The Garden City of India

The capital of the Indian state of Karnataka, located on the Deccan Plateau, Bangalore is a fascinating travel destination. Explore the ancient temples and monuments and celebrate with the locals during one of several annual festivals. Take a boat out onto Ulsoor Lake, tour the State Archaeological Museum and marvel over the Seshadri Memorial Hall. Visit the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishat, an art gallery displaying one of the largest collections of fine art in India. Spend a peaceful afternoon at Lal Bagh and Cubbon Park and walk around the botanical gardens. Investigate 5th century carvings and ancient artefacts at Aihole, home to over 125 temples. Bangalore Palace, modelled on Windsor Palace in the UK is a favourite attraction. Tudor architecture sits within the exotic gardens of Indian flora and fauna. Discover beautiful treasures at the museum inside Tipu’s Fort & Palace.

Why Go?
Bangalore is an intriguing city of ancient cultures, architecture and places of worship. Travel to this Indian city to see temples dating from the 8th century, resplendent palaces, elegant galleries and sprawling parklands. Taste exotic Indian flavours in one of many refined restaurants.

When to Go?
Bangalore is characterised by a tropical climate with distinct wet and dry seasons. Monsoons begin in September and continue through to October. The start of August tends to be quite wet too. A moderate heat means that extreme temperatures in Bangalore are rare. April is the hottest month with average temperatures of 32°C. The winter remains fairly bright with average temperatures of 15°C. The best time to travel is during May and June.

How to Get There?
Bangalore is served by Bengaluru International Airport located 40km (25miles) outside the city. The city was earlier served by the HAL Airport which was the fourth busiest airport in India. Direct flights are available from London Heathrow and can take just over 10 hours. Passengers can travel into Bangalore city centre by shuttle bus or private taxi; the journey lasts approximately 30 minutes.

Must See
Don’t leave Bangalore without taking a tour around the ancient ruins and monuments. Badami is the most notorious of the sites as these temples were once the setting of bloodthirsty battles between opposing forces in the 7th century. Badami comprises large temples cut from caves and accessible only by crawling on your hands and knees. The largest of these is dedicated to the Hindu God Vishnu and is considered holy ground. The temples are set against the picturesque Agastya Lake with sweeping views across to the Badami cliffs.