Mumbai (formerley Bombay), the gateway to India in the days of the British Raj, is today India's commercial capital. The city dates back to around the first century AD, when the area consisted of seven islands separated by the sea. In 1661 the Portuguese presented the port and islands of Bombay to the British, and in 1668 the East India Company leased all of the islands from the British Government. for £10.00 in gold per year.
On independence in 1947 the Bombay presidency became Bombay state, and subsequently Bombay became the state capital of Maharashtra. Besides being the major port Mumbai is the most cosmopolitan, fastest moving, affluent and industrialized city in India. It is India's financial, commercial and industrial centre, and the centre of the film industry (Bollywood).

Bhopal, capital of Madhya Pradesh was founded by Raja Bhoja during 11th century combines scenic beauty, historicity and modern urban planning. It is situated on the site of an 11th century city, Bhojapal, founded by Raja Bhoja.
Bhopal today presents a multi-faceted profile; the old city with its teeming market places and fine old mosques and palaces still bear the aristocratic imprint of its former rulers; among them the succession of powerful Begums who ruled Bhopal from 1819 to 1926. Equally impressive is the new city with its verdant, exquisitely laid out parks and gardens, broad avenues and streamlined modern edifices.

Maheshwar was a glorious city at the dawn of Indian civilization when it was the capital of king Kartivarjun. This temple town on the banks of the river Narmada finds mention in the epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata. Holkar queen Rani Ahilya Bai of Indore revived its ancient position of importance by constructing a beautiful fortress who ruled the state from 1760-1795. Maheshwar's temples and mighty fort-complex stand in quiet beauty, mirrored in the river below.

Mandu, with its natural defences, was originally the fort capital of the Parmar rulers of Malwa. Situated along the Vindhya ranges at an altitude of 2,000 feet Mandu is a celebration in stone of life and joy. Under Mughal rule, Mandu was a pleasure resort, its lakes and palaces the scenes of splendid and extravagant festivities. And the glory of Mandu lives on, in legends and songs, chronicled for posterity.
Each of Mandu's structures is an architectural gem; some are outstanding like the massive Jami Masjid and Hoshang Shah's tomb, which provided inspiration to the master builders of the Taj Mahal centuries later.

Champaner was founded in the 8th century by King Vanraj Chavda of the Chavda Kingdom. Some attribute the name “Champaner” to the igneous rocks of Pavagadh, whose light yellow color tinged with red gives the appearance of the champaka, or “flame of the forest” flower. The city and surrounding state of Pavagadh became an important buffer area between Mandu and Gujarat, as well as a key station on trade routes leading from Gujarat to both North and South India. Pavagadh and the city of Champaner were captured by the Chauhan Rajputs around 1300 AD, and they ruled the area for almost the next two hundred years.
Champaner is just such a place. Here you can find an old palace, fort, several mosques, but also walk the ancient streets just as its inhabitants did five centuries ago. Champaner was an out-of-the-way pilgrimage site for hundreds of years, became the capital of Gujarat, and was then abandoned to be overtaken by the jungle. The city rose and fell almost as fast as the modern stock market, but left behind far more aesthetic remains. Champaner became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004.

Ahmedabad, located on the banks of the Sabarmati river, is Ahmedabad located on the banks of Sabarmati river is a unique city, blending an ancient heritage with a vibrant present. The city’s prosperous and eventful past is embodied in its rich kaleidoscope of history, art and culture.
The financial capital of Gujarat, Popularly known as the "Manchester of the East", Ahmedabad has established itself as the textile hub of India.

The little town of Palitana is the base to the Shatrunjaya hill on which stands a conglomeration of 863 exquisitely carved Jain shrines built by devotees from 11th century onwards. Rising to the height of about 591mts above sea level Shatrunjaya hill is considered to be one of the five most sacred hills of the Jains. . Shatrunjaya is often referred to as the abode of enlightenment, since all the Tirthankaras and several sages and saints are said to have attained ‘Siddhi’ or Nirvana upon its peak. . Notable Temples here are the Shri Adishwara, Chaumukh, Kumarpal, Vimalsha, Sampritiraja, Bhulavani, Astapada and Shahastrakuta and the approach to the Temples is by a flight of 3490 steps. The ascent is about 4 kms. Long and takes about 2 hours.

A beautiful blend of sea, sand and sun, Diu is a God's gift to those in quest of a blessed land. This tiny island of breeze, beauty and serenity situated off the southern tip of the Saurashtra peninsula of Gujarat, lapped by the Arabian Sea. Diu was ruled by many well-known kings and dynasties during the prehistoric, ancient and medieval times. It was a Portuguese colony until 1961 and an important trading post and naval base from where the rulers controlled the shipping routes in the northern part of the Arabian Sea between the 14-16th centuries. Today Diu is a picture of calmness with superb beaches and a fascinating history.

Gir forest is the only place in the world, outside Africa, where the Asiatic lion can be seen in its natural habitat. The 1412 sq, km forest was notified a Wildlife Sanctuary in 1969. Six years later, its core area of 140 sq. km was constituted into a National Park, which has since been expanded to cover 258.71 sq. Km Though known the world over mainly for its lions, Gir is one of the few remaining forests comprising different habitats - open scrub country, dry deciduous and tropical thorn forests and an evergreen corridor along the river sides. The forest also harbors a variety of smaller animals and birds. Other predators are the powerful Panther and the ungainly striped hyena. The largest Indian deer, sambar, chital, nilgai, chinkara and the unique chowsingha are found here, along with the bear and the long tailed langur. The peacock, India's national bird with its resplendent plumage, is among the common birds in Gir. Another attraction is a crocodile farm developed in the forest.

The walled city of Bhuj is the headquarters of the Kutch district. The princely citadel of Bhuj is named after its Bhujia fortress, which overlooks the city from a hill nearby. The region is said to have witnessed the Indus Valley Civilization, Rann of Kutch is the home to the Indian Wild Ass. In winter the it becomes the breeding ground for flamingoes and pelicans. The Rann of Kutch is also worth visiting for the local people who have preserved their customs and traditions through the ages, who express themselves artistically in the form of handicrafts and beautifully designed day to day objects, their houses, etc.

Mandvi, a picturesque town with many old buildings is located on the banks of the Rukmavati river, barely one km from the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Kutch. The establishment of the town dates back to the late sixteenth century (1581 AD) and was originally a fortified town having a fort wall of about 8m high and 1.2m wide stone masonary. The fort had several gateways and 25 bastions, but at present, most of the wall has disappeared. The bastion on the southwest is largest and acts as a lighthouse.Mandvi enjoys a very pleasant climate round the year and also an interesting place for watching and photographing birds like the flamingos, godwits, sandpipers, gulls.