On one hand Bangalore offers quite a few attractions beckoning tourists to it. On the other, it also has a bad reputation for its never-ending traffic. So if you plan on visiting all its places of attraction by road, especially if you’re on a time crunch, then it would be like shooting yourself in the foot. Your best bet to cover all the best places in Bangalore in a day would be to walk around the city. And, to help you make the best of your 1 day trip, we have curated a list of the best places to cover on your 1 day walking tour. So tie your shoelaces, and get ready to start your tour.
Route: Bengaluru Palace - Ulsoor Lake - St. Mary’s Basilica - Vidhana Soudha - Cubbon Park - Bengaluru Fort.
Bangalore Walking Tour Distance: 12.4 km.
Tour Duration: 2 hours 34 minutes.
Let’s begin your walking tour by giving it a royal start, that is by visiting the Bengaluru Palace. It sits elegantly in the heart of the city of Bangalore and gets its grandeur from the mix of Tudor and Scottish Gothic architecture. Sprawling across an area of about 45,000 square feet, this palace is sure to make you feel timid.
Both the wooden carvings on the exterior and the ornate works in the interior are what make it the crown jewel of Bangalore. Each time you visit the palace, it will make you feel like you’re a part of a fairytale. All thanks to the grand ballroom, fluorescent blue ceramic tiles, and paintings by renowned artists
Just like every other majestic palace, this one comes with a rich history. The land where the palace rests today, originally belonged to the principal of a school cantonment from the British era. Later, it was used to build a palace for the 23rd king of Mysore, Maharaja Chamarajendra as his residence and training. After years of legal battle for ownership of the palace, the Mysore Royal family finally managed to win it. Currently, the Bengaluru palace lies in the hands of their royal descendant - Smt. Pramoda Devi Wadiyar.
Don’t worry, this is just a short history recap. You’ll get a much more interesting version of the history in detail from the audio guide available at the palace.
The timings to visit the palace are from 10 am to 5:30 pm, and the entry fees are INR 230 for Indians and INR 460 for foreigners. Charges for clicking pictures from mobile phones is INR 285 and from video cameras is INR 1485.
Things to do here: You can go around the palace courtyard, Durbar hall, and corridors learning about the history of the palace. Also, you get a chance to admire its antique collections, and click photos in and around the glory of the Bengaluru palace. Other than this, you can also stroll in the vibrant gardens surrounding the palace.
How much time to spend here: 2 to 3 hours.
Also Read: Spending A Day Out Exploring Bangalore
Next stop on your walking tour of Bangalore, would be Ulsoor lake. Spread over an area of 50 hectares, it is the biggest lake in the city. Other than being a prominent place of attraction among tourists, it is a favorite spot among the residents of the city for starting their day. As the lake is outlined by a walking path, people often come here for morning walks. Even if you don’t get a chance to go on morning walks, you can always sit by the benches around the lake and immerse yourself in its tranquility!
You can visit Ulsoor lake any day except Wednesday, between 6 to 8 am. There are no entry fees, but if you want to go boating then you’ll have to pay a fee of INR 35.
Things to do here: Other than sitting back and relaxing at Ulsoor lake, you can be a part of the morning discussion of the birds you’ll find here. You can also go boating around the lake and click a zillion pictures to cherish your trip.
How much time to spend here: 1 to 2 hours.
Also Read: Tamil Nadu Travel Guide
After spending a nice and peaceful time by the lake, you can then move on to visit the only basilica in the state that is, St. Mary’s Basilica. It is the only church in Karnataka to get the status of a basilica. St. Mary’s Basilica is a gothic-style church, built by French architecture in the year 1882. A close look at this 170-foot-long white tower is sure to make your neck strain. Not only does it have charming exteriors, but also eye-catching interiors. The church is studded with lovely statues of Mother Mary, splendid pillars and arches, and beautiful stained glasses.
On the outside of the church, you can find an attractive shrine that houses a 6 feet tall statue of Mother Mary holding baby Jesus in her arms. It is said that when the statue was installed initially, people tried to move the statue inside the newly built church. However, even after several attempts, they couldn’t move it, which is said to be due to Our Lady’s miraculous powers.
It is believed that the statue of Mother Mary at St. Mary’s Basilica has got some miraculous healing powers. Several devotees from all over the world come here to seek blessing from Mother Mary, especially during the month of September. To celebrate the birth of Mother Mary, every year on the 8th of September the basilica hosts a 10-day annual feast. So if you get a chance to visit during this time, you get to be a part of this prime festival.
You can visit the church any day during the week between 6 am to 9 pm, and there are no entry charges. In case you’re hungry, you can get a meal from restaurants like Tijori and Flavour De Millers near Vidhana Soudha. Otherwise, you can always have a bite at the Vidhana Soudha Canteen.
Things to do here: Seek blessings from the spectacular statue of Mother Mary, learn about the history of the church, and about the miracles of Mother Mary.
How much time to spend here: 1 hour.
Also Read: 7 Things To Do In Tamil Nadu And Pondicherry
Your next stop would be at one of the most popular places in Bangalore, Vidhana Soudha. It houses the State Legislature and the Secretariat of Karnataka. It boasts of being one of the largest state legislative buildings in India. If you visit here on Sundays or public holidays between 6:30 pm to 8 pm, you can see the entire building light up with colorful lights making it a sight to remember for a lifetime!
Vidhana Soudha was established in the year 1951 by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and the then CM K.C. Reddy. And, it was only in the year 2005 that it was opened to the public for visit. With a Neo-Dravidian style of architecture, this building has four entrances on each direction.
Vidhana Soudha is popularly known as the ‘Taj Mahal of South India’ and on getting a good look at its grandiose architecture, you will agree to it.
You can visit here any day from Monday to Friday, between 9 am to 5 pm.
Things to do here: You can visit Vidhana Soudha and admire its ornate architecture, the embellishing entrance, and four domes, and learn all about the state legislature of Karnataka.
How much time to spend here: 1 hour.
Also Read: 5 Best Road Trips From Bangalore
A few meters apart from the Vidhana Soudha, is Cubbon Park. This one would be the final destination on your walking tour of Bangalore. Although there are several gardens sprinkled across the city, Cubbon park stands out from the rest. What makes this park special is that apart from being a natural wonder, it is also home to several artificial marvels.
Cubbon park is the place where you could just relax after a long day of walking around the city. From numerous gorgeous statues to taking a toy train ride, this park has a lot to offer. An evening in the park can be spent enjoying the dancing musical fountain or by just sitting on the benches and taking in the calm of its atmosphere. Whenever you plan on visiting the park, make sure to carry a camera along so that you can click hundreds of pictures of the many worth-seeing sights here.
Cubbon park remains open from 6 am to 6 pm, on all days except Mondays and the second Tuesdays of each month.
Things to do here: As we mentioned before, Cubbon park is filled with several interesting places of attraction. You could explore the aquarium, visit the State Archaeological Museum, chill by the Lotus pond, and much more.
How much time to spend here: 3 to 4 hours.
Also Read: Top 12 Things To Do In Bangalore
Next and the final stop of your tour would be at the Bengaluru Fort. Sitting in the heart of the city, this fort comes with many historic tales to narrate. If you had a time machine to go back in time and visit this fort, you could witness it standing tall covering a huge area of land. But today, the once magnificent structure has shrunk to the ruins of the Delhi Gate and two primary bastions.
Originally, the it was a mud fort built by Kempe Gowda I, and was later developed by Haider Ali into a stone fort. However, thanks to the British who took over, the fort was completely dismantled and reconstructed into schools and hospitals. And so, there’s only a small part of the fort that remains.
You can visit here anytime during the week between 8:30 am to 5:30 pm. And the charges to enter the Bengaluru fort are INR 5 for Indian, INR 200 for foreigners, and INR 25 per camera. If there’s food on your mind, then The Bangalore Cafe, New Shere Punjab Hotel, and Clay Resto are some of the nearest restaurants.
Things to do here: Go around the ruins and learn more about the fort’s history. If you look closely at the marble plaques, you will come across some interesting historical facts written on it. You could also explore the garden on the inside of the fort, and even take a look at the ancient iron cannons.
How much time to spend here: 2 to 3 hours.
Also Read: Pondicherry Travel Guide
Summing Up
A walking tour of Bangalore is the best way to explore these stunning gems of the city, rather than taking a cab or auto and spending hours stuck in traffic. So go ahead and hit the streets of Bangalore on foot, to make the most of your day.
Which Hill Station Is Near To Bangalore?
There are several stunning hill stations near Bangalore. Some of the best hill stations to check out are Nandi hills, Savandurga, Narayangiri, Ramanagara, Antargange, and Rangaswamy Betta.
How Do You Get To Cubbon Park?
Cubbon park lies in the heart of the city, and is one of the most popular tourist destinations. You can easily avail a cab or take a KSRTC bus from your nearest bus stops. Some of the places from where you can easily access the park are Kasturba Road, M.G. Road, Ambedkar Veedhi, and Hudson Park.
What Is The Entry Fee For Bangalore Palace?
The timing to visit the palace are from 10 am to 5:30 pm, and the entry fees is INR 230 for Indians and INR 460 for foreigners. Charges for clicking pictures from mobile phones is INR 285 and from video cameras is INR 1485.
What Is The Entry Fee For Cubbon Park?
There are no entry fees for Cubbon park and there are no charges to carry your camera in for clicking pictures. So, you need not worry about paying entrance fees to get a glimpse of this popular tourist attraction.
What Is The Entry Fee For Lalbagh In Bangalore?
At Lalbagh Botanical Garden anyone above the age of 12 needs to pay INR 10, and everyone below 12 years can have free entry to the garden. They also have free access to school kids and specially-abled kids.
Is Toy Train Available In Cubbon Park?
Yes, there is a toy train ride available at Cubbon park. You get to explore all the sections of the park in the breezy 10 to 20 minute ride of the toy train.
Can We Eat In Cubbon Park?
To ensure that the park surroundings are kept clean, the authorities have prohibited bringing outside food in the park, and there are no eateries inside the park. So, make sure you have your tummy full before you enter the park.
Is Cubbon Park Safe For Couples?
Yes. In fact, it is known to be one of the most romantic places for couples to spend time.
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