Overview
- Main Attractions: Bangalore Palace, Cubbon Park, Lal Bagh, Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace
- Best Time to Visit: Late October to early March
- Local Specialty: Technology parks
- Travelled By: Train, bus, auto rickshaw
- Cost: $$
- Duration of Stay: 1 day
- Location: Karnataka, India
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Summary
Bangalore is a metropolitan city with no world-class attractions so we decided to spend just one day here to get a feel for the vibe in this city. It is called the Garden City of India due to the large areas provided for the maintenance of gardens and parks. The city is well cared for which makes travelling around Bangalore enjoyable and makes it a beautiful city on its own.
Bangalore: Our Experience
4th December 2013 (Day 1)
We took an overnight train from Goa to Bangalore the evening before, arriving into Bangalore at 8:00 in the morning. We were staying at Cynosure Boutique Suites located in the City Centre, so we caught a bus from the train station to Shivaji Nagar followed by an auto rickshaw straight to our hotel.
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After a nice hot shower, we dropped into the hotel restaurant for a complimentary breakfast of Upma with a coconut chutney and Suji halwa that we had with hot milk. We ended our breakfast with a fresh papaya salad. A nice start to the day!
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After breakfast, we caught a bus from the Shivaji Nagar bus depot to Palace Cross Road and then walked a few metres to Bangalore Palace.
Believed by some to resemble the Windsor Castle, which is more a myth than reality, Bangalore Palace was the private residence of the Wodeyars, the erstwhile maharajas of Bangalore. It is also the hottest concert arena in Bangalore, having hosted rock ‘n’ roll celebrities such as Iron Maiden, the Rolling Stones, Aerosmith and Deep Purple.
Equipped with a free audio tour that comes complimentary with a foreigner entry fee, our tour around Bangalore Palace allowed us to learn about the Wodeyar family history and culture, and marvel at the lavish interiors and galleries featuring hunting trophies, family photos and Indian and international paintings including nudes.
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After visiting the Bangalore Palace, we caught a bus to Old Bangalore to visit Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace.
Described as the “Envy of Heaven”, Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace used to be the summer retreat of the Mysorean ruler Tipu Sultan. Made almost entirely of teak, the two-storeyed palace is finely embellished with balconies, pillars and arches. Although now dilapidated, it is still a hauntingly atmospheric place retaining the original elegant teak pillars.
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It was afternoon by the time we finished at the Summer Palace and we were famished. Being in the Muslim district of Bangalore, I was keen to try some beef kebabs so I hunted one down by the side of the street. It was a bit risky eating from the road side vendor but the food looked delicious and we were hungry so we sat down in this ‘hole-in-the-wall’ and had a very different dining experience to what we were used to.
We had parathas with beef kebabs sprinkled with a dash of lime and it was a great lunch. We tried not to look around at the surroundings which were grimy to say the least. The food, on the other hand, was lovely and super cheap.
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It was late afternoon by the time we made our way to Lal Bagh Botanical Garden also located in Old Bangalore not far from the Summer Palace. It is a lovely place to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and enjoy a quiet walk around tranquil gardens. We especially liked the Floral Clock and the Statue Garden with miniature statues of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The gardens are popular with locals who go jogging and couples on dates.
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We had to leave the botanical garden when it closed its gates at 5:30 in the evening so we took a bus back to our hotel for a rest. We were particularly impressed with the public transportation system in Bangalore as it was clean, regular and prompt. We were able to travel anywhere by bus which made it affordable and easy to see multiple attractions in one day.
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In the evening, we wandered down to Shivaji Nagar in the hope of spotting a nice restaurant for dinner. We came across Empire Hotel Bangalore a large restaurant chain that is very popular in Bangalore, so we decided to dine here. Both Graham and I had their executive non-vegetarian thalis which were absolutely delicious and one the best value meals we have had in India.
Bangalore is a metropolitan city with no world-class attractions so we decided to spend just one day here to get a feel for the vibe in this city. If I was to live in India this would be one of the cities I would choose to live in due to the high standards of living, fantastic infrastructure and clean-ish air and roads. It is called the Garden City of India due to the large areas provided for the maintenance of gardens and parks. The city is well cared for which makes travelling around Bangalore enjoyable and makes it a beautiful city on its own.
