Bengaluru (Bangalore) in 7 days

India's garden city turned tech capital: craft beer, third-wave coffee, parks and the gateway to the south. Best time to visit: October-February. Average daily budget: $35 to $90 USD.

Day 1, Land & wander

Base: Indiranagar, 100 Feet Road's breweries, restaurants and boutiques, the city's going-out core.

Morning: Lalbagh Botanical Garden at sunrise. 240 acres of trees, a glass house and a 3,000-million-year-old rock outcrop.

Afternoon: Explore Indiranagar, 100 Feet Road's breweries, restaurants and boutiques, the city's going-out core.

Evening: Brewery crawl in Indiranagar. India's craft beer capital, with dozens of taprooms within walking distance.

Eat: Masala dosa and filter coffee at MTR or Vidyarthi Bhavan

Day 2, Iconic sights

Base: Koramangala, Startup land: cafes, cheap eats, bars and a young crowd.

Morning: Dosa breakfast at a legacy darshini. Stand-up counters serving masala dosa, idli and filter coffee since the 1940s.

Afternoon: Explore Koramangala, Startup land: cafes, cheap eats, bars and a young crowd.

Evening: Tipu Sultan's Summer Palace and Bangalore Palace. Teak Indo-Islamic pavilion and a Tudor-revival pile from two different eras.

Eat: Donne biryani served in a banana-leaf bowl

Day 3, Food & markets

Base: MG Road & Cantonment, Colonial-era streets, Commercial Street shopping and central hotels.

Morning: Cubbon Park on car-free Sundays, when locals jog, read and busk.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Afternoon: Explore MG Road & Cantonment, Colonial-era streets, Commercial Street shopping and central hotels.

Evening: Blossom Book House on Church Street, four floors of stacked secondhand books.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Eat: Ragi mudde with saaru, the Karnataka staple

Day 4, Local neighbourhoods

Base: Basavanagudi & Old City, Bull Temple, Gandhi Bazaar and traditional South Indian breakfast joints.

Morning: Rangoli Metro Art Center's pop-up galleries above MG Road station.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Afternoon: Explore Basavanagudi & Old City, Bull Temple, Gandhi Bazaar and traditional South Indian breakfast joints.

Evening: Nandi Hills at sunrise, an hour out, for cloud-sea views over the Deccan.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Eat: Craft IPAs and pub food along 100 Feet Road

Day 5, Day trip

Base: Malleshwaram, Brahmin bakeries, flower markets and the most old-Bangalore feel.

Morning: Slow start: coffee in Malleshwaram, then an unhurried walk before the heat or the crowds.

Afternoon: Explore Malleshwaram, Brahmin bakeries, flower markets and the most old-Bangalore feel.

Evening: Dinner at Masala dosa and filter coffee at MTR or Vidyarthi Bhavan, then a quiet drink wherever the locals are in Malleshwaram.

Eat: Masala dosa and filter coffee at MTR or Vidyarthi Bhavan

Day 6, Hidden gems

Base: Indiranagar, 100 Feet Road's breweries, restaurants and boutiques, the city's going-out core.

Morning: Slow start: coffee in Indiranagar, then an unhurried walk before the heat or the crowds.

Afternoon: Explore Indiranagar, 100 Feet Road's breweries, restaurants and boutiques, the city's going-out core.

Evening: Dinner at Donne biryani served in a banana-leaf bowl, then a quiet drink wherever the locals are in Indiranagar.

Eat: Donne biryani served in a banana-leaf bowl

Day 7, Slow finish

Base: Koramangala, Startup land: cafes, cheap eats, bars and a young crowd.

Morning: Slow start: coffee in Koramangala, then an unhurried walk before the heat or the crowds.

Afternoon: Explore Koramangala, Startup land: cafes, cheap eats, bars and a young crowd.

Evening: Dinner at Ragi mudde with saaru, the Karnataka staple, then a quiet drink wherever the locals are in Koramangala.

Eat: Ragi mudde with saaru, the Karnataka staple

Hidden gems

Cubbon Park on car-free Sundays, when locals jog, read and busk.
Blossom Book House on Church Street, four floors of stacked secondhand books.
Rangoli Metro Art Center's pop-up galleries above MG Road station.
Nandi Hills at sunrise, an hour out, for cloud-sea views over the Deccan.

Getting around

Kempegowda International Airport is 35 km north, 60 to 120 minutes by cab or about 75 minutes on the Vayu Vajra airport bus. The Namma Metro's purple and green lines cover the centre well and beat traffic; app cabs and autos handle the rest. Avoid crossing the city between 8-11am and 5-9pm if you can help it.

Safety

Bengaluru is safe and cosmopolitan, with the usual big-city petty theft on crowded transport. Traffic is the real hazard, so cross carefully and insist on helmets for bike taxis. Bars close relatively early under city rules, around 1am. Solo women travellers generally find it among India's easier cities, though app cabs are still the sensible choice at night.

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