Bengaluru, formerly known as Bangalore, is the capital of the state of Karnataka. It is located in southern India on Deccan Plateau. The city is a mix of traditions and modernity. The various ethnicities residing in it celebrate their cultural festivities while engaging with the recent upsurge in its café culture and pub-hopping. It is often referred to as the ‘Silicon Valley’ being the hub of IT development in India.
The lush green area around Bangalore is interspersed with waterfalls, wildlife sanctuaries, and brooks and rivers waiting to be explored. Due to the presence of lush gardens and pastoral land, it has gained a reputation for being the ‘Garden City of India.’ Cubbon Park, Ulsoor Lake, Indira Gandhi Musical Fountain Park, Bugle Rock Park, and Lumbini Garden are the marvels of this city.
Bangalore is flushed with the picturesque sites where you can try the most adrenaline rushing activities. Trekking or hiking at places like Ramanagara, Nandi Hills, Savandurga, and Narayanagiri are exciting activities undertaken by trek enthusiasts. You can also try camping and fishing over here for a rejuvenating experience.
Bangalore is not just a place for nature lovers, but also music enthusiasts. Hard Rock is an elite pub in Bangalore due to its live performances by renowned bands. There are various other entertainment places within the city including Snow City, which enthuses visitors with activities like ice-skating, gaming arcades and bowling alleys.
Bangalore has two distinct seasons – wet and dry. The wet season begins with the monsoon in June and lasts till September. The rest of the year is mostly dry but may encounter unpredictable showers. The dry days are sunny, with temperatures not going beyond 25 – 30 degrees Celsius. The best time to visit Bangalore is from November to March.
Bangalore has pleasant weather throughout the year. The climate will be moderate and is suitable to be visited at any time of the year.
Usually, the months between September and February sees the highest tourist flow rate and the reason for this is the weather becomes much more pleasant and gives a beautiful feeling during these times.
-Bangalore in Monsoon: Monsoon in Bangalore usually provides the visitors with a lot of getaways. There are many places in and around Bangalore which can be explored in these monsoon seasons. The hills, rivers, lakes, landscapes and many more, if you are a nature lover then monsoon is the best time for you to visit Bangalore.
-Bangalore in Summer: Usually, people living in hot and humid areas plan to go to some cooler places and relax there. The maximum temperature in Bangalore is 34 degree Celsius in summer and the climate in summer season is commendable. So you can visit Bangalore this summer and explore many beautiful places.
-Bangalore in Winter: The temperature in the winter season in Bangalore drops below 10 degrees in some instances yet the climate is peaceful and people can enjoy the cool weather. There are many beautiful destinations in Bangalore which can be explored in the cool climate. Hills, beaches, heritage sites and a lot more can be visited and explored in this beautiful season.
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The general climate of Bangalore is usually below 35°C even in the summer months of March to May but it gets unpleasant outdoors due to the fierce sunlight. October to February is ideal for outdoor activities like family picnics, trekking, long drives and others.
All you would need is a windcheater or a light woollen jacket if you are planning to drive around at night. June to September is monsoon time when the city faces mild to heavy rainfall and a sunny afternoon can suddenly turn into a downpour that can become a damper if you are out shopping.
Know More: Bangalore Weather and Temperature
While Bangalore has several attractions, some of the must-visit places are:
-Nandi Hills
-Ramanagara
-Kanakapura
-Bannerghatta National Park
-Skandagiri
-Lal Bagh Botanical Garden
-Kunti Betta
-Savandurga
-Guhantara,The Underground Resort
As winters are perfect for travelling around to nearby locations in Bangalore, one can explore Mysore and Srirangapatna along with Nandi Hills and Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary.
Pleasant weather also helps to explore local scenery with adventure sports like trekking, rappelling and camping at Bheemeshwari, Antharagange, Vanakebe Falls, Manchinbele or at Ramanagaram.
This is also a good time to visit temples like Bhoga Nandeeshwara Temple, Kotilingeshwara Temple, Chamundeshwari Temple, Ghati Subramanya Temple, Ranganathaswamy temple and Someshwara Temple.
Cubbon Park, regarded as the “lung” area of Bangalore’s business district was created in 1870 and is today spread across 300 acres. The park is made up of natural rock, massive bamboos and several varieties of small and large plants along with wide walkways used for walking and light exercises by residents in the area.
It also houses a library, aquarium and toy train along with several statues of famous personalities and benches to relax. The park is open between 10.30 AM to 6 PM on all days except Thursdays and the entrance is free.
They have a show of colorful fairy fountains every evening and short courses for pottery making and painting are also offered.
Vidhana Soudha or Karnataka Government’s parliament building is India’s largest legislature-cum-office building which is an interesting place that every tourist to the city must visit.
Spread across 60 acres, the building has four entrances signifying four directions and houses twenty-two departments on four floors.
The impressive building was built in Dravidian architecture style in 1956 and has a beautiful 60 feet dome in its center and six domes of which, four are in the front section and two on the sides which are supported by 8 pillars. Entry to the structure is not allowed unless one is visiting for official work.
Bangalore palace, the erstwhile summer capital of Mysore’s Maharajas was built by Rev. J Garett in 1862 to resemble Windsor Castle. The palace spread across 453 acres, is popular for its beautiful Tudor style architecture and beautiful objects of art belonging to the royal family that is displayed to the public.
Instead of a live guide, the 40 tour has an audio guide that tells the history behind each section of this marvellous heritage. The palace’s interiors are decorated with stained glass windows, skylights, neoclassical furniture, family photographs, royal garments used for ceremonies and hunting trophies.
Wonderla is Bangalore’s most popular amusement parks located around 28 kilometres away from city center at Bidadi. There are buses and cabs to the amusement park and back till late hours in the evening.
The park has 55 land and water-based rides along with a musical fountain and laser show along with special games and attractions for small children. The park is open between 11 am to 7 pm on all days and rates are Rs.700 for an adult and Rs. 540 for a child.
During festivals, weekends and peak holiday season the rates go up to Rs. 940 per adult and Rs.710 for a child.
While Bangalore is home to over 1000 new and old temples the most famous of them is the ISKCON Radha Krishna temple, Bull Temple with 15 feet tall Nandi and Dodda Ganesha temples located beside each other in Basavanagudi.
Some of the city’s ancient temples are Chokkanathaswamy temple in Domlur built in the 10th century, Gavi Gangadhareshwara temple carved out of single rock in the 9th century and the Halasuru Someshwara temple dating back to Chola period has retained its ornate charm.
Other famous temples are Venkataramana temple, Banashankari temple, Sri Dwadasha Jyotirlinga Temple and Kailash Vaikunta Mahakshetra Temple.
This theme park is located 37 km from Bangalore and has state buses and cabs plying to the area. The park visiting hours are between 10 am to 7 pm on all days of the week and entry fees before 3 PM is Rs. 500 per adult and Rs. 399 after 3 PM.
Built in 2007 the park has several attractions like a water park, Dino park, haunted mansion, mirror maze and a tribal museum for children and adults.
The best places couples can visit are:
-Cubbon Park
-Lalbagh and Bugle Rock Park in Basavanagudi
-Boating on Hebbal Lake, BTM lake and Ulsoor lake
-Shopping Malls like Mantri Mall, Forum Mall, Bangalore Central Mall, Garuda Mall and Orion Mall
-Barleyz Restaurant
-Persian Terraces
Bangalore a lot of options for romantic candlelight dinners where couples can enjoy privacy and great food. Here listed are some of the places:
-Café Max on CMH Road with its cozy setting and fairy lights
-Blue Ginger at Raj West End on Race Course Road with its peaceful atmosphere and fine dining experience
-Candlelight at Le Cirque Signature on Old Airport road
-News Café in Indiranagar
-Bierre Republic at Pavilion Mall in Church Street with its warm woody ambience
-Ebony –Ivory Tower with its amazing view
-Mezzaluna with its stylish Italian furniture and food
There are several amazing places around Bangalore that you can take the family for a fun-filled day of swimming and casual lazing around. For the best experiences visit:
-Savandurga which has a ruined fort for a picnic
-Avani has ancient temples
-Bannerghatta National Park for safaris
-Take a trip to Wonderla amusement park
-Take a swim in Chunchi Falls
-Go fishing in Bheemeshwari
-Explore lush greenery around Balmuri and Edmuri falls
-Explore the grasslands around Hessarghatta lake and charming Horsely Hills to view the “World’s biggest Banyan Tree.
Must Read: Places to Visit in Bangalore with Family
Bangalore being such a vibrant city for sightseeing and adventure activities also has a lot of options for kids to enjoy:
-Amusement Parks: Wonderla, Lumbini Gardens, Snow world and Neeladri Amusement and waterpark where kids can enjoy various watersport and thrilling activities.
-Educative: Jawaharlal Nehru Planetorium, Vishveshwaraya Museum and aeronautics museum.
-Adventure: Camping to Manchinbele or at Ramanagaram, Bheemeshwari for fishing and boating since kids also love adventure and the thrill of adrenaline rush.
-Waterfalls: Shivanasamudra, Muthyala Maduvu and Pearl Valley.
Most resorts near Bangalore have swimming pools but none of them are private as generally they are used by all guests that are present in the resort.
Some resorts that have multiple swimming pools for children and adults are:
-Elim Resort
-Confident Amoon Glamour resort
-Emerald Isle Resort
-Holiday village Resort
-Urban Valley Resort
-Parkfield Resotel
All resorts near Bangalore have volleyball and basketball courts for guests along with swimming pools and video game parlours to keep families and children across varied ages busy across the day:
-Chairman’s Jade Club Resort offer extra facilities like archery
-Shilha Andara Resort offers adventure sports like paintball, zorbing and rope climbing without any extra charges
-Angsana resort offers paintball games
-Jaladhama resort offer trampoline and water sports like paddling, canoeing and banana boat ride
Corporate day outings should comprise of team building sports and activities that brings office colleagues in an informal atmosphere. Some of the best resorts with space and opportunities for organizing large team activities are:
-Discovery Village ResortsBangalore Resorts that offer privacy and solitude for couples are:
-Woodrich Anbi Club
-Silver Oak Farm
-Royal Orchid Resort and Convention Center
-Eagleton Golf Resort for a touch of luxury
For relaxing spa resorts and massage experience try:
-Angsana Oasis Spa and Resort
-Palm Meadows Club
-Windflower Prakruthi Resort and Spa
-Clarks Exotica Convention and Spa
-Golden Palms Resort
-Parkfield Resotel
Living in Bangalore and being apart of the daily rush and chaos calls for quality time away with nature and unwinding yourself. There are a lot of options for weekend getaways in Bangalore, you can:
-Take weekend trips to Hogenakkal Falls just 189 kms from Bangalore
-Visit Hampi beside a river
-Bheemeshwari or Masinagudi for natural beauty
-Explore nearby hill stations of Coorg, Ooty, Wayanad and Munnar and wander around the tea gardens enjoying homemade chocolate
-If historical ruins, temples and forts are your interests then check out Shravanabelagola, Belur, Halebid, Shivanasamudra, Badami, Mysore, Srirangapatnam and Dharmasthala
Bike trips allow you to see offbeat locations that are usually avoided by tour operators so here are some places you can explore on a bike. Thottikallu Falls off Kanakapura road is just 35 km away Savandurga and Manchinabele Dam close to Arkavathi River is best explored on bikes.
Other locations for day trips by bike are Mekedatu, Lepakshi if you like historical inscriptions and Nandi Hills. A couple of Tipu Sultan’s strategic forts like Manjarabad Fort (226 km away) and Gandikota Fort (300 km away) located deep in the hills can be explored by bikers.
Here is a handpicked collection of Best Road Trips Around Bangalore.
Located deep in the heart of Kodagu Hills, Coorg is a beautiful hill station and the coffee capital of India. It is located around 270 km by road from Bangalore.
The best time to visit this hill station is between October and May as the weather is pleasant at 20° C and ideal for exploring every part of the town by just walking around or driving on motorbikes.
To explore the actual essence of Coorg, tourists prefer to stay in homestays instead of commercial lodges or resorts.
Read More: Banglore to Coorg - A Detailed Travel Guide
Surrounded by hills and valleys Bangalore’s outskirts is perfect for adventure sports like rappelling and rope climbing along with day and night trekking.
The best locations for rappelling which is generally conducted by adventure clubs with trained guides helping new entrants to the sport are:
-Ramanagara
-Tadiandamol Trek and rappelling
-Skandagiri hillock for trekking and rappelling
-Manchinbele is popular and so is Anthargange both of which have swimming and trekking along with rappelling
Paintball adventure can be explored in resorts and adventure camps located in the outskirts of Bangalore like:
-Bannerghatta Road
-Jade Garden
-Savandurga hill camp
-Holiday Village Resort
-Paintball and Go karting arena located 5 kms from total mall in Sarjapur
-Paintball Zone in Kothnur Road at RBI Layout
-National Paintball League in Indira Nagar
-Play near Total Mall in Kasavanahalli
The most popular trekking locations in Bangalore with well laid out tracks are:
-Ramnagara Trek
-Skandagiri Trek
-Anthargange Trek
-Ramadewara Betta Trek
-Kunti Betta Trek
-Nandi Hills
-Savadurga Night Trek
-Makalidurga Night Trek
-Devarayanadurga
-Bheemeshwari
Though some of these treks are also used for night trekking it is best done on full moon nights and with a guide as there have been instances of people getting lost.
Due to rocky landscape, there are many ancient caves around Karnataka like:
-Siddara Betta
-Tumkur
-Antharganga
-Kolar
-Badami
The closest ones to Bangalore for which exploratory tours are conducted are:
-Antharagange in Kolar
-Mullayanagiri caves
There are few cave temples that can be explored too like Hulimavu cave on Bannerghatta Road close to BGS school.
Popular camping locations within 100 kms of Bangalore are:
-Manchinbele
-Ramanagara
-Bananthi Betta
-Kanakpura near Hosa Doddi Lake
-Savandurga
-Antharagange
-Nachikuppam
Popular camping sites within 200 kms of Bangalore are:
Bangalore to Ooty is 273.4 km drive and is accessible by road and train. Every visitor to Ooty must see the:
-Botanical Gardens spread across 22 acres that has 650 species of flowers and trees
-Boating on Ooty Lake
-Speedboat ride near Pykara waterfall
Ideal for trekking and camping:
-Dodabetta peak
-Lamb’s rock
-Pine Forest
-Dolphin’s Nose
-Take a toy train ride to Coonoor for scenic view of hills and hidden waterfalls
-Go shopping on Charing Cross to purchase chocolates, Toda shawls or famous Nilgiri tea and Eucalyptus oil
Every coffee lover that visits Bangalore should make a point of visiting the beautiful hill station of Chikmagalur for its lush greenery, Bangalore to Chikmagalur is a 277 kms drive. There are several activities that can be done in Chikamagalur, Such as:
-Take long walks along the coffee plantations
-Visit the local temples and sightseeing locations
-Explore rafting on the river Bhadra
-Try golfing at Chikmagalur Golf Club with a 9 hole golf course
-The range of mountains make the town’s outskirts like Kemmangundi ideal for camping, cycling and trekking
-Other locations for cycling here are Kudremukh, Bababudangiri, Mullayanagiri and Kuringal gudda.
With two of the nation’s largest national parks close to the city there is no dearth of wildlife safaris that one can explore in Bangalore:
-Bannerghatta National park
-Kabini located in Mysore
-Mudumalai National Park in Udagamandalam
-National park in Bandipur and Nagarhole National Park offer both elephant safari and tiger safari that are done by jeeps during daytime
-Wayanad in Kerala and BR Hills are smaller in size so usually small herbivore species and elephants are visible during safari to these locations
Bannerghatta National Park located 25 km south of Bangalore city is closed on Tuesdays and though it is open between 9 am to 5pm on all other days the ticket counter opens at around 10 am.
Divided into three sections namely the Zoo, Grand Safari and Butterfly park, the overall cost of visitation to first two locations is Rs. Rs.260 for adults and Rs.130 for children along with Rs.25 for camera.
Foreigners are charged Rs.400 for adults and Rs.300 for children. Entry ticket to visit Butterfly Park is Rs.30 which also has a few stray monkeys playing around.
The best time to visit Dandeli is between January to Feb if you are a bird-watching enthusiast and between the months of April to September during the pre-monsoon and monsoon months when the river Kali is at ideal levels for kayaking, rafting and coracle rides.
There are two locations for river rafting in Coorg namely Barapole River and Cauvery river at Dubare. White water rafting is done during mid-July and September end while Still water rafting is done across the year barring the monsoon season.
Yes, the gentle Cauvery river has paddle boat rafting through the rapids that are considered a major adventure sport for visitors. Depending on the size of the group and their level of enthusiasm, the river rafting exercise can be for 2 or 4 hours to let them explore different grades of water speeds.
Even novices can try out rafting in Bheemeshwari as all boats have a trained oarsman cum diver that travels with every group.
Anyone can visit Nandi Hills by hiring a car or by local tourist buses that include this location on Mysore sightseeing trips. Nandi Hills is famous for its strategic location that gives sweeping views of Mysore city and its surrounding villages.
The hill has religious significance due to Chamundeshwari temple, Bhoganandishwara temple and ancient Nandi Bull statue that is more than 20 feet tall. Bikers and cyclists’ groups visit the hilltop for view of sunrise and sunset which is breathtaking especially during monsoons and winter.
Kanakapura is a tourism hotspot. This town has activities and sightseeing from history to adventure. Located 55 km from Bangalore, it is surrounded by lush green forests and beauty.
-Relaxing in resorts: Guhantara, Urban Valley, Holiday Village resort, Khedda Resorts, Vana Resorts and Elim Resorts. These resorts offer swimming, outdoor games like volleyball, rain dance, trampoline along with several groups and individual sporting activities like video game arenas too.
-Paintball Camps
-Waterfall Tour: Chunchi Falls
-Trekking: Bilikal Rangaswamy Betta, Devara Gudda
-Adventure sports: Trekking, rappelling, fishing, kayaking and ziplining
-Spa facilities in Kanakapura: Sri Sri Ayurveda Panchakarma
Premium fine dine restaurants:
-High Ultra Lounge in Malleshwaram for Japanese, Thai, Korean and Chinese cuisine
-Windmills Craftworks in Whitefield for American and Indian cuisine
-Skyye in UB City for Continental cuisine
-Shiro in UB City for Japanese and Asian cuisine
-Spice Terrace JW Marriott Lavelle Road for North India and seafood cuisine
Top casual dining restaurants:
-The Square – Novotel at Marathahalli for Continental, Indian, Japanese and Italian food
-Saffron on Palace Road for Asian and Indian food
-Bene at Sheraton on Malleshwaram for Italian and European food
-Barbeque Nation, JP Nagar for Indian, European and Mediterranean cuisine
-Yatai on Palace Road for Japanese Sushi Asian food
The city has its share of pubs and nightclubs and the most popular among them are:
-Skyye on 16th Floor of UB City that allows you to enjoy the view of city skyline after a tiring bout of dancingBefore Café Coffee Day and Kalmane Coffee set up its outlets in the city, there have several cafes in Bangalore that remain favourite haunts of locals till date like:
-Smoke House Deli – Indiranagar
-Art Blend Café – HSR Layout
-Beans Café – Koramangala for its distinct cakes
-Homemade Café - Koramangala for its beautiful green ambience
-Dyu Art Café – Koramangala for art, coffee and inspiration
-Café Noir – UB City for French finger food
-Matteos on Brigade Road for busy shoppers
-Courtyard Café on KH Road for light food and games
Besides the regular dosa, idli, vada, pani-puri and chaat options, every popular shopping in Bangalore has its own street food outlets that offer snack options from across the nation and China too! Some of the popular restaurant chains for serving street food are:
-Shiv Sagar
-Adyar Anand Bhavan
-Udupi hotels
-Taaza Thindi
Popular local eat-out zones in Bangalore are :
-Brahmin’s Coffee Bar in Basavanagudi for typical South Indian fare
-Central Tiffin Room in Malleshwaram for South Indian delicacies and coffee
-VV Puram Food Street for a wide variety of street food options ranging from snacks and ice creams to tempting rice delicacies
-Puchka at Marathahalli for delicious hot dogs and chat items
-Hari’s Sandwich Zone in Jayanagar for its signature chocolate sandwich
Popular locations that one can head out to for a long drive outside the city are:
-Nandi Hills: Just 60 km from the city and you are atop a hill that virtually floats in clouds
-Bheemeshwari: Just 105 km to laze beside the tranquil river with several food options at hand
-Ramanagar: Just 47 km for adventure sports or just to explore temples
-Anthargange: Just 70 km for exploration of local mountains and caves
-Shivanasamudra: Just 130 km is popular for coracle boating and waterfalls of Gaganchukki and Barachukki
-Sangama: 100 km is located at the confluence of Arkavathi and Cauvery rivers
Suggested Read: Popular Places to Visit Near Bangalore Within 100 Kms
Bangalore has been famous for its pubs largely because several of them brew their own craft beer so here are the most popular pubs in Bangalore:
-Arbor Brewing Company or ABS located on Brigade Road offers both American and Continental food
-Monkey Bar in Indiranagar is popular for its cocktail combinations and snazzy snacks
-Watson’s with outlets in Ulsoor, JP Nagar and Vasanthnagar is one of the oldest brands
-Toit at 100 Feet Indira Nagar for a delectable range of brews and appetizers
-The Irish House at Whitefield has interesting range of cocktails, martinis, margaritas, mojitos and daiquiris to explore along with community meals for groups.
-Skyee City bar in UB City with alfresco setting and fancy lighting
-District 6 in Malleshwaram with its own brewery serves European and Asian cuisine