Bangalore
Discover Bangalore
Bangalore, also known as Bengaluru (Kannada: ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು Beṅgaḷūru), is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is a large, cosmopolitan city with a large working population. Bangalore is the major centre of India's information technology (IT) industry and is known worldwide as the "Silicon Valley of India". This article covers the Bangalore Metropolitan Region (BMR), an area of 8,005 km (4,974 mi). Administratively, it is divided into Bengaluru North, Bengaluru South and Bengaluru Urban districts. However, for this article, this city is divided into the following districts:
What to Experience in Bangalore
Prestige lakeside habitat villa side view in evening
a large building with a lot of people around it
Sri Sathya Sai Super Speciality Hospital, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
City Skyline Wide Shot
white concrete building under blue sky during daytime
white and brown high rise building
Trying to capture the colors, chaos, and speed of life in India. The Irony is highlighting the "speed" of auto rickshaws using camera pan and motion blur.
blue and brown bridge during night time
a view of a city with tall buildings
Sunrise at the Bangalore Flower Market
Taste of Bangalore...
Bangalore has a wide variety of food options. Foreigners will want to look for cleanliness in choosing a place to eat. Also don't expect the exterior to be too fancy, observe the cleanliness of the inside and the servers when choosing a place to eat! Eating options include high end restaurants to chains to temples to mom and pop shops and of course street vendors! Restaurants usually label if they serve only vegetarian (veg or pure veg) or both veg and non-veg cuisine. If you haven't been in Ind
A Rich Past
Explore the historical roots that shaped Bangalore into what it is today.
The feudal lord Kempe Gowda is credited with developing parts of Bangalore. In 1537, with the assistance of the local king, he constructed three districts protected by a walled fort on the site. During the next three centuries, Bangalore existed very much in the shadow of the neighbouring city, Mysore, and control of the town changed hands many times. The year 1831 marked a major turning point for the city. Claiming misrule by king Krishna Raja Wodeyar III, the British took control of the Mysore Kingdom and, possibly influenced by the city's salubrious climate, moved the administrative capital to Bangalore. New telecommunication systems were laid, rail connections built, fine government buildings constructed, and the city's famous parks and gardens established. After independence, Bangalor...
Climate
Unlike the major cities of India which are extremely hot in the summer months, Bangalore enjoys a relatively mild climate all year round. Summer temperatures can reach 35 °C (95 °F) and early morning temperatures in the winter hover around 15 °C (59 °F). However, Bangalore has unpredictable weather, unlike certain western cities. It is quite common to have a warm sunny day followed by evening showers ending with cool nights. So, be prepared for rain for the better part of the year, especially from May to November. Being the capital of Karnataka, the widely spoken and official language in Banga
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsThere are many railway stations in Bangalore, each serving certain trains: Bookings can be done at either the railway stations or at the Indian Railways booking counters in major commercial and residential areas. Booking can also be done online. If you are booking at Bengaluru City and are travelling to Mysore, there is a separate counter for travellers to Mysore. This is to cater for the large number of travellers between Bangalore and Mysore. If travelling to Mysore on a Sunday afternoon, arri...
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
Traffic in Bangalore is generally appalling: it's often ranked as one of India's most congested cities. Allow plenty of time to get around, especially anywhere near rush hour. Heavy rains often cause flooding that can bring traffic to a complete standstill. The Namma Metro is an efficient cross-city rail service in Bangalore that provides the only realistic way to escape the traffic, but its coverage of the city remains limited. As of August 2025, there are three lines: Tickets can be bought at
Where to Stay
A large number of budget hotels near KSR railway station are crowded in the area around the Dargah Tawakkal Mastan, O.T.C. Road, Chickpet, Near Sreenivasa Hospital, 1 km (0.62 mi) from the Majestic bus station. Ask for the Brahmins Bakery area. If you are free for an hour, you can just go around the Majestic theatre and the Kempe Gowda Bus Station and look for a budget hotel yourself, as there are many on small streets and roads around this place. Or, you can even trust (to some extent) a broker
Money & Budget
Bangalore provides a wide range of options for shoppers. One can buy many things ranging from clothing to electronic goods and vehicles. Being an IT city, Bangalore provides all kind of services but one might find things to be costlier. Many visitors come to Bangalore searching only for sandalwood carvings and silk saris and so miss out on the true Bangalore shopping experience. Apart from the num
Language & Talk
Being the capital of Karnataka, the widely spoken and official language in Bangalore is Kannada. Most people can speak and understand English and Hindi. Other Indian languages such as Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali and Urdu are spoken by the respective migrant and minority communities. As Bangalore is a commercial and cultural hub, it has a smattering of Konkani, Marathi and Tulu speakers. With
Safety Information
Safety Overview
Bangalore is a relatively safe city at that time. However, most of Bangalore practically shuts down a little before midnight, even very safe residential areas can be very desolate by 11PM. In the morning, people start getting out from 5AM or 6AM, but it's usually still dark outside at that time, so exercise caution if you are in an unfamiliar area. Some of the lower-income areas can be somewhat unsafe once it gets dark. Exercising caution and good sense will increase your chances of staying safe. Rising incomes have brought an influx of people, including white and blue-collar immigrants, leadi
Nearby Destinations
Glimpses of Bangalore
Prestige lakeside habitat villa side view in evening
a large building with a lot of people around it
Sri Sathya Sai Super Speciality Hospital, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
City Skyline Wide Shot
white concrete building under blue sky during daytime
white and brown high rise building
Trying to capture the colors, chaos, and speed of life in India. The Irony is highlighting the "speed" of auto rickshaws using camera pan and motion blur.
blue and brown bridge during night time
a view of a city with tall buildings
Sunrise at the Bangalore Flower Market
Prestige lakeside habitat villa side view in evening
a large building with a lot of people around it
Sri Sathya Sai Super Speciality Hospital, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India