Things to do in Bengaluru
Bengaluru is not packed with traditional tourist attractions, and is often used simply as a base for tourists to explore the charms of southern India. However, that doesn't mean there isn't plenty to see in the city itself. Aside from some attractive buildings and lush parks, what is on show here is the modern face of India, which is confident, brash and progressive, connected to the world at large and evolving all the time. It's a fascinating and energising glimpse into the future of this developing superpower. Having said that, the city is clean, well organised and friendly, with a relaxed atmosphere that is almost surprising in India's most modern city.
Apart from the great shopping that Bengaluru has to offer, there are also a number of interesting attractions dotted around the city. Worthwhile and popular options include Bugle Hill, the Bull Temple, and Vidhana Soudha. Bengaluru is still affectionately known as the 'Garden City' and two of the best gardens to visit are the enormous Cubbon Park (Bengaluru's equivalent of New York's Central Park) and Lal Bagh, a splendid botanical garden.
Those who have time for an excursion out of the city should visit the nearby town of Hampi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that boasts some awe-inspiring natural landscapes as well as 14th-century ruins.
Cubbon Park
Cubbon Park is Bengaluru's equivalent of Central Park: a place of relaxation, open space and some worthwhile attractions. In and around the park are the State Central Library, two …
Cubbon Park
Cubbon Park is Bengaluru's equivalent of Central Park: a place of relaxation, open space and some worthwhile attractions. In and around the park are the State Central Library, two municipal museums, an art gallery and the Government Aquarium. First and foremost, however, the park is a green lung, a peaceful and pretty place to take a break from the traffic and noise of this bustling city. It is a great area for walkers and joggers, particularly early in the morning and in the evenings. Tourists travelling with kids in Bengaluru will find Cubbon Park has many lovely picnic spots and open space to let off some steam.
Lal Bagh
This splendid botanical garden, laid out by Hyder Ali and his son Tipu Sultan as a private royal garden in 1760, contains more than 1,000 species of rare flora in its enormous grou…
Lal Bagh
This splendid botanical garden, laid out by Hyder Ali and his son Tipu Sultan as a private royal garden in 1760, contains more than 1,000 species of rare flora in its enormous grounds. Lal Bagh is an internationally renowned centre for the scientific study and conservation of plants, and also a centre of botanical artwork. The centrepiece of Lal Bagh is the Glass House, which hosts an annual flower show and is modelled after London's Crystal Palace. Apart from the many old and imposing trees that delight visitors, the gardens also house a deer park, an aquarium, a lake and one of the city's four Kempe Gowda Towers.
Hampi
The small, relaxed town of Hampi not only boasts one of the weirdest, most awe-inspiring landscapes in the whole of India, but is also a fascinating historical site. The capital of…
Hampi
The small, relaxed town of Hampi not only boasts one of the weirdest, most awe-inspiring landscapes in the whole of India, but is also a fascinating historical site. The capital of the once-great Vijayanagar Empire, the ruins of the 14th-century village and temple complex found in present-day Hampi have been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. However, as impressive as these ruins are (especially the multi-tiered, ornately sculpted Virupaksha Temple), the grandstand attraction of Hampi remains its natural landscape: a severe, desolate and boulder-strewn wilderness, tempered by a slate-grey river surrounded by lush groves of banana, mango and palm trees.