Bangalore

Bangalore, the City of Gardens, is home to a number of sightseeings, some manmade and few natural. It has several gardens and parks in and around the city, such as Cubbon Park and Lal Bagh. This IT hub of India also has impressive buildings like Vidhana Soudha and Vikasa Soudha, among others. Even crowded markets like Brigade and M.G. Road are among the popular attractions of the city.

Tipu Sultan's Palace and other landmarks render a glimpse into the rich history, culture and artwork of the destination. Other frequented tourist sites in the city include Seshadari Iyer Memorial and Omthara Kala Kuteera, among many more. The city also has numerous religious sites, some of which are Bull Temple, Maha Bodhi Society Temple, ISKCON Hare Krishna Temple, Maruthi Mandira and Gavi Gangadeshwara Cave Temple.

Among regularly visited parks, Lumbini Gardens and Bugle Rock Park are quite famous, which are habitat to different species of flora. Other popular sites are Nandi Hills, Hesaraghatta Lake and Chunchi Falls. Adventure enthusiasts often visit the Bannerghatta National Park, where there is scope for wildlife safari and birdwatching throughout the year.

Along with sightseeing in Bangalore, excursions to various hill stations like Nandi Hills and Bannerghatta National Park can also be taken. Moreover, owing to the religious significance, the shrine at Chikka Tirupati, which is just few kilometres from the city, receives significant footfall year-round.

Bangalore, the pub city of India, offers tourists an opportunity to enjoy exciting activities for unwinding and relaxing. From water sports to terrestrial activities, all can be enjoyed in Bangalore. With over 200 pubs and bars, nightlife of the city is very active. Residency and MG Road are lined with nightclubs and discotheques, where tourists can dance and enjoy the music.

Tourists can also indulge in outdoor activities like go-karting, trekking, rock climbing and rafting at Freeway 19 and Cubbon Park. For a complete family fun, tourists can visit amusement parks like Wonder La, Fun World, Crazy Waters and Bal Bhavan. In these parks, tourists can enjoy rides, games and water activities.

Adventure lovers can indulge in parasailing, while horse riding enthusiasts can enjoy riding. Golf enthusiasts can enjoy the sport at Bangalore Golf Club, which is the second-oldest golf course in India. Bangalore also has sports facilities like swimming pool, badminton, tennis courts and snooker parlours.

For rejuvenating themselves, tourists can head towards spas and fitness centres that are dotted across the city. Kerala Ayurveda Pharmacy, the Golden Palms Hotel and Spa, and Angsana Resort and Spa are some of the places, where tourists can get special spa treatments.    

Bangalore offers several things to do, which range from sightseeing, activities, shopping and exploring nearby areas. Besides, the capital of Karnataka is a popular destination among tourists due to its favourable climate, religious and historical significance, traditional market-places, exciting nightlife and architectural wonders. The city houses various museums, national parks and religious shrines that capture the attention of visitors.

Visitors interested in scientific and electronic gadgets can visit the Venkatappa Art Gallery or Visvesvaraya Technological and Industrial Museum. Tourists can also visit world renowned shrines like Tirupati Balaji and Bull Temple. Besides, tourists can indulge in shopping at streets like Bangalore Central, Commercial Street and Brigade Road.

M.G. Road shopping area comprises various sari stores and clothing outlets; whereas, Brigade Road is the most popular fashion street of the city housing international brand outlets like Bossini, GAS and Levis. For catching glimpse of the nightlife, tourists can go to clubs, pubs, discotheques and other interesting places located in the city.

The City of Gardens has several amusement parks, like Wonder La, that are replete with exciting and adventurous rides. Travellers having flair for sports can pay a visit to the lush green golf courses within the city. Rich in culture and history, the city has Tipu Sultan's Palace and Bangalore Fort, along with various other beautiful landmarks.

The city is renowned for theme based restaurants and street-side eateries on the Residency and Brigade Road. Bangalore houses numerous restaurants offering different cuisines like South Indian, North Indian, Thai, Mexican, Chinese, Continental, French, Mughlai and others.

Tourists can travel to Bangalore through different modes of transportation like airways, railways and roadways. The flights land at the city airport, which is situated at a distance of 40 km, north of the city. With frequent and direct flights from Mumbai, New Delhi and Kolkata, travellers from these cities can easily reach the destination in just few hours.

Air India, Indian Airlines, Kingfisher and Jet Airways are domestic carriers, which provide flights that bring tourists to the city. Furthermore, the international air carriers serving flights to the city include Lufthansa, British Airways, Swiss Air and Sabena. Additionally, Air France, Delta, KLM/North-West, Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific also render flights to and from Bangalore. Besides, connecting flights are also available from other international airports of India, Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata.

Other than airlines, tourists can also opt for trains to travel to the destination, which has two railway stations, namely Bangalore City Centre and Yeswantpur Junction. Trains from different parts of the country, including Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai, bring tourists to the City of Gardens.

Buses are another prominent mode of transport, which are convenient for travelling from nearby destinations, like Mysore. Chennai, Mumbai, Tirupati, Hospet, Ooty and Panaji and others are connected to Bangalore through the buses offered by the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC).   

The best way to travel to Bangalore, not only from domestic destinations but also from abroad, is through airway. The city is connected with flights from various corners of the world, with direct flights serving the international destinations, such as Frankfurt (Lufthansa), Singapore (Singapore Airlines, Indian Airlines and Tiger Airways) and Kuala Lumpur (AirAsia and Malaysian Airlines).

Besides, there are direct flights from London (British Airways), Dubai (Emirates and Indian Airlines), Paris (Air France), Bangkok (Thai Airways) and Hong Kong (Dragonair).

For domestic travellers, there are daily flights from major Indian cities like Kolkata, Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Kochi. Ahmedabad, Goa, Hyderabad, Thiruvananthapuram, Mangalore and Pune airports are also served by flights of different carriers. Major domestic aviation enterprises rendering flight services to the city are Indian Airlines, Jet Airways, Kingfisher Airlines and Kingfisher Red.

Tourists can travel within Bangalore through different modes of transport, including public and private buses, taxis, rented transport and auto-rickshaws. Tourists can also travel to prominent landmarks of Bangalore by opting for Half-day or Full-day sightseeing buses, operated by KSTDC. Besides, the Full-day tour, called Bangalore Rounds, is also organised by the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation.

The most efficient and best transportation mode for travelling across the city is auto-rickshaws. All the auto-rickshaws are equipped with electronic meters for accurate fare calculation. These are not only available during the day but also at night.

Another mode of transportation used by tourists to get around the city is rented cars or taxis. Some of the prominent car rental service providers rendering services in the city are Meru Cabs, Easy Cabs and Point-to-point Radio Taxi. Tourists can choose from different car brands, like Hindustan Motors (Ambassador), Maruti, Toyota, Hyundai and Tata. Metered taxi and hourly charging taxi services can also be availed by tourists to visit designated tourist spots or any other location within the city.

By September 2012, the city will have Metro Rail services that will connect different parts of the city. The metro network will cover 42.3 km across the city, with two corridors, one from Mysore Road to Deepanjali Nagar and the other connecting Yeshvantapur with Jayanagar.

Fares of BMTC run public buses are around INR3 for the first-two kilometres and increase by INR1 for each kilometre covered thereafter. For senior citizens and children, concession of 25% and 50% respectively is provided on bus fares. On the other hand, travelling by taxis is expensive than commuting in a bus, as the minimum amount charged by taxis is INR150.

BMTC offer daily pass at the rate of INR40 for non-AC and INR90 for AC buses. These passes are either issued by conductors on the bus or can also be availed at the bus stations.

Visitors can enjoy unlimited travel in all non-A/C buses within the city limit for one calendar month, using their pass that costs around INR500. Furthermore, the Suburban, Pushpak and Suvarna passes are offered at a price of INR600, which entitles passenger for unlimited travel across the city on the Suburban, Pushpak, Suvarna buses respectively for one month. These passes also cover passengers for insurance of up to INR2,00,000, Medical Reimbursement and other benefits in case of physical loss.