Mysuru (Mysore)
If you’re familiar with Bollywood, these ornamental gardens might just give you a sense of déjá vu – they’ve been the backdrop to many a shimmying musical number. The best time to visit is in the evening, when the fountains are illuminated (at 6.30pm) and made to dance to the accompaniment of popular film tunes.
The gardens are 19km northwest of Mysuru. One of the KSTDC tours stops here, and bus 301 departs from Mysuru’s City bus stand hourly (₹23, 45 minutes).
9.71 MILES
The second-most-visited sight in India (after the Taj Mahal), this palace is among the very grandest of India’s royal buildings and was the seat of the…
23.16 MILES
Small in scale but masterly in detail, the astonishingly beautiful Keshava Temple is one of the finest examples of Hoysala architecture, on par with the…
8.39 MILES
Set within lovely manicured grounds 1km east of the fort, Tipu’s summer palace is Srirangapatna’s star attraction. Built from teak and rosewood, it has…
1.61 MILES
Back from the dead, this stunning 12th-century Hoysala temple was submerged when the Kaveri River was dammed in 1930. However, villagers had tantalising…
9.3 MILES
Dating from Tipu Sultan’s reign, this huge and very lively bazaar has local traders selling traditional items such as flower garlands, incense, spices and…
12.43 MILES
This 1062m hill is crowned with the Sri Chamundeswari Temple. It’s a fine half-day excursion, offering spectacular views of the city below. Queues are…
Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion Museum Complex
8.23 MILES
On the university campus west of town, this (somewhat neglected) museum specialises in folklore, with artefacts, stone tablets and sculptures, rural…
Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya
9.32 MILES
This unassuming colonial building, known as Wellington Lodge, was the residence of Colonel Arthur Wellesley from 1799 to 1801. He later become the duke of…
1.61 MILES
Back from the dead, this stunning 12th-century Hoysala temple was submerged when the Kaveri River was dammed in 1930. However, villagers had tantalising…
2. Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary
5.65 MILES
The sanctuary includes six islets and the banks of the Cauvery River. Storks, ibises, egrets, spoonbills and cormorants are best seen in the early morning…
7.18 MILES
North of the island, on the banks of the Cauvery, is this well-preserved 18th-century white-walled dungeon used to hold British prisoners of war,…
7.2 MILES
Constructed in 894, this attractive Vaishnavite temple has a mix of Hoysala and Vijayanagar design. Within are cavernous walkways, pillars and the…
7.36 MILES
The northeastern ruins of the fort make for an interesting walk around, looking out to the Cauvery River. All but hidden in the undulating terrain is this…
6. Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion Museum Complex
8.23 MILES
On the university campus west of town, this (somewhat neglected) museum specialises in folklore, with artefacts, stone tablets and sculptures, rural…
8.39 MILES
Set within lovely manicured grounds 1km east of the fort, Tipu’s summer palace is Srirangapatna’s star attraction. Built from teak and rosewood, it has…
8.76 MILES
This open-air museum’s main exhibit is the Mysuru maharani’s saloon, an 1899 wood-panelled beauty with gilded ceilings and chandeliers that provides an…