Laxmi Vilas Palace, Vadodara: Timings, Ticket Price, Booking and Visitor Guide

Laxmi Vilas Palace is the crown jewel of Vadodara and one of Gujarat's most spectacular heritage sights. This guide, from the team behind Somnath Dwarka Tour Package, a unit of Experience My India, covers everything you need to plan a visit: the timings, the ticket price, how to book online, what to see inside, how to reach it and how to pair it with the Statue of Unity. The visitor details are current at the time of writing, but always confirm prices on the official palace website before you go.

What is special about Laxmi Vilas Palace?

It is not just a palace, it is a record-breaker and a living royal home:

• The world's largest private residence: it spans over 500 acres, about four times the size of Buckingham Palace.

• Built in 1890: commissioned by Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III and designed by the British architect Major Charles Mant.

• Indo-Saracenic style: a striking blend of traditional Indian, Islamic and European Gothic architecture.

• Still a royal home: it remains the official residence of the Gaekwad royal family, with major portions open to the public as a museum.

Laxmi Vilas Palace timings

The palace keeps simple daily hours, with a fixed weekly closure:

The best window to visit is late morning, roughly 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM, before the afternoon warms up. Plan for about 1.5 to 2 hours to see the halls, the museum and the gardens without rushing.

Laxmi Vilas Palace ticket price

Tickets are affordable, with a separate charge for the museum. The audio guide is free with palace entry:

The complimentary handheld audio tour is available in English, Hindi and Marathi and it is the best way to understand each hall as you walk through. Prices can change, so treat these as a guide and confirm on the official website.

Laxmi Vilas Palace ticket booking online

You can book Laxmi Vilas Palace tickets in two ways:

• Online: tickets can be booked in advance through the official Laxmi Vilas Palace website, which is useful on weekends and holidays.

• At the counter: tickets are also sold at the entrance on the day of your visit, so booking ahead is optional rather than essential.

A few rules are worth knowing before you arrive. Photography and videography are strictly forbidden inside the palace rooms; you may only take photos outside on the front lawn. Large bags are often not allowed inside. If you are touring more of the state, a Somnath Dwarka taxi service can handle your Vadodara transfers and onward drives.

What to see inside Laxmi Vilas Palace

The interiors are the reason to come. The main sections:

• The Durbar Hall: Venetian mosaic floors laid by Italian craftsmen, huge Belgian stained-glass windows showing Hindu mythology, carved rosewood balconies for royal women under the purdah system and high vaulted ceilings with ventilation traps to keep the court cool.

• The Royal Armoury: a large collection of authentic historical weapons of the Gaekwad rulers and Maratha warriors, including swords linked to Shivaji Maharaj, dual-bladed daggers and early Mughal firearms.

• The Gadi Hall: home to the golden coronation throne, the Gadi, of the Baroda rulers, lined with early twentieth-century portraits of the Gaekwad lineage.

Art and grounds at Laxmi Vilas Palace

Beyond the state rooms, the art and the gardens are highlights in their own right:

• Raja Ravi Varma collection: one of the largest single collections of original oil paintings by the legendary artist, who lived on the palace grounds for years under Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III's patronage.

• Maharaja Fateh Singh Museum: set in a building first built as a school for the royal children, with European old-master paintings, marble sculptures, royal garments and a small operating toy train that once carried the royal children around the garden.

• The golf course: a working 10-hole course run by the Gaekwad Baroda Golf Club.

• Navlakhi Stepwell: a historic multi-storey stepwell dating to the fifteenth century, deep within the compound.

• Gardens and wildlife: manicured lawns roamed by peacocks and monkeys.

How to reach Laxmi Vilas Palace

The palace is central and easy to reach within Vadodara:

• By train: Vadodara Junction is about 3 to 4 km away, a short auto or taxi ride.

• By air: Vadodara Airport is about 8 km away, with taxis and autos at hand.

• By road: the palace is a well-known landmark on J. N. Marg, easily found by any local driver.

Combine Laxmi Vilas Palace with the Statue of Unity and beyond

Vadodara is the nearest major city to the Statue of Unity, about 90 km away, so many travellers pair the palace with a day trip to the statue. From there it is easy to reach the rest of Gujarat. Plan your trip around the best time to visit Gujarat, sample the famous food of Gujarat and add heritage stops like Junagadh to Girnar. For the Saurashtra coast, our guides on how to reach Somnath and how to reach Dwarka cover the way. The Experience My India Gujarat tour packages can string Vadodara, the Statue of Unity and the coast into one route.

Tips for visiting Laxmi Vilas Palace

A few pointers make the visit smoother:

• Arrive late morning, around 10:30 AM, for cooler halls and softer light on the gardens.

• Wear comfortable shoes; the halls and grounds involve a fair amount of walking.

• Remember the Monday closure and check for national holidays before you travel.

• Keep cameras for the front lawn only, as photography is not allowed inside the rooms.

• Travel light, since large bags and backpacks may not be permitted inside.

Laxmi Vilas Palace at a glance

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Plan your Gujarat heritage trip

Experience My India can build Laxmi Vilas Palace, the Statue of Unity and Gujarat's temples and coast into one smooth trip. See our Somnath Dwarka tour packages, browse more travel guides, message us on WhatsApp or call +91 73006 20809