The second-most-visited sight in India (after the Taj Mahal), this palace is among the very grandest of India’s royal buildings and was the seat of the…
Must-see attractions in Karnataka
- MTop ChoiceMysuru Palace
- VTop ChoiceVittala Temple
Hampi's most exquisite structure, the 16th-century Vittala Temple stands amid boulders 2.5km from Hampi Bazaar. Work possibly started on the temple during…
- CTop ChoiceCave Temples
Badami’s highlights are its beautiful cave temples, three Hindu and one Jain, which display exquisite sculptures and intricate carvings. They're a…
- Top ChoiceCubbon Park
In the heart of Bengaluru’s business district is Cubbon Park, a well-maintained 120-hectare garden where Bengaluru’s residents converge to steal a moment…
- BTop ChoiceBidar Fort
The remnants of this magnificent 15th-century fort, the largest in South India – and once the administrative capital of much of the region – constitute…
- GTop ChoiceGolgumbaz
Set in tranquil gardens, the magnificent Golgumbaz houses the tombs of emperor Mohammed Adil Shah (r 1627–56), his two wives, his mistress (Rambha), one…
- VTop ChoiceVirupaksha Temple
The focal point of Hampi Bazaar is this temple, one of the city’s oldest structures, and Hampi’s only remaining working temple. The main gopuram (gateway)…
- OTop ChoiceOm Beach
One of Karnataka's best beaches, Gokarna has a famous stretch of sand that twists and turns over several kilometres to resemble the outline of an Om…
- KTop ChoiceKeshava Temple
Small in scale but masterly in detail, the astonishingly beautiful Keshava Temple is one of the finest examples of Hoysala architecture, on par with the…
- NTop ChoiceNational Gallery of Modern Art
Housed in a century-old mansion – the former vacation home of the raja of Mysuru – this world-class art museum showcases an impressive permanent…
- ITop ChoiceIbrahim Rouza
The beautiful Ibrahim Rouza is among the most elegant and finely proportioned Islamic monuments in India. Its 24m-high minarets are said to have inspired…
- MTop ChoiceMahaganapati Temple
Deeply atmospheric temple complex, encircled by lanes but peaceful inside. Here there's a (rare) stone statue of an upright, standing Ganesh, said to be…
- MTop ChoiceMahabaleshwara Temple
This is a profoundly spiritual temple, built of granite by Mayurasharma of the Kadamba dynasty and said to date to the 4th century. It's dedicated to Lord…
- DTop ChoiceDaria Daulat Bagh
Set within lovely manicured grounds 1km east of the fort, Tipu’s summer palace is Srirangapatna’s star attraction. Built from teak and rosewood, it has…
- ATop ChoiceAchyutaraya Temple
At the southern end of Sule Bazaar is the beautiful Achyutaraya Temple, dating from 1534, one of the last great monuments constructed before the fall of…
- Krishnarajendra Market
For a taste of traditional urban India, dive into the bustling, gritty Krishnarajendra Market and the dense grid of commercial streets that surround it…
- GGomateshvara Statue
A steep climb up 614 steps takes you to the top of Vindhyagiri Hill, the summit of which is lorded over by a towering naked statue of Jain deity…
- NNagarhole National Park
West of the Kabini River is the 643-sq-km wildlife sanctuary of Nagarhole National Park (pronounced nag-ar-hole-eh). The lush forests here are home to…
- TTemples
Barring a few that date to the 3rd century, most of Pattadakal's World Heritage–listed temples were built during the 7th and 8th centuries. The main…
- CChannakeshava Temple
Commissioned in 1116 to commemorate the Hoysalas’ victory over the neighbouring Cholas, this temple took more than a century to build, and is currently…