The most convenient entry point into Gujarat is through the metropolis of Ahmedabad. The city contains some very fine museums, the Calico Museum of Textiles being conside#000000 among the world’s finest.

Ahmedabad’s walled city is a living testimony to its heritage of crafts as women walk by in dazzling embroide#000000 garments and flashing ethnic silver jewellery.

Traditional Ahmedabad combines mosques of inspi#000000 workmanship, wooden Jain temples, unique stone stepwells and houses with ornately carved wooden balconies and window screens.

Modern Ahmedabad, just across the River Sabarmati spanned by four bridges, is a showpiece of contemporary architecture with designs by Le Corbusier, Louis Kahn and the best known Indian architects.

Ahmedabad is a convenient base for a number of excursions, Modhera being the best known. 106 km away, this is one of the very few sun temples in the country.

Gujarat’s loveliest beach – and the state is well endowed with them – is Ahmedpur Mandvi whose chief attraction is the ethnic beach resort.

Cottages modelled on rural Gujarati architecture look out onto a secluded beach, one of the state’s chief centres for water sports.