Almost everyone has heard the love story of Romeo and Juliet. For those who believe in love, Italy is paradise. However, considering the budget, that wish often remains just a wish for many. But what if I tell you there's a piece of Italy in Maharashtra, India – would you believe it?
Lavasa is located 60-65 kilometres away from Pune in Maharashtra. It is a hill station situated in the Mulshi valley of the Western Ghats. The love story of Romeo and Juliet may not be here, but you are bound to fall in love with the beauty of the hills here.
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Surrounded by vast lakes and colourful houses, which resemble the small Italian town of Portofino. Portofino was once called a fishing village. The city's name was 'Portus Delphini', meaning 'Port of Dolphins'. Many dolphins are seen in the sea here, so the Romans gave it this name. Not many people live in this city, but many Hollywood and Bollywood films are shot in Portofino.
Just as Portofino is beautiful, so is Lavasa in Maharashtra, India. The city is dotted with lakes. There's a long road alongside the lake. Walking along that path gives a different feeling altogether. Red-blue-green houses of various colours, narrow lanes, and the beauty of the lake – Lavasa city attracts tourists for all these reasons. In 2000, Lavasa Corporation Limited first decided to build this city modelled after Italy's Portofino.
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In 2010, the Ministry of Environment stopped the construction work of Lavasa city, citing violation of environmental laws. At the same time, some financial problems also arose, as a result of which the Lavasa project has not progressed even in 2025. However, this has not interrupted tourists from visiting.
However, in 2023, the National Company Law Tribunal approved a resolution plan worth ₹1814 crores for Lavasa Corporation. So hope is not lost yet. Not many people live here either.
Even though the work remains incomplete, crowds of tourists can be seen on weekends at the cafes, resorts and lakeside here. Taking pictures by the lake, sitting there watching the sunset, is a different experience altogether.
