Bangalore city has a number of tourist places. Apart from the numerous gardens, it also has some historical sites and other places of interest. The Vidhan Soudha or the State Secretariat, built in 1954, is the main attraction of this city. It is a marvel of modern architecture and is a fine amalgamation of traditional Dravidian and modern styles.
Cubbon Park, the 120-hectare park located near the Vidhan Soudha, has a number of neo-classical styled government buildings. The Government Museum of Bangalore (one of India's oldest museums) and the Visvesvaraya Technological and Industrial Museum are important museums within the city.
The Lal Bagh Botanical Gardens, which holds a number of flower shows, especially during the Republic Day (26th January), is located on the southern fringes of the city.
The 18th-century Tipu Sultan's Fort and Palace are other important places of interest to the traveler. The 16th-century, Dravidian-styled temple dedicated to Nandi hills in Bangalore is an important place of worship.
For all those religious visitors the nandi hills in Bangalore is not to be missed. The Venkataramanaswamy Temple, the Gavi Gangadhareswara cave temple, and the Someshwara Temple are other important temple of this city.
The Ulsoor Lake on the northeastern edge of the city is an important picnic spot.
Bangalore city is famous for it's numerous Yoga centers, where fitness freaks can learn and practice this ancient art of keeping healthy. Most of the good hotels i in Bangalore are located close to the tourist spots like the Ashoka hotel Bangalore.
PLACES AROUND BANGALORE
There are number of places of tourist attraction near Bangalore. Thirty kilometers from Bangalore is the Nrity Bangalorem village, housing a classical dance academy. Bannerghatta National Park, 21 km from the city, is an important place to visit. andi Hills in Bangalore is also famous for its temples and fort. Devarayandurga, 70 km from Bangalore, is famous for its hilltop shrines.
The craggy rock formation around Bangalore offers adventure activities like trekking and rock climbing to the adventure seeker. Devarayandurga (70 km), and Ramanagaram (49 km) are important spots for adventure.
Bangalore has a number of cultural centers near it, which offer to the tourist a number of traditional craft items. Ramanagaram is a silk cocoon-marketing center. Janapada Lok (near Ramanagaram) and Channapatna (60 km southeast of Bangalore) are famous craft centers.
The Doda Alada Mara, a 400-year-old banyan tree lying 28 km from the city, is an idyllic place for picnics. Mekedatu, 98 km south of Bangalore, and Muthyalamaduvu, 40 km from Bangalore (also known as the Pearl Valley), are other important picnic spots.
The historic city of Mysore is 139 km from Bangalore and offers to the traveler a number of monuments belonging to Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan, the erstwhile rulers of the place. It also has a number of ancient Hindu temples and a few monuments built by the British.
Whitefield Ashram, the summer abode of the Shri Sathya Sai Baba, 20 km east of Bangalore, and the ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) Temple Complex are important spiritual centers, worth paying a visit.