Exploring Bangalore as a Tourist Destination

Bangalore is the fifth largest metropolitan city in India and is also the capital of the state of Karnataka. Known as the “Silicon Valley of India”, Bangalore is home to some of the major IT companies in the world. Many manufacturing units and public sector undertakings like Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) are headquartered at Bangalore.

Unlike other metropolitan cities, Bangalore has many famous parks and gardens because of which it is known as the “Garden City of India”. Bangalore is well connected by air in the form of the Kempegowda International Airport. The Bangalore City Railway Station and Yeshwantpur Railway Station are well connected by trains from almost all parts of the country.

Though the city’s name has recently undergone some changes (now known as “Bengaluru”) it is still home to a mix of people from all over India. Tourists from all over India visit Bangalore for its temples, amusement parks, gardens and museums. The ISKCON temple at Bangalore is one of the largest in the world and is an ideal place for a half-day outing. Apart from the deities of Radha and Krishna, the premises also have many food courts and shops where one can purchase local handicrafts.

The Dodda Ganeshana Gudi, also known as Bull Temple is one of the oldest temples in Bangalore. The temple houses on of the largest Nandi monoliths in the world. It is situated in the Basavangudi area of Bangalore and is inside the Bugle Rock Park. There is also an idol of Lord Ganesha, which is carved out of a single large rock.

The Visveswaraya Industrial and Technical Museum is another important attraction in Bangalore and is a must-visit for science enthusiasts. The museum has many sections like the Engine Hall, Electrotechnic Gallery and Space Gallery. Cubbon Park is an iconic location in Bangalore. The park is home to many exotic botanical species and has some important buildings in its vicinity like the Karnataka High Court, State Central Library and the State Archeological Museum. Lal Bagh is an 18th century botanical garden and has many plants, an aquarium, a lake and a glass house. Just like the Cubbon Park, the Lal Bagh Botanical Garden is also an important landmark in the city.

Wonderla Amusement Park is frequented both by Bangaloreans and also tourists for its varied range of water rides and clean maintenance. It is situated around 20Kms from the main city but is well connected by road. The world famous Art of Living Foundation is headquartered at Bangalore.

Located at Kanakpura Road, the centre is frequently visited by followers of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar from all over the world.

Bangalore is also a shopper’s paradise. Commercial Street, Brigade Road and MG Road are bustling shopping centres in the city where one can find varied goods from imported merchandise to local handicrafts and fancy items. Do visit these areas for as the hawkers are bargain-friendly.

Bangalore also has many large shopping malls of which The Forum, Mantri Square and Orion Mall are prominent.

Fever Pitch Base Camp and Xtremezone Getawayz are ideal getaways located near the city, which offer adventure activities like Paintball, Kayaking and Canoeing.

Bangalore is blessed with a pleasant weather for a major part of the year, thanks to the frequent showers. So, make sure you have some monsoon accessories handy when you are visiting Bangalore.

Generally, tourists prefer to tour within and around the city by booking either tour buses using sites like AbhiBus or RedBus or rented cars using sites like BookCab. So, if you’re just eager to tour the city and surroundings in a day or two, two of your best bets would be to booking a ticket of a touring bus online or booking a car if you prefer that instead.

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