Constructed in 19th-century Indo-Saracenic style, Laxmi Vilas Palace is one of Vadodara’s top attractions. Comprising 170 rooms and 500 acres (202 hectares) of grounds, including a golf course, its ground floor provides a window into the wealth of India’s one-time maharajahs. Its elegant interiors feature stained-glass windows, fountained courtyards, and a gilded Durbar Hall with Venetian mosaic floors and massive chandeliers.
If you’re already in Vadodara, you can travel independently to the palace to explore it on your own: purchase a ticket at reception and collect a complimentary audio guide. A private guided tour is easiest if you visit as part of a broader India sightseeing schedule. The museum features on many guided day trips from Ahmedabad—when it’s often paired with the nearby UNESCO-protected Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park—and on multi-day itineraries from Mumbai or Delhi, which cover Gujarat, Rajasthan, and other destinations.
Laxmi Vilas Palace is ideal for history, architecture, and art buffs.
The entry fee includes audio guides in multiple languages.
Consider a combo ticket, which includes admission to the sister Maharajah Fatehsingh art museum.
Only photography using cell phones is permitted inside.
On-site amenities include restrooms and a café.
Laxmi Vilas is located near the center of Vadodara. Cabs and auto-rickshaws from Vadodara’s Junction station will ferry you there in five minutes. Regular trains and buses run to Vadodara from Ahmedabad, and cabs will transport you between the two cities in around 1.5 hours. Vadodara is also a stop on the main Mumbai-Delhi western railway line and has an airport welcoming flights from many Indian cities.
Laxmi Vilas is open daily from 9:30am–5pm, except on Mondays and national holidays. However, you’re advised to double-check opening hours before visiting independently. The palace can get busy at weekends, so aim for weekdays.
Museum highlights include the vast and decorative Durbar Hall, which once acted as a stage for meetings and celebrations. Other standouts include the royal armory, which displays weaponry used by Baroda’s state army. Art lovers will also want to drive to the palace’s sister Maharajah Fatehsingh Museum to view its works by Raja Ravi Varma, one of India’s greatest painters.
