with the live strains of a sitar and tabla while you enjoy the food.

The Waterfall - Le Meridian is a 24-hour multi-cuisine restaurant with a delectable variety of Indian, Chinese and Continental delights. The picture window set towards one end of the restaurant lends a visual breather during the day and twinkling electric flames on ornate holders light up the place at night. An ideal place for a corporate dinner or a family night out.

Cafe Landmark - The sound of the ocean and swaying palms along with discreet lighting and a soft saxophone set the mood at the Café. The place offers wraps, rolls, pizzas, sizzlers, parathas and biryani and an assortment of desserts and beverages. An ideal place to head for a mid-night snack.

Gujarati cuisine - Gujarati food, basically vegetarian, often tastes sweet to a newcomer. This is due to the use of jaggery or sugar and generous doses of ghee in the food. The best place to try out Gujarati cuisine is at Vishala (Tel no: 26602422), opposite Vana Tolnaka, serves delectable Gujarati food and is a famous tourist destination for its utensils museum. Rajwadu, near Malav Talav serves traditional Rajasthani food. The place is done up like a Rajasthani village. Another option is Agashiye, a part of the metro-heritage hotel, which has separate open spaces for lunch and dinner 25506946. Conventional restaurants offering Gujarati thalis are Toran, Pakvan dining hall and Gopi dining hall, all on Ashram Road. Budget restaurants with a different flavour are Sankalp and Coconut Grove, which is famous for its South Indian cuisine, Mirch Masala for the dhaba ambience and good North Indian cuisine.

On ‘Makar Sankranti’ (13/14/15 January) every year, the city is at its colourful best when thousands and thousands of kites of every shape, size and colour soar into the sky as it celebrates the International Kite Festival. And the night sky is lit up with the twinkling of a myriad tiny paper lamps sent up on special kites!

Must-buys are the traditional hand-embroidered and tie and dye clothes. However, haggling is the name of the game when it comes to shopping in the open markets of Ahmedabad. The city's main market area is at Ratan Pol and Manek Chowk near Lal Darwaja. It is crowded but you get maximum choice. The roadside shops near Law Garden also offer good bargains. Bargaining is an art and the Gujaratis are no doubt, the masters of this art. So, bargain to your hearts content and you may walk away with a beautiful embroidered bed sheet or pillow covers which would cost heaven and earth in a showroom. Shops such as Bandhej (Tel: 64221810) and Sanskruti (Tel: 6443341) offer these traditional items at fixed (and maybe overpriced) rates. Browse through a fascinating range of Patola silks, ethnic fabrics, silver jewellery, furniture and handicrafts in these shops. In the evening try the Law Garden market for ethnic and traditional clothes and white metal jewellery. Be there by 5 pm to have an early start.

Some addresses to shop for traditional Gujarati arts and crafts are:

Banascraft (Tel: 6405784) Gurjari (Tel: 6585505); Hastkala (Tel: 53543970); Seva Kalakruti (Tel: 6301503); and Khadi Gramodyog (Tel: 7540584).

H.K.House, Off Ashram Road, Ahmedabad – 380009, Tel : 449683, 449172.