Lavasa, a privately planned hill city near Pune, Maharashtra, is often called the 'Italy of India' due to its architecture and design inspired by Italian towns like Portofino. Featuring pastel-colored buildings, lakeside promenades, and walkable streets, it offers a European feel amidst the Sahyadri hills and Dasve/Warasgaon Lake. Developed from scratch, it combines tourism, residential, and leisure aspects. While praised for its unique charm and scenic beauty, its development also faced environmental scrutiny regarding green laws and hill-slope stability.