A quiet heritage town
Amreli, the green and unhurried capital of its district, is one of Saurashtra’s pleasant heritage towns. Once part of the Gaekwad of Baroda’s domain, it carries a gentle old-world charm: a landmark colonial-era clock tower presiding over the bazaar, lanes of carved wooden havelis, the old Nagnath Mahadev temple, and the Girdharbhai Sangrahalaya, a characterful museum of folk art, textiles and crafts.
The town is remembered as a centre of Gujarati culture and learning, and as the gateway to eastern Gir — the lions of Dhari and Ambardi lie just to the south. Without the crowds of the bigger cities, Amreli rewards the curious traveller with quiet streets, friendly Kathiawadi hospitality and a taste of small-town Saurashtra. It makes a comfortable base for the district’s temples, coast and forest.
Amreli’s landmark clock tower.
A Gaekwad town that kept its quiet
The clock tower above the bazaar.
Amreli was part of the Gaekwad of Baroda's territory rather than a state of its own, and it prospered under that administration.
It developed a reputation as a centre of Gujarati learning and the arts, unusual for a town of this size in Saurashtra.
The clock tower was raised over the bazaar in the colonial period and remains the town's defining structure.
It is now the green, unhurried capital of Amreli district, on the eastern approach to the Gir landscape.
Reasons to make the time
Clock tower
The colonial-era clock tower stands over the old bazaar and is what everyone navigates by.
Old havelis
Lanes of carved wooden havelis survive behind the main street, in the Saurashtra merchant style.
Folk museum
The Girdharbhai Sangrahalaya holds folk art, textiles and crafts, and is far better than a town museum needs to be.
Nagnath temple
Nagnath Mahadev is the town's old Shiva temple and still its principal shrine.
Gateway to Gir
Dhari and the Ambardi safari park are within easy reach, on the eastern edge of the Gir landscape.
Kathiawadi calm
It is an unhurried town where nothing is far from anything else — pleasant rather than spectacular.
What to look for inside
LANDMARKThe Tower
Amreli's landmark clock tower, presiding over the bazaar.
OLD TOWNBazaar lanes
Old bazaar lanes with carved wooden havelis behind the shopfronts.
How to spend an hour or two
See the clock tower
Start at the clock tower, the town's central landmark and the easiest orientation point.
Wander the havelis
Walk the old quarter behind the bazaar for the carved wooden havelis, which are easy to miss from the main road.
Visit the museum
Give the Girdharbhai Sangrahalaya an hour — its folk art and textile collection is genuinely worth the time.
Stop at Nagnath
Visit Nagnath Mahadev, the old Shiva temple at the heart of the town.
Taste Kathiawadi food
Use Amreli as a base for eastern Gir — Dhari, Ambardi and the Shetrunji country are all close.
Use it as a base
Take the pace as it comes; Amreli rewards wandering rather than a checklist.
The heart of old Amreli.
Clock tower, havelis and bazaar
Old Amreli is a low-rise Kathiawadi town of narrow bazaar streets, carved wooden havelis and modest temples, anchored by its colonial-era clock tower — a pink-and-cream landmark with a domed top that rises over the market crossroads. Scattered through the town are the Nagnath Mahadev temple, the Girdharbhai folk museum and old civic buildings from the Gaekwad period, giving Amreli a quiet, layered heritage character rather than any single grand monument.
The rest of the district is covered in our Amreli travel guide.
Colonial-era clock tower
Carved wooden havelis
Girdharbhai folk museum
Old Nagnath temple
When to go
November to February is the season across Saurashtra — comfortable for walking the bazaar and pairing with Gir.
The monsoon greens the district and the Gir fringe, though the safari parks close for part of it.
April to June is hot and dry; walk the town early in the morning or after the evening reopening.
⏰ Use Amreli as a relaxed base for eastern Gir (Dhari/Ambardi), the Khodiyar temple and the district's coast.
Timings & entry
- The town is freely walkable
- The museum keeps daytime hours
- Markets are liveliest in the evening
- Allow a half day
- No entry fee for the town
- The museum charges a small fee
- Respect homes in the haveli lanes
- Combine with Gir and the coast
Getting there
By Air
Rajkot and Diu are the nearest airports.
By Rail
Amreli has its own railway station.
By Road
Well linked to Rajkot, Bhavnagar and Junagadh.
Around old Amreli
TOWER & LANES
A quiet Kathiawadi heritage town
What to shoot
The clock tower against the sky.
Detail
Carved haveli woodwork.
Life
Bazaar streets and stalls.
Best light
Soft early-morning light.
Know before you go
More to see close by
5Lathi & Kalapi
Trace the romantic poet’s gentle hometown
PORTPippavav
A major modern private seaport
Gir East & Dhari
The wild eastern flank of Gir around Dhari — open forest, farmland and riverbeds where Asiatic…
Nagnath Mahadev
A revered old Shiva temple in Amreli
TOWNSavarkundla
Famed for its weights & scales craft
FORT & COASTJafrabad
An old fort guarding a fishing coast
Where to eat near Amreli City
THALIKathiawadi Thali
Rotla, kadhi, shaak and ghee-rich fare.
SNACKSGanthiya & fafda
Saurashtra's beloved fried snacks.
STREETLocal bites
Bhajiya, chevdo and chaat.
Pure-veg & ghee
Hearty Kathiawadi veg fare; jaggery sweets.
Amreli City FAQ
What is Amreli known for?
Being a green heritage district capital with a landmark clock tower and gateway to eastern Gir.
What can I see in the town?
The clock tower, old havelis, the Girdharbhai folk museum and Nagnath temple.
Is it a good travel base?
Yes — it's central for Dhari/Ambardi, the Khodiyar temple and the coast.
How do I reach Amreli?
By road or rail; the nearest airports are Rajkot and Diu.
Is there an entry fee?
No — the town is free; the museum charges a small fee.
When should I visit?
October to March, for pleasant weather.
What food is local?
Hearty Kathiawadi vegetarian fare and Saurashtra snacks.
How long should I stay?
About half a day, or use it as a base for the district.
Related places across Gujarat
Shetrunji Dam
A large reservoir on the Shetrunji river near Dhari — a tranquil expanse of water amid…
RIVERVatrak Riverfront
Calm banks of the Vatrak river
PALACEMorbi City
An ornate palace-temple of carved stone
SCIENCETara Mandir
A planetarium by the Porbandar shore
WETLANDChari Dhand
Seasonal wetland of flamingos, pelicans & raptors
SACREDTriveni Sangam
Where three rivers meet the Arabian Sea
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Published 24 June 2026 · Updated 24 August 2026