Places to Visit in Bangalore in 2 Days

Lalbagh spans 240 acres in the south of the city and is one of the oldest botanical gardens in India, originally commissioned by Hyder Ali in 1760. The star attraction is the Glass House, modeled after the Crystal Palace in London, which hosts a grand flower show twice a year during Republic Day and Independence Day. Beyond the Glass House, the garden is home to over 1,800 species of plants, a beautiful lotus pond, and a rocky outcrop estimated to be over 3,000 million years old.

Entry fee: Rs.30 for adults. Timings: 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM daily. Tip: Arrive by 7:00 AM to enjoy the walking paths before the midday crowd. The west gate entrance on Siddaiah Puranik Road is less crowded than the main gate. After your walk, step out to the Lalbagh Road side for a quick filter coffee at any of the small Darshini restaurants nearby.

Getting there: Lalbagh is about 4 km from Majestic (Kempegowda Bus Station). Take the Namma Metro Green Line to Lalbagh station, which drops you at the north gate.

Cubbon Park is a 300-acre green lung right in the center of Bangalore, sandwiched between MG Road and Vidhana Soudha. It was established in 1870 and named after Sir Mark Cubbon, the British Commissioner of Mysore. The park is home to the Attara Kacheri (Karnataka High Court), the red-brick State Library, and several statues dotted along shaded pathways. It is one of the few city parks where you will actually see joggers, dog walkers, and families all coexisting peacefully under massive rain trees.

Entry fee: Free. Timings: 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM (closed on Mondays and second Tuesdays). Tip: Combine your visit with a quick look at the Government Museum on Kasturba Road, which is on the southern edge of the park. The museum has a decent collection of Vijayanagara-era artifacts and costs just Rs.15 entry. If you are hungry afterward, the Koshy's restaurant on St. Marks Road is a 10-minute walk away and has been a Bangalore institution since 1940.

Getting there: Cubbon Park Metro station on the Purple Line puts you right at the entrance. From Lalbagh, it is about a 15-minute auto ride.

UB City on Vittal Mallya Road is Bangalore's most upscale shopping destination, built on the former grounds of the United Breweries headquarters. The mall houses international luxury brands like Louis Vuitton, Burberry, and Rolex, along with a curated collection of Indian designer boutiques. Even if high-end shopping is not your thing, the open-air amphitheater area on the ground level is a pleasant spot to sit with a coffee and watch the city go by.

Entry fee: Free. Timings: 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM. Tip: The food court level has Farzi Cafe and Shiro, both worth trying if you want a sit-down lunch. Budget around Rs.800 to Rs.1,500 per person for a meal here. For something cheaper, skip UB City's restaurants and walk five minutes to Church Street where you will find cafes and bakeries at half the price.

Getting there: From Cubbon Park, UB City is a short 2 km auto or cab ride. The nearest Metro station is Trinity on the Purple Line, about a 10-minute walk.

Commercial Street is where Bangalore does its real shopping. This bustling stretch near Shivajinagar is packed with hundreds of small shops selling everything from silk sarees and oxidized jewelry to jeans, shoes, and electronics. Prices are significantly lower than in malls, but you need to bargain. Most regular shoppers start at 40 to 50 percent of the quoted price and settle somewhere in the middle. The street gets lively by late afternoon and stays busy until about 9:00 PM.

Entry fee: N/A (open market). Timings: Shops open around 10:30 AM and close by 9:00 PM. Sundays are busiest. Tip: Wear comfortable shoes because you will be on your feet the entire time. Keep your phone and wallet in a front pocket as the crowd can get dense in the evening. For a snack break, try the kebabs and shawarma at Empire Restaurant on nearby Brigade Road, or grab a plate of gobi manchurian from any of the street-side stalls.

Getting there: Shivajinagar bus stand is the nearest major stop. From UB City, it is roughly 3 km by auto. The Shivajinagar Metro station on the Purple Line is about a 10-minute walk from the main shopping stretch.

Bangalore Palace is a Tudor-style structure built in 1878, inspired by England's Windsor Castle. The palace belongs to the Wadiyar royal family and sits on 45,000 square feet of grounds in the Vasanth Nagar area. Inside, you will find ornate wooden carvings, paintings from the 19th century, granite seats carved into the walls of the courtyard, and stained-glass windows imported from Europe. The palace grounds frequently host large concerts and cultural events.

Entry fee: Rs.280 for Indian nationals, Rs.500 with a camera permit. An audio guide is available for Rs.200 and is worth it for the historical context. Timings: 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM daily. Tip: Visit right at opening to avoid tour groups. The palace lawn is a popular photo spot. Photography inside the main halls requires the camera ticket, so buy it at the counter if you want interior shots.

Getting there: The palace is about 2 km from Majestic. Auto fare from MG Road area should be around Rs.80 to Rs.100. There is no direct Metro station, so an auto or cab is easiest.

The ISKCON Temple in Rajajinagar is one of the largest Hare Krishna temples in the world. Built in 1997, it blends modern architecture with traditional Dravidian and Rajasthani styles. The temple complex sits atop Hare Krishna Hill and includes shrines dedicated to Lord Krishna and Radha, Srinivasa Govinda, and Prahlada Narasimha. The interiors are elaborate, with gold-plated pillars and intricate carvings. The temple also runs a large prasadam hall where you can eat a wholesome vegetarian meal for a very small donation.

Entry fee: Free (special darshan ticket available for Rs.200 to skip the queue). Timings: 7:15 AM to 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM to 8:30 PM. Tip: Weekends are very crowded, especially Saturday evenings. If your visit falls on a weekday, go around 10:00 AM for a calm experience. The Akshaya Patra kitchen attached to the temple serves meals to thousands of schoolchildren daily, and the prasadam lunch here is genuinely good. Remove shoes at the designated counter at the base of the hill before walking up.

Getting there: Srirampura Metro station on the Green Line is the closest, about 1.5 km from the temple entrance. Autos from Majestic cost around Rs.60 to Rs.80.

Wonderla is Bangalore's premier amusement and water park, located about 28 km from the city center on Mysore Road. The park has over 60 rides, including high-thrill roller coasters like Recoil and Maverick, as well as a dedicated kids zone and a large wave pool. The water park section is especially welcome given Bangalore's warm afternoons. Wonderla is well maintained by Indian amusement park standards, and the staff keep the queues organized.

Entry fee: Rs.1,500 to Rs.1,800 for adults (varies by day and season). Online booking usually gets you Rs.100 to Rs.200 off. Timings: 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM on weekdays, 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM on weekends. Tip: Carry a change of clothes and a small towel for the water rides. Lockers are available inside for Rs.100. If you want to do both dry and wet rides, start with the water section after lunch when the sun is strongest, then switch to the dry rides in the late afternoon. Food inside the park is decent but pricey, so eat before you enter or carry light snacks.

Getting there: Wonderla runs a shuttle bus from Majestic on weekends. Otherwise, book a cab or auto. The drive takes about 45 minutes to 1 hour depending on traffic on Mysore Road.

Nandi Hills is about 60 km north of Bangalore and sits at an elevation of 1,478 meters. It is the single most popular sunrise point for Bangaloreans and for good reason: on a clear morning, you get sweeping views of the plains below with mist rolling through the valleys. The hill also has Tipu Sultan's Summer Residence, a small temple dedicated to Nandi, and well-maintained walking paths along the cliff edge. The drive up the winding ghat road is part of the fun.

Entry fee: Rs.20 per person plus Rs.75 for a car. Timings: Gates open at 5:00 AM for sunrise visitors. The hill closes at 6:00 PM. Tip: Leave Bangalore by 4:00 AM to catch sunrise around 6:15 to 6:30 AM. On weekends, there is a long vehicle queue at the gate, so weekdays are far better. Carry a light jacket because temperatures at the top can drop below 15 degrees Celsius in the early morning even in warmer months. There is a small canteen at the top but selection is limited, so bringing your own tea flask is a good idea.

Getting there: No public transport runs this early, so you will need a cab or your own vehicle. The NH44 route via Devanahalli is the fastest. Budget about 1.5 hours each way.

Best Season to Visit

October to February is ideal. Bangalore sits at an elevation of about 900 meters, so temperatures hover between 15 and 28 degrees Celsius during winter. Summers (March to May) can get warm but rarely exceed 36 degrees. The monsoon months of June to September bring heavy rain that can cause traffic slowdowns.

Carry Light Layers

Even in warmer months, Bangalore evenings can be surprisingly cool. A light jacket or hoodie is useful, especially if you are heading to Nandi Hills at dawn or spending time in air-conditioned malls. Do not pack heavy woolens unless you are visiting in December or January.

Use Namma Metro

The Namma Metro now covers a significant part of the city with Purple and Green lines intersecting at Majestic. For trips between MG Road, Cubbon Park, Majestic, and Yeshwantpur, the Metro is faster and cheaper than sitting in Bangalore's notorious traffic. A single token costs Rs.10 to Rs.60 depending on the distance. Trains run from 5:00 AM to 11:00 PM.

Traffic and Timing

Bangalore traffic is notoriously bad during peak hours (8:30 to 10:30 AM and 5:30 to 8:30 PM). Plan your day so that you are at an attraction during rush hour rather than on the road. If you are visiting Wonderla or Nandi Hills, leave early to beat the traffic heading out of the city.