Bangalore Travel - Top Things To Do

Bangalore is one of the major cities, located in the Southern part of India. The local language is Kannada, although most of the population can speak English very well. The climate of the city ranges from moderate to warm. Cloudy weather and rains were once a signature scene in Bangalore but global warming has affected that. Yet, rains often come by, unannounced. Bangalore offers a lot in terms of great crowds, amazing eateries, loads of options for wherever one’s interests might lie. With several day trips & weekend getaways around Bangalore, the city is ideal to be considered as a base, for exploring the southern part of the country.

Bangalore City with the beautiful evening sky

Places to see in Bangalore

Lal Bagh

Bangalore is called the garden city and the beautiful garden of Lal Bagh must be on every traveler’s list. If one happens to visit in the month of January, the gorgeous flower show is not to be missed. Visit the nursery to pick something for yourself too.

ISKON temple

Religious or not, ISKON is a must visit. Explore the architecture, the art of the place. Attend the ‘aarti’, the main ritual that takes place at 7 in the evening in the main hall for a unique experience. Eat the delicious free hot rice dish served as God’s blessing.

Bannerghatta National Park

A little away from the city is the National Park that is easily accessible by local buses from Majestic Bus station. It is almost an all day trip. Varied species of wildlife & jungle safaris are available here. My favorite is, of course, the Butterfly house that most people miss, as it is in a hidden corner. If it’s monsoon season, the spectacle of butterflies flying around you in a greenhouse is worth the visit.

Vidhan Soudha, Attara Kacheri (The High Court)

The iconic buildings of the city hold the essence of the place and are worth passing by. Check them out at night when they are beautifully lit up.

The State Legislative Building

Places to Eat in Bangalore

Local Food

V V Puram

If eating like a local is your wish, there can’t be a better option than the street food available here. The variety that one can explore here is abundant. Try different unheard dishes and feel Bangalore on your palate. Don’t miss the Bakery at the beginning of the street with their specialty, The Congress Bun.

Vidyarthi Bhawan

This place has been running since before the independence of the country. They are closed on Fridays as that was the day when India got freedom in 1947. An early morning breakfast from the limited menu is a delight and would often need for one to wait in a queue. Whether you love their food or not, this place is an integral part of the city.

MTR

Another original place for local food. This restaurant has a lot of branches in the city but the original branch, near Lal Bagh, is the one that needs to be on your list. One could visit this restaurant for a South Indian breakfast or a thali (full plate) lunch.

Kamat Lokaruchi

When heading to Mysore (a smaller town, about 4 hours away) from Bangalore, this place is a must stop. I usually love breakfast here but any time of the day would be good. The idlis (a popular local snack) are just about delicious. They might offer a buffet option that will be cheaper but usually, the dishes just seem better when ordered individually.

Koshys

An old-school cafe, Koshys radiates from the vibes of intellectual & artistic visitors. One can order a beer with breakfast, lunch or snack and sit and have endless conversations.

Cafes and Pubs

Social

A chain of pubs/cafes, Social is both a casual hangout place and a party place. It’s unique ambiance and appearances in Bollywood movies has made it a trademark place to go.

Hard Rock Cafe

Located at the heart of the city on MG Road, Hard Rock Cafe is all that its name stands for – rock & roll feel, great bites, drinks & live music.

Byg Brewski

This pub/restaurant has become one of the hot spots of the city in recent times. With a happening ambiance, good food & brewery and great music, it’s a crowd puller.

Grasshopper

A personalized dinner at Grasshopper can be just the perfect date that one needs. The place needs to be prebooked at least a week in advance and costs about 5K INR for two. Run by a wonderful couple, on a farmhouse, hidden from the city, Grasshopper offers a great romantic experience. Bangalore has so many wonderful restaurants and eateries that several write-ups will be required to cover them all. Explore the Zomato app to find your cup of tea.

Things to Do in Bangalore

Meetups

Find like-minded people through the several meet-up groups in the city. A technical group or a philosophical one, Bangalore attracts people from all sections and sensibilities.

Workshops

Bangalore hosts a variety of workshops almost all throughout the year, mostly over the weekends. From pottery to baking, poetry workshops to theater classes, salsa to martial arts, you can explore any interest that you might have.

Old Bookstores

These are the hidden gems in the city. Apart from the major book houses like ‘Sapna’ and ‘Higginbothams’, there are these little places that hold treasures in the form of old editions, second hand and vintage books. ‘Select Bookshop’, holding wisdom since 1945, ‘Blossom Book House’, ‘Bookworm’ with their unique exchange system and ‘Goobe’s Book Republic’, a three-storied store at Church Street, are to name a few.

Plays & Theater

If watching a live performance provides you a better sense of satisfaction than going to a movie show or if you have never seen a live performance at all, it’s time to hit the theater front in Bangalore. Plays in English, Hindi & Kannada (the local language) are screened every weekend in several venues. Often a national or international level of performance can be witnessed in the city. Apart from plays, Stand up comedy has become the new happening thing to attend. Though most of these are in the Indian languages, one can often come across an English speaking performer.

Fairs

If music, art, food, and shopping are all on your list, look out for the various fairs that the city hosts all across the year. From Sunday Soul Sante to Kitsch Mandi and several Handicraft and Food festivals, these are a string of events that attract the best of the crowd from all over the town.

Camping

Although India is not as camping friendly as several other countries, one can always plan camping trips with the groups that already have permissions & licenses to do so.

Places to Shop

Brigade/ MG Road

Stroll around to soak in the vibe of the city. From the most expensive showrooms to street shopping, one can encounter it all.

Commercial

Lots of Bargaining and lots of options. Walk through the several lanes of Commercial Street and fulfill your shopping desires.

Decathlon

For every sport related requirement, head to one of the several branches of Decathlon. Whether it’s hiking or swimming gear, Cycling equipment or golf attire, it’s all available at quite reasonable rates under one roof.

Flower Market

Buying flowers might not be on your list but this place is a visual treat. KR Market is bustling with florists from 5 in the morning and the chaos here is just beautiful.

Apps to Install

Stay in Bangalore can become more comfortable when you have a little help. Here are some of the mobile apps that make life easy.

Zomato

All your food requirements. Find restaurants, pubs, cafes or just get food delivered.

BookMyShow

Find plays, concerts, movies & all kinds of shows running in the city.

BMTC

Find the right bus to travel within the city.

Uber & Quick Ride

Cab and carpool services.

Zoomcar

Rent a car for a day or more.

Oyo

Find a budget accommodation

And of course, Google Maps

The traffic & roads in the city are one of the only drawbacks of the city. Hence Google maps are essential not just to figure out the routes but also the travel time. We don’t measure distance in miles or Kms here; we do it in hours.