Mysuru Palace
Open 10:00 to 17:30, last daytime entry at 17:00. Sources disagree on the foreigner ticket price, from Rs 100 to Rs 1,000, so confirm it at the counter.
Sources differ on this, or we have only one, so check locally.
2 daysHow long to stay
Budget to luxuryRough cost
Couples, Families, Friends, SoloWho it suits
KarnatakaSouth India
Is this for you?
Mysuru is an elegant, unhurried city for palaces, markets and simple wandering. Two days does it, and it suits solo travellers, couples, friends and families. It's a gentle introduction to southern India, and a good stop on the way to the Nilgiri hills. If palaces and markets leave you cold, skip it.
When to go
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Go in the coloured months. The black ones are best avoided.
What to do
Palace lights
Time your visit for a Sunday or public holiday, when the palace is lit from 19:00 to 20:00. During Dasara, the ten-day autumn festival, it's lit every night.
Devaraja Market
One source calls this a busy old market. Go for the colours and the smells.
Sources differ on this, or we have only one, so check locally.
Chamundi Hill
One source says you can reach this hill above the city by bus or by steps, with views back over Mysuru.
Sources differ on this, or we have only one, so check locally.
Somanathapura
Give half a day to the Chennakesava Temple, a historic Hindu temple, according to our one source. Ask at the gate what non-Hindus may enter.
Sources differ on this, or we have only one, so check locally.
What to eat
Mysuru eats a simple, buttery breakfast better than almost anywhere, and it gave the world a famous sweet. Come hungry in the morning.
Bisi bele bath
A hot rice and lentil dish that can run to thirty ingredients. A filling lunch at any local vegetarian place.
Vegetarian
Mylari dosa
A soft dosa, a rice and lentil pancake, served with butter and coconut chutney. Have it for breakfast at the old Nazarbad shops.
Vegetarian
Mysore masala dosa
A thin, crisp dosa filled with spiced potato, with sambar, a lentil stew, and chutneys on the side. A morning order.
Vegetarian
Mysore pak
A rich fudge of ghee, or clarified butter, with gram flour and sugar, said to come from the palace kitchen. Buy it fresh in town.
Vegetarian
Where to go
Guru Sweet MartSayyaji Rao Road
Mysore pak from the family tied to its story. Take a box for the train.
Cheap eats, vegetarianHotel RRRGandhi Square
Biryani, fish fry and mutton. Expect a lunch queue.
Cheap eatsHotel Vinayaka MylariNazarbad
The Mylari dosa. Copycats abound, so look for the green sign saying Old Original.
Cheap eats, vegetarian
Getting there
From Bengaluru, take a daytime train, about 2 hours 15 minutes. The Vande Bharat (fast modern chair-car train) skips Wednesdays and the Shatabdi (fast day train) skips Thursdays. Ooty is 124 km for small vehicles via Kallatti or 158 km for buses via Gudalur, about 4 to 5.5 hours by bus. Clear the forest road before 20:30: night driving is banned.
Where to stay
Nazarbad Central and practical, the sensible pick on a budget.
Near Jaganmohan Palace Budget prices too, and closer to the palace and the market, so start your search here.
Worth knowing
Safety
Clear the forest road between Mysuru and Ooty through Bandipur before 20:30. Reports conflict on whether the night driving ban starts at 20:30 or 21:00, and it runs to 06:00.
Sources differ on this, or we have only one, so check locally.
