Saras Baug

Twenty-five acres of garden laid out on the bed of an 18th-century lake that Nanasaheb Peshwa had made at the foot of Parvati Hill; the island in that lake still carries the Talyatla Ganpati temple of 1784, built by Sawai Madhavrao Peshwa. What it is now is the city's evening institution - lawns, the lit temple, balloon and toy sellers, and a chowpatty of stalls selling chaat, the tangy street snacks, just outside the gate. Free, open early morning and again from about 4 pm to 11 pm, and worth timing for sunset onwards. The Parvati Hill climb is next door.

A lit temple on an island, lawns and chaat stalls - the classic Puneri evening