India Events BuzzThings to do in Bengaluru
The 13 places worth your time in Bengaluru (Bangalore) — the five must-sees first, then the full list, then ready-made 1, 2 & 3-day plans that build on each other. Every sight was checked against the source on its card.
The 5 must-sees
Vidhana Soudha
Built in 1956, Bengaluru's vast State Secretariat — the largest civic structure of its kind in the country.
Lalbagh Botanical Gardens
Botanical gardens laid out in 1760, with a glasshouse based on London's Crystal Palace that hosts flower shows.
Bannerghatta Biological Park
A biological park south of the city with a zoo, safari, butterfly park and rescue centre.
All 13 places to visit in Bengaluru
Vidhana Soudha
Built in 1956, Bengaluru's vast State Secretariat — the largest civic structure of its kind in the country.
Source: www.incredibleindia.gov.in
Photo: Yashaswi.jayakumar · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Cubbon Park
A welcome green space in the city's heart, entered from the western end of MG Road.
Source: www.incredibleindia.gov.in
Photo: Augustus Binu / facebook · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Government Museum & Venkatappa Art Gallery
The Government Museum on Kasturba Road, along Cubbon Park's southern edge, with the Venkatappa Art Gallery beside it.
Source: www.incredibleindia.gov.in
Visvesvaraya Industrial & Technological Museum
A science and technology museum named after Sir M. Visvesvaraya, by Cubbon Park.
Source: www.incredibleindia.gov.in
Bangalore Palace
The Wadiyar family's palace, reminiscent of English castles.
Source: karnatakatourism.org
Lalbagh Botanical Gardens
Botanical gardens laid out in 1760, with a glasshouse based on London's Crystal Palace that hosts flower shows.
Source: www.incredibleindia.gov.in
Tipu Sultan's Summer Palace
Tipu Sultan's teakwood summer palace in Old Bengaluru, an example of Indo-Islamic architecture, now maintained as a museum.
Source: www.karnatakatourism.org
ISKCON Temple Bengaluru
A grand ISKCON temple complex on Hare Krishna Hill in Rajajinagar, a haven for Krishna devotees.
Source: www.iskconbangalore.org
Bannerghatta Biological Park
A biological park south of the city with a zoo, safari, butterfly park and rescue centre.
Source: bannerughattabiopark.org
Halasuru Someshwara Temple
Described on Incredible India's Bengaluru itinerary as the city's oldest temple.
Source: www.incredibleindia.gov.in
Nandi Hills
A hill retreat north of Bengaluru, listed among the city's outskirts excursions.
Source: www.incredibleindia.gov.in
Bull Temple
Kempe Gowda built this 16th-century temple around an idol of Basava (Nandi) - Karnataka Tourism calls it Basavana Gudi, the Big Bull Temple, in one of Bengaluru's oldest suburbs.
Source: karnatakatourism.org
St. Mary's Basilica
Bengaluru's St. Mary's Basilica stands on Msgr. F. Noronha Road in Shivaji Nagar - the address the basilica publishes on its own website.
Source: shrinebasilicabangalore.org
Photo: Tinucherian ( talk · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Ready-made Bengaluru plans
Each plan keeps the days before it — take the 1-day core, or stay longer and add days. Stop times are typical visit lengths, so a day never over-packs.
Bengaluru in a day: the Cubbon Park core + the Palace
Stay: MG Road / Cubbon Park area · Getting around: Metro + cabs; the Cubbon Park sights are walkable between stops, while Bannerghatta and Nandi Hills are drive-out days.
Day 1 — The Cubbon Park core
Morning Vidhana Soudha ≈ 1 hrs typical · Cubbon Park ≈ 2 hrs typical
Afternoon Visvesvaraya Industrial & Technological Museum ≈ 2 hrs typical
Evening Bangalore Palace ≈ 2 hrs typical
Two days in Bengaluru: gardens, Tipu's palace and ISKCON
Stay: MG Road / Cubbon Park area · Getting around: Metro + cabs; the Cubbon Park sights are walkable between stops, while Bannerghatta and Nandi Hills are drive-out days.
Day 1 — The Cubbon Park core
Morning Vidhana Soudha ≈ 1 hrs typical · Cubbon Park ≈ 2 hrs typical
Afternoon Visvesvaraya Industrial & Technological Museum ≈ 2 hrs typical
Evening Bangalore Palace ≈ 2 hrs typical
Day 2 — Lalbagh, the Bull Temple, the old city and Hare Krishna Hill
Morning Lalbagh Botanical Gardens ≈ 3 hrs typical · Bull Temple ≈ 1 hrs typical
Afternoon Tipu Sultan's Summer Palace ≈ 1.5 hrs typical
Evening ISKCON Temple Bengaluru ≈ 2 hrs typical
Three days in Bengaluru: add a wildlife day at Bannerghatta
Stay: MG Road / Cubbon Park area · Getting around: Metro + cabs; the Cubbon Park sights are walkable between stops, while Bannerghatta and Nandi Hills are drive-out days.
Day 1 — The Cubbon Park core
Morning Vidhana Soudha ≈ 1 hrs typical · Cubbon Park ≈ 2 hrs typical
Afternoon Visvesvaraya Industrial & Technological Museum ≈ 2 hrs typical
Evening Bangalore Palace ≈ 2 hrs typical
Day 2 — Lalbagh, the Bull Temple, the old city and Hare Krishna Hill
Morning Lalbagh Botanical Gardens ≈ 3 hrs typical · Bull Temple ≈ 1 hrs typical
Afternoon Tipu Sultan's Summer Palace ≈ 1.5 hrs typical
Evening ISKCON Temple Bengaluru ≈ 2 hrs typical
Day 3 — A wildlife day in the south, then Halasuru and Shivaji Nagar
Morning Bannerghatta Biological Park ≈ 5 hrs typical
Afternoon Bannerghatta Biological Park ≈ 5 hrs typical
Evening Halasuru Someshwara Temple ≈ 1 hrs typical · St. Mary's Basilica ≈ 1 hrs typical
Good to know
What are the best places to visit in Bengaluru?
The five must-sees in this guide: Vidhana Soudha, Cubbon Park, Bangalore Palace, Lalbagh Botanical Gardens, and Bannerghatta Biological Park.
How many days do you need in Bengaluru?
One day covers the Cubbon Park core. Two days add Lalbagh, the Bull Temple, Tipu Sultan's Summer Palace and the ISKCON Temple. A third day adds a wildlife day at Bannerghatta.
What can you see in Bengaluru in 1 day?
Vidhana Soudha and Cubbon Park in the morning, the Visvesvaraya Industrial & Technological Museum in the afternoon, and Bangalore Palace in the evening - that is the 1-day plan above.
Where should you stay in Bengaluru?
Base yourself around MG Road / Cubbon Park area - the plans in this guide start from there.
How do you get around Bengaluru?
Metro + cabs; the Cubbon Park sights are walkable between stops, while Bannerghatta and Nandi Hills are drive-out days.
What's on in Bengaluru
Concerts, festivals, comedy, sport and more — the city's live listings on India Events Buzz, plus this weekend across India.
Events in Bengaluru This weekend