Pune: the young, loud neighbour that hosts India's biggest festival weekend

Pune punches above its weight. A massive student and young-professional population keeps the city's nightlife energetic and affordable, and once a year Pune becomes the centre of India's festival calendar when VH1 Supersonic rolls into town.

Koregaon Park is the traditional going-out heart — clubs, lounges and bars clustered together. The wider city has embraced the microbrewery-and-music model, and the crowd skews young, up-for-it, and price-conscious in the best way.

The Supersonic weekend transforms everything. For a few days each year, the festival pulls international and Indian headliners across techno, house, bass and pop, and the whole city's nightlife orbits around it — pre-parties, after-parties, and a citywide surge in energy.

• ›Festival weekend books out fast — accommodation and events fill weeks ahead.
• ›The student energy means weeknights stay lively through term time.
• ›Pune pairs well with a Mumbai trip — they're a short hop apart.

For festival culture and youthful energy, Pune is one of India's essential stops.