1
Historic & Heritage
Mysore Palace
The Indo-Saracenic seat of the Wadiyars, rebuilt in 1912 after a fire, and lit by 97,000 bulbs on Sunday evenings.
₹70
entry
Details
Mysuru
A royal city that switches on 97,000 light bulbs every Sunday night.
Karnataka, India
Ideal 2–3 days
Best Sep–Feb
From ₹1,900/day
8 places mapped
Overview
What Mysuru is really like
Mysore Palace
Dasara festival
Sandalwood
Mysore silk
Mysore pak
Mysore Palace is the centrepiece and deserves the two hours it takes. It is illuminated every Sunday evening and through the ten nights of Dasara, when the city runs its most famous festival and a caparisoned elephant procession closes it.
Beyond the palace: Chamundi Hill above the city, the Devaraja produce market for flowers and sandalwood oil, St Philomena's neo-Gothic cathedral, and the Hoysala temple at Somnathpur an hour east — small, intricate and worth the drive.
Mysuru is three hours from Bengaluru on the expressway and works well as a two-night trip or a stop on the way to Coorg, Wayanad or Ooty.
- Ideal length
- 2–3 days
- Peak season
- Dasara in September or October — book months ahead
- Languages
- Kannada, English, Hindi
- Currency
- INR (₹)
- Altitude
- 763 m
- Timezone
- Asia/Kolkata
- Population
- 10.5L
- Nearest airport
- Mysuru Airport (MYQ) with limited flights; Bengaluru (BLR), 190 km, is the main gateway
Attractions
What to see in Mysuru
Ranked by how much each place adds to a visit — not alphabetically, and never paid for.
1
2
Devotional & Spiritual
Chamundi Hill and Chamundeshwari Temple
A 1,000-metre hill above the city topped by a 12th-century temple, reached by road or 1,008 steps past a monolithic Nandi.
Free
no ticket
Details
3
Markets & Shopping
Devaraja Market
A 120-year-old covered market of flower garlands, kumkum powder pyramids, bananas, sandalwood oil and spices.
Free
no ticket
Details
4
Historic & Heritage
Keshava Temple, Somnathpur
A complete 1268 Hoysala temple on a star-shaped plan, covered in bands of carving so fine they look cast rather than cut.
₹25
entry
Details
5
Wildlife & Safari
Mysuru Zoo (Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens)
One of India's oldest and best-run zoos, opened in 1892, with large enclosures and a strong breeding record.
₹100
entry
Details
6
Parks & Gardens
Brindavan Gardens
Terraced gardens below the Krishnarajasagara dam, with a musical fountain show after dark.
₹50
entry
Details
7
Devotional & Spiritual
St Philomena's Cathedral
A neo-Gothic cathedral of 1936 modelled on Cologne, with twin 53-metre spires and a crypt below the altar.
Free
no ticket
Details
8
Museums & Art
Jaganmohan Palace Art Gallery
The Wadiyars' earlier palace, now holding Raja Ravi Varma canvases, Mysore-style gold-leaf paintings and royal memorabilia.
₹60
entry
Details
Nothing in this category is in the top list — open all places to see the full set.
Orientation
Full screen map
Everything on one map
Distance is what breaks itineraries. See how the city actually lays out before you commit to a day.
Historic & Heritage
Devotional & Spiritual
Museums & Art
Parks & Gardens
Wildlife & Safari
Markets & Shopping
Local directory
Open directory
Where to stay, eat and get help
Restaurants
Vinayaka Mylari
The benchmark Mysore masala dosa — soft, buttery and served on a banana leaf.
₹200+
MG-B000073
Hotels
Radisson Blu Plaza Mysore
Full-service hotel with a pool, ten minutes from the palace.
₹7,500+
MG-B000071
Shopping
KSIC Silk Factory Outlet
Government silk weaving factory and outlet — the reliable place to buy a Mysore silk saree.
₹₹₹
MG-B000074
Resorts
The Windflower Resort & Spa Mysore
Garden resort on the city's edge with an ayurvedic spa.
₹6,500+
MG-B000072
Getting there & around
How to reach Mysuru
By air
Mysuru Airport (MYQ) with limited flights; Bengaluru (BLR), 190 km, is the main gateway
Mysuru's airport has a handful of domestic connections. Most visitors fly into Bengaluru and drive or take the train.
By rail
Mysuru Junction (MYS)
Frequent trains from Bengaluru, including the Vande Bharat which takes around two hours. Mysuru Junction is 2 km from the palace.
By road
The Bengaluru–Mysuru expressway takes about three hours. Ooty is five hours south, Coorg three west.
Getting around locally
Autos and app cabs; the city is compact and the palace, market and zoo are within a few kilometres. Chamundi Hill needs a vehicle or the 1,008-step climb.
Money
What Mysuru costs
Per person, per day, excluding travel to the destination. A three-day trip for two is shown for comparison.
Economy
₹1,900 / person / day
Clean budget stays, local food, shared or public transport.
3 days · 2 travellers
₹10,588
Business
₹5,500 / person / day
Well-rated 3–4★ hotels, sit-down dining, private cabs.
3 days · 2 travellers
₹29,700
Practical
Before you go
Best time to visit
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Mild all year thanks to the elevation. Rain from June to October, usually short. Winter evenings are cool and pleasant.
Food & drink
Mysore masala dosa, Mysore pak (invented in the palace kitchens), and the pure-vegetarian meals culture of old Karnataka. Devaraja Market sells the raw material for all of it.
Shopping
Mysore silk sarees from the government KSIC factory outlet, sandalwood oil and soap, incense, and rosewood inlay work.
After dark
The Sunday palace illumination is the event. Otherwise the city is quiet after 10pm.
Safety
Very safe and easy. Watch for monkeys at Chamundi Hill, and keep bags closed at the market.
Local tips
The palace illumination runs Sunday evenings and every night during Dasara — roughly 7 to 7:45pm. Photography is not permitted inside the palace and shoes must be left at the gate. Book accommodation months ahead for Dasara.
Etiquette
Shoes off inside the palace and all temples. Modest dress at Chamundeshwari temple.
Questions
People also ask about Mysuru
When is Mysore Palace illuminated?
Every Sunday evening for about 45 minutes from around 7pm, on public holidays, and every night through the ten days of Dasara.
When is Dasara in Mysuru?
September or October, following the lunar calendar, over ten days ending with the Jamboo Savari elephant procession. Accommodation books out months ahead and prices multiply.
How do I get from Bengaluru to Mysuru?
The Vande Bharat train takes about two hours; other trains take two and a half to three. By road the expressway takes around three hours.
Combine the trip
Destinations near Mysuru
Garden city, tech capital, and the best weather of any Indian metro.
9 places
2–3 days
Featured
Tea to the horizon in every direction.
7 places
2–4 days
Featured
Six hundred years of trading, and every trader left something behind.
8 places
2–3 days
A temple with fourteen towers and a city arranged in squares around it.
7 places
1–2 days
Featured
A night on a houseboat, and nothing to do but watch the water.
6 places
1–3 days
Featured
The ruins of an empire scattered across 26 square kilometres of boulders.
8 places
2–4 days