Mysuru (Mysore) Travel Guide

Facts

Name: Mysuru (Mysore)
Area: 128.5 sq. km. (49.6 sq. mi.)
Population: 920,550
Language: Kannada, Tamil, Hindi, English
State: Karnataka
Currency: Rupee
Time Zone: UTC+5:30 (IST)
Religions and Beliefs: Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Jainism, Sikhism

Located 140 km (87 miles) southwest of Karnataka’s capital Bengaluru, Mysuru, aka Mysore, is the second cleanest city in Karnataka and the cultural center of the state. Historically, before the British occupation of India, Mysuru was the capital of the Kingdom of Mysuru, which had ruled Karnataka for about 150 years. The city retains much of its ancient charm and has many facilities for spreading Carnatic classical music and dance. In addition to palaces and sacred temples, Mysuru, dubbed as the “India’s Garden”, is blessed with gardens, boulevards, mountains, waterfalls, lakes and forests. Mysore Palace, Chamundeshwari Temple and Brindavan Gardens should be packed in your Mysuru travel list. Last but not least, Mysuru is the second-largest software export city in India after Bengaluru.

Best Places to Visit

1. Mysore Palace
2. Brindavan Garden
3. Chamundeshwari Temple
4. Jaganmohan Palace
5. Krishna Raja Sagara Dam
6. Mysore Zoo
7. Nandi Bull
8. St. Philomena's Church
9. Karanji Lake
10. GRS Fantasy Park

The highlights of Mysore travel can be covered within 2-3 days. Mysore Palace is a three-storey monument in Indo-Saracenic style, which was built with fine grey granite and features beautiful domes constructed in vibrant pink marbles. Brindavan Garden is a place for everyone who is looking for some fresh air amidst nature. You can enjoy grassy slopes and illuminated fountains, and a memorable boating experience. Nestled at the top of the Chamundi Hills, Chamundeshwari Temple is one of the holiest pilgrimage destinations in South India with 1,008 stone-cut steps. Jaganmohan Palace, Mysore Zoo and Karanji Lake are also well-worth exploring!

Best Time to Visit Mysuru: October to February

Mysuru has a tropical monsoon climate, and from October to February is the best time to have a Mysuru travel. This is the most pleasant and coolest season with temperatures falling as low as 15°C (59℉). The days are bright and sunny, however, the evenings are a little cold. You need to wear some warm clothes. Monsoon months from June to September experience medium to heavy rains and this is a beautiful time to witness the lush green surroundings in this “Indian Garden”. May is the hottest month of the year with the highest temperature soaring up to 39°C (102.2℉).

Ranking List of Mysuru Food

1. Vada
2. Bonda
3. Mysore Pak

Mysore cuisine is deeply influenced by the Udipi style. Vada, a popular snack, is made from a blend of lentil flour, cumin, curry leaves, sometimes chopped onions and chilies, and is deep-fried to a crispy crust. It is served with a spicy sambar and coconut chutney. Bonda is a ball-shaped dumpling made from mashed potatoes. A morning breakfast of Bonda is incomplete without piping-hot tea. Invented in Mysore, Mysore Pak is an incredibly delicious dessert similar in texture to fudge, made using generous amounts of ghee, sugar and gram flour. Taste more Mysuru food like Shavige Bath and Uttapam - a thick rice pancake.

Best Restaurants in Mysuru

1. La Uppu: 2203/60, New Sayyaji Rao Road, Nelson Mandela Circle, Mysuru
Costing about ₹1,000 for two people, La Uppu serves delectable local delicacies and an amazing mix of the finest global cuisines like Asian and European. Try the Grilled Chicken and pizzas.

2. The Old House: Jlb Road Shop No.451, Mysuru
Only 1 mile from Mysore Palace, the restaurant features European dishes especially the Italian delicacy. The pizza, Mango cheesecake, sandwiches are super popular among tourists.

3. Depth N Green: 228/3 Gokulam Main Road, Mysuru
Depth N Green is quite friendly to vegetarians, providing great Indian food like Banana Lassi, Aloo Dill Massala, fresh salads and Western-style toasties with pesto.

Where to Stay in Mysuru - Most People Choose Hotels in Mandi Mohalla

1. Mandi Mohalla: Upscale Hotels
2. Indira Nagar: Famous Attractions
3. Yadavagiri: Convenient Transport

Brimmed with top-notch hotels, Mandi Mohalla is the most popular area to stay for a comfortable Mysuru travel. In this district also stands many large shopping malls, some of the most delicious restaurants, cinemas, etc. Another popular neighborhood, Indira Nagar houses some famous tourist destinations such as Karanji Lake, Mysore Zoo and Melody World Wax Museum. With Mysore Junction Railway Station, Yadavagiri is one of the convenient locations of Mysuru. Here Royal Orchid Metropole is highly recommended. It’s a luxury heritage hotel featuring an open-air barbeque restaurant, a quaint bar and a Play Zone for kids.

Transportation in Mysuru

Mysore Airport (MYQ), also known as the Mandakalli Airport, located near the village of Mandakalli, about 10.5 km (6.5 mi) south of the city center. The small airport operates frequent domestic flights to Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Goa for 1h15min, 2h, 1h45min, 45min and 1h. Mysore Junction Railway Station (MYS) connects Mysuru to other South Indian cities, such as Bengaluru and Kochi. It costs about ₹300-500 to Bengaluru and ₹1,100-1,500 to Kochi. Mysore Junction Railway Station is 1.7km (1 mi) away from Jaganmohan Palace, 2.5km (1.6 mi) from Mysore Palace and 3km (1.9 mi) from Mysore Zoo.

Mysore has lots of privately-owned agencies or hotels offering rental cabs for tourists. They offer chauffeur-driven cars, which generally costs about ₹1,400 for 8-hour sightseeing and ₹100/h for an extra hour. Taxis are the most common and convenient way for internal Mysore travel. It costs ₹86.5 within 3km and ₹12.5/km for the subsequent distance. Usually, a waiting fee of ₹65 per hour will be charged.

Top Shopping Markets

1. Devaraja Market: Sayyaji Rao Rd Shivarampet, Mysuru
With over 100 years old, the open-air market is popular among locals and tourists. It provides everything from a large variety of agriculture products, shiny jewelry, perfumes to clothes.

2. Mall of Mysore: Indranagar Extn, Nazarabad Mohalla, MG Road, Mysuru
In this premium mall, tourists can find almost all the popular brands, gaming centers, eateries and other entertainment options.

3. Cauvery Arts & Crafts Emporium: Sayyaji Rao Road, Nr. Cti Building, Mysuru
If interested in culture and handicrafts, you can pay a visit to this shopping place, boasting unique and traditional pieces that are made from various materials. Popular items are sandalwood and rosewood carvings.