Mysore city was the capital of the Kingdom of Mysore. Due to that reason, the city glitters with royal heritage and magnificent monuments and buildings. But that is not the only reason you would want to go there. You can reach Mysore via air route at the Mandakalli airport and via rail route and by road as well. Accommodation at Mysore budget hotels is within pockets and easily available. The hotels in Mysore near railway station are well furnished and give you all the required amenities.
In addition, Mysore is also very rich in culture and tradition. The market is replete with spice stores and incense stalls. The Mysore palace is the second most visited palace in India (1st being the Taj Mahal). Once a seat of the Wodeyar maharajas, the palace has lavished interior with over the top glass, mosaic and wooden work. It is lit up by nearly 100,000 bulbs every Sunday and on national holidays. Another place not to miss out is its armoury, which has a collection of over 700 weapons. Just west of the Mysore palace is the Jagmohan Palace, built in 1861, which houses the Jayachamarajendra Art Gallery.
The Devaraja market dates back to Tipu Sultan’s period. It is a huge market where local traders sell traditional items such as kum, incense, flower garlands and spices. It also provides for some great photo ops for enthusiasts. Another very famous site is the Chamundi hill on the top of which is the Sri Chamundeshwari temple. It is a half day excursion and offers a fantastic view of the city below. It is better to visit here during the week as queues are very long at the weekend.
The Venugopala temple, originally built in the 12th century, was submerged under the water when the dam on Kaveri river was build but was later build again block by block 1km away from its actual location. Since its revival, it has become a magnet for tourists and devotees. It is quite away from hotels near the railway station in Mysore but can be reached via public transport.
The most famous eateries in the city are Malgudi Cafe, Cafe Armane, Anu’s Bamboo Hut, Tiger Trail, Parklane hotel, Vinayaka Mylari, Depth ‘n’ Green and the famous Italian hotel-Old House. There are several ways to tour the city. Bicycle tours, Mysore city tours conducted by tour operators (pickup and drop from any of the Mysore budget hotels), open jeep tours of monuments and temples are some of the available options. The walking tour is emerging as the best option if you want to experience the food, wine and nightlife of Mysore.
