Surat Tourism

Surat is a large city beside the Tapi River in the west Indian state of Gujarat. Once known for silk weaving, Surat remains a commercial center for textiles, and the New Textile Market area is lined with fabric shops. Overlooking the river, Surat Castle was built in the 1500s to defend the city against Portuguese colonists. Nearby, the Dutch, Armenian and English cemeteries contain elaborate colonial-era tombs.
Surat is associated with the name Saurashtra, 'The Good Land', the regions covering the peninsula of Gujarat. It is situated on the banks of the Tapti river and owes its development to its early and sustained importance as a trading centre. It was large in 1600 and even after a decline in its fortunes the population in 1796 was estimated to be as much as 800,000. Surat is a busy commercial centre for textiles and diamonds. This city is mainly visited by the tourists who are interested in the colonial history of Surat.