Once a quiet cantonment town founded by Kempe Gowda, Bengaluru is now India’s tech capital—yet still true to its nickname, “Garden City.” Tree-lined boulevards, sprawling parks, and serene temples sit beside third-wave coffee bars, indie bookstores, and a thriving craft-beer scene.

History lovers can trace Mysore-era palaces and lively markets, while food devotees chase crisp benne dosas, piping-hot filter coffee, and spice-laden coastal curries. Even better, the climate is mild year-round and sunrise air at nearby hilltops is intoxicating.

Expect traffic; plan smart with early starts and clustered sights. For safety and convenience, use registered cabs, metro, and trusted operators. Vegetarian-friendly menus abound; Bengaluru is also one of India’s most international dining cities, so you’ll find everything from ghee-roasted dosas to sashimi and Texas-style BBQ.

Bengaluru

Bengaluru (Bangalore) blends heritage and modern India: 18th-century palaces, Victorian-era parks, iconic markets, and gleaming tech corridors. Walk Cubbon Park at dawn, explore KR Market’s flower maze, and wind down with inventive brews under banyan trees.

• Top sights: Lalbagh Botanical Garden, Cubbon Park, Bangalore Palace, Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace, Bull Temple, KR Market, NGMA (National Gallery of Modern Art), Vidhana Soudha (exterior).
• Neighborhoods to savor: Basavanagudi (old Bengaluru), Malleshwaram (classic cafés), Church Street & MG Road (books, bites, nightlife), Indiranagar & Koramangala (cafés and bars).
• Food hallmarks: Benne dosa, idli-vada, filter coffee, donne biryani, Mangalorean seafood, Kodava flavors, craft beer.

Where to stay (curated picks):

• Opulent escape: The Leela Palace Bengaluru — resort-style gardens, regal rooms, superb service.
• Polished and central: Taj MG Road, Bengaluru — ideal for MG Road/Church Street, refined dining and pool.
• Smart value: Treebo Trend Raj Premier — easy access to central neighborhoods on a budget.
• Browse more stays: VRBO Bengaluru | Hotels.com Bengaluru

Getting in and around: Fly into Kempegowda International Airport (BLR). Compare fares on Trip.com Flights or Kiwi.com. For regional trains (e.g., to Mysuru), use Trip.com Trains. In the city, rely on app cabs, auto-rickshaws, and Namma Metro; start early to outsmart traffic.

Day 1 — Arrive, Church Street Stroll, and a Bengaluru Welcome

Afternoon: Land at BLR and transfer into the city (45–90 minutes, traffic-dependent). Check in and recharge. If you’re eager to stretch your legs, slip into Cubbon Park for a leafy orientation walk and a quick photo stop outside Vidhana Soudha’s grand façade.

Evening: Meander Church Street—pop into Blossom Book House for pre-loved finds, then grab South Indian filter coffee at Third Wave Coffee or Matteo Coffea. Dinner nearby: Karavalli (coastal Karnataka thalis and Malabar prawns), Burma Burma (pan-Asian vegetarian), or The Bier Library in Koramangala for wood-fired pizzas with craft pints. Nightcap on MG Road or Indiranagar.

Day 2 — Old Bengaluru: Markets, Palaces, and Food Street

Morning: Start at KR Market’s flower bazaar at sunrise—one of India’s most photogenic sensory overloads. Walk to Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace (teak pillars and stucco arches) and the ruins of Bangalore Fort. Breakfast classics nearby: MTR on Lalbagh Road (rava idli legacy), Brahmin’s Coffee Bar (pillowy idlis, vada, chutney), or Shri Sagar CTR in Malleshwaram (buttery benne dosa).

Afternoon: Explore Lalbagh Botanical Garden—seek the Glass House and ancient peninsular gneiss rock. Continue to Basavanagudi’s Bull Temple and the adjacent Bugle Rock. Lunch at Vidyarthi Bhavan (historic dosas; note: often closed on Fridays) or Hallimane (veg Karnataka meals).

Evening: Street-food crawl at VV Puram Food Street (Thindi Beedi): ghee-soaked dosa, bonda, holige/obbattu, and rose gulkand ice cream. If you prefer sit-down dining, try Nandhini (Andhra-style biryani and meals) or Meghana Foods for iconic spicy biryani.

Day 3 — Parks, Art, and Brews

Morning: Wander Cubbon Park’s rain trees and the red-brick State Central Library. Peek at the neo-Dravidian Vidhana Soudha from the outside. Coffee at Indian Coffee House (retro charm) or Hatti Kaapi for a quick filter fix.

Afternoon: NGMA (National Gallery of Modern Art) for 20th–21st-century Indian art in a heritage mansion. Lunch at Konark (veg North & South Indian staples) or Nagarjuna (fiery Andhra thali on banana leaf). Stop by the government-run Cauvery Handicrafts Emporium on MG Road for sandalwood, rosewood, and bidriware.

Evening: Bangalore Palace (Tudor-style interiors and royal memorabilia). Then choose a microbrewery: Byg Brewski (open-air lakeside vibe), Windmills Craftworks (Whitefield; jazz stage), or Geist. Dinner at Toscano (Italian) or Koshy’s (old-world café culture with cutlets and curries).

Day 4 — Wildlife and City Icons (Guided)

Morning & Afternoon (Day Tour): Head out on a guided combo of Bannerghatta Biological Park plus core city sights with hotel pickup. It’s a convenient way to fit wildlife, Lalbagh, Tipu’s Palace, and more into one curated day, ideal if you prefer a single point of contact and chauffeured comfort.

From Bangalore Bannerghatta Park and City Sights Private Tour

Evening: Unwind in Indiranagar: snacks at Bombay Tiffanys Annexe (Mysore pak, sweets) and dinner at The Fatty Bao (Asian) or The Permit Room (playful South Indian-inspired small plates). If you love gin cocktails, seek out a high-floor hotel bar for city views.

Day 5 — Mysuru Day Trip: Palaces, Hills, and Markets

Morning: Depart early for Mysuru. By train from KSR Bengaluru or Yesvantpur to Mysuru Junction is ~2–3 hours; typical fares INR 150–500 ($2–6) on daytime express services via Trip.com Trains. A private car takes ~3–3.5 hours each way; budget INR 4,500–6,500 ($55–80) for the day. Meet your guide and begin with Mysore Palace and Chamundi Hill for sweeping views.

Afternoon: Continue to St. Philomena’s Church and the vibrant Devaraja Market (fragrant spices, flowers, and banana-leaf stacks). A structured option with door-to-door logistics is this half-day tour:

6-Hours Mysuru Cultural Tour with Guide and Transportation

Alternatively, focus on a palace-and-market walk to go deeper into the royal legacy and art collections:

Mysore Palace + Jaganmohana Art Gallery + Devaraja Market = Mysore Heritage Walk

Evening: Dinner in Mysuru at RRR (noted for biryani and thali) or Oyster Bay (multi-cuisine garden seating). Return to Bengaluru by evening train or car. Tip: Book your return seats in advance and carry light layers.

Day 6 — Design, Shopping, and a Coastal Karnataka Feast

Morning: Breakfast at Airlines Hotel (open-air drive-in vibe; masala dosa and coffee) or Go Native (farm-to-table). Explore Malleshwaram’s 8th Cross for old-school shops, then head to Commercial Street for bargains on textiles, kurtas, and footwear.

Afternoon: Art stop at the Rangoli Metro Art Center on MG Road (installations and pop-ups). Browse UB City for luxury brands if that’s your mood, or dive deeper into crafts back at Cauvery Handicrafts Emporium. Coffee at Blue Tokai or Third Wave.

Evening: Feast at Karavalli—try kane rava fry, Mangalorean kori gassi, and Alleppey fish curry. If you’re curious about Bengaluru’s nightlife, Windmills Craftworks (music-forward) or Byg Brewski (garden-like sprawl) are superb endnotes. Dessert: Corner House (Death by Chocolate) for a local cult classic.

Day 7 — Sunrise Hills or Slow Brunch, Then Departure

Morning (choose one): Optional Nandi Hills sunrise run (about 1.5 hours each way; depart ~3:30–4:00 a.m. on weekends to beat gate queues). Stroll the ramparts, sip tea, and watch clouds spill over the slopes. Or enjoy a lazy Bengaluru brunch at The Only Place (steaks and pies), Brahmin’s (round two!), or Sly Granny (Indiranagar).

Afternoon: Last-minute gift run: filter-coffee powder and spice mixes from local grocers, silk or cotton from Chickpet, and sandalwood curios at Cauvery. Transfer to the airport for your flight—compare options on Trip.com Flights or Kiwi.com.

Evening: If your flight is later, unwind with one final park stroll or a microbrewery sampler near your hotel. Toast to seven days well spent in Karnataka’s capital.

Where to sleep tonight: If you want a memorable finale, book a last-night splurge at The Leela Palace Bengaluru or stay central at Taj MG Road, Bengaluru. Budget watchers can stick with Treebo Trend Raj Premier or browse VRBO for apartment stays near Indiranagar or Koramangala.

In a week, you will have traced Bengaluru’s layered history, explored its parks and palaces, and tasted its iconic dosas, biryanis, and coastal curries—plus dipped into regal Mysuru for a day. Come back for the monsoon greens or the clear-sky winters; the city evolves, but its easy charm lingers.