Aura of India: Cities in Karnataka: Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mangaluru and the North

The granite front of the Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru

Photo: Moheen Reeyad, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped), via Wikimedia Commons

Vidhana Soudha and the edge of Cubbon Park in central Bengaluru, on a weekday morning.

Karnataka has one very large city and many small ones, and the small ones hold most of what travellers cross the state to see.

Bengaluru, the capital

Bengaluru is far bigger than anywhere else in the state: its urban area had about 8.5 million people at the 2011 Census, and it was the only one in Karnataka above a million. It began in the 16th century as Kempe Gowda's mud fort and market town, the pete, which still survives as the crowded wholesale streets around Avenue Road. The British cantonment grew up to the east. Between them lie Cubbon Park, Vidhana Soudha, the granite seat of the state legislature, and the older neighbourhoods of Basavanagudi and Malleswaram, where the city's quieter, Kannada-speaking life is easiest to see.

Namma Metro, which means "our metro", is the way to beat the traffic: the Purple, Green and Yellow lines are running, and the Pink Line's first stretch was awaiting its safety clearance in October 2026. The airport is at Devanahalli, well north of the city; allow plenty of time to reach it.

Mysuru and the south

Mysuru was the seat of the Wadiyar kings, and it is still a city of palaces, wide roads and gardens, with Chamundi Hill standing over it. The palace is the main sight, and during Dasara, from 11 to 21 October in 2026, the city is lit up and crowded. Mysuru is also known as one of India's cleanest cities. It is about 140 km from Bengaluru by road, two to two and a half hours on the faster trains, and Srirangapatna, Tipu Sultan's island fort town, lies on the way.

Mangaluru and Udupi, the coast

Mangaluru is Karnataka's port, a hilly city of tiled roofs, churches and temples where Tulu, Konkani, Kannada and Beary are all spoken. Panambur beach lies beside the port to the north, and St Aloysius Chapel is known for the paintings that cover its walls and ceiling. Udupi, about 60 km up the coast, grew around the Sri Krishna Matha; eight monasteries take turns to run the temple, two years at a time. Malpe beach is close by, and boats run from there to St Mary's Island, with its columns of basalt rock, outside the monsoon months; check before you go. Both towns are known for their food: Udupi gave its name to a style of vegetarian restaurant found across India.

The north: Hubballi-Dharwad, Belagavi and Kalaburagi

Hubballi and Dharwad are twin cities run by one corporation: Hubballi the railway and trading town, headquarters of the South Western Railway, and Dharwad the older seat of colleges and Hindustani classical music, home to singers such as Gangubai Hangal and Mallikarjun Mansur. Dharwad also gives its name to a sweet, the Dharwad peda. Belagavi, near the Maharashtra border, has a fort with the carved Kamal Basti Jain temple inside it, and the Kapileshwar temple in the old town.

Kalaburagi was the first capital of the Bahmani sultans in the 14th century. Its fort holds a large old mosque, and the dargah of Khwaja Bande Nawaz, a Sufi saint, draws pilgrims all year. Vijayapura, further west, was the Adil Shahi capital. Hosapete, in Vijayanagara district, is the railway town for Hampi, about 13 km away; most people stay in or near Hampi itself.

The new names

In November 2014 twelve Karnataka cities officially took their Kannada names. Bangalore became Bengaluru, Mysore Mysuru, Mangalore Mangaluru, Hubli Hubballi, Belgaum Belagavi, Gulbarga Kalaburagi, Bijapur Vijayapura and Hospet Hosapete, along with Bellary, Shimoga, Tumkur and Chikmagalur. Older maps, books and some railway timetables still use the English forms, so it helps to know both when booking.

Cities to know

Bengaluru (Bengaluru Urban): the capital and the main airport; about 8.5 million (2011 Census, urban area).
Mysuru (Mysuru): the palace, Chamundi Hill and Dasara.
Mangaluru (Dakshina Kannada): the port, Panambur beach and the coast's food.
Udupi (Udupi): the Krishna Matha and Malpe.
Hubballi-Dharwad (Dharwad): railway town and music town.
Belagavi (Belagavi): the fort, Kamal Basti and Kapileshwar.
Kalaburagi (Kalaburagi): the Bahmani fort and Khwaja Bande Nawaz.
Vijayapura (Vijayapura): the Adil Shahi capital and Gol Gumbaz.
Hosapete (Vijayanagara): the station and dam town for Hampi.

Leave Bengaluru by any road and the state slows down within an hour, to fields, granite hills and towns built around a temple or a fort.

Plan your visit

Best season	October to February, when the days are warm and dry. The coast gets very heavy rain from June to September; the north is hottest in April and May.
How to reach	Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru, is the main gateway; Mangaluru, Hubballi and Belagavi also have airports. Main stations: KSR Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mangaluru, Hubballi and Kalaburagi.
Getting around	Namma Metro in Bengaluru; KSRTC buses link every town in the state. Trains for Bengaluru-Mysuru and the north, buses or cabs along the coast.
Where to stay	Around MG Road or Malleswaram in Bengaluru; near the palace in Mysuru; Hampankatta or near the beach in Mangaluru; near Car Street in Udupi.
How long to spend	Two days in Bengaluru, two in Mysuru, two on the coast, and a day for each northern city. More in our Karnataka guide.

Open Vidhana Soudha, Bengaluru, Karnataka in Google Maps

Questions people ask

Which city is better as a base, Bengaluru or Mysuru?

Bengaluru for flights, onward trains and the north. Mysuru for a slower few days: it is smaller, easier to walk, and closer to Srirangapatna and the southern hills.

Where should I stay for Hampi?

Most travellers stay at Hampi itself or nearby, and use Hosapete only for the railway station and buses. Hosapete has more hotels if Hampi is full.

Is Bengaluru the most developed city in Karnataka?

There is no official ranking of Karnataka's cities by development. Bengaluru is by far the largest and the centre of the state's IT and business life.

Is the Bengaluru metro useful for visitors?

Yes, for central Bengaluru: the Purple and Green lines cross at Majestic, near the city railway station and main bus stand, and reach MG Road, Cubbon Park and Lalbagh. It does not yet reach the airport.

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Cities in Karnataka: Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mangaluru and the North