Thinking of Mysore, myriad of picturesque images come to mind- old world charm of the palaces; breath taking views from Chamundi hill; euphony of rehabilitated migratory birds in Shukavana; rich aroma of Hanumanthu biryani; soulful taste of Mysore Mylari dosa and many more. The city not only emerged as one of the modern tourist friendly places but also maintained its royal heritage intact.

Let’s delve into the top things to do in the cultural capital of Karnataka, Mysore.

1) Mysore palace day and night!!
Built and renovated over five centuries, the current palace was completed in 1912 and was once the official residence of Wadiyar dynasty. With a blend of Hindu, Mughal, Rajput and Gothic style, the marble tombed structure stands tall in the heart of the city.

If the exterior of the palace is a royal edifice, the interiors of the palace is even more majestic. From exquisitely decorated ceilings to gleaming tiled floors to mural painted walls to artistically sculpted and gold painted pillars, every bit of the palace will make you spellbound with its magnificence.

Illuminated with nearly one lakh electric bulbs, watch the whole palace transforms to a fairy tale like setting at night. Isn’t the palace look dazzling?

Best time- All year around. Especially during Dussehra.
Entry time – 08:30 am to 5:30 pm
Illumination time – 07:00 pm to 07:45 pm (Dussehra or Sundays or Public Holidays)

2) Mysore zoo
Mysore zoo was established in 1892 by Mysuru Raja. Despite being one of the oldest zoos, Mysore zoo was kept clean and neat with lush greenery all around. Unlike many zoos, the upkeep of the animals and their habitat was exceptionally good.

The administration has managed to keep the place strictly plastic-free by getting a deposit of INR 10 for every bottle carried inside the zoo. During exit, you can get back the money on showing your bottles. With toilet and RO at every nook, the zoo had all that is required to make your trip comfortable.

Best time- All year around. During summers, avoid going during noon time.
Entry time – 08:30 am to 5:30 pm
Time required – 5 hours if you want to view fully
Note – Tuesday is a holiday

3) Shuka vana
Shuka vana is basically a sanctuary  spread across one and half acre with astounding variety of birds. Started out as a rehabilitation center for injured birds, Shuka vana has now made it to the Guinness world record for housing largest number of bird species in an aviary. Also the aviary is slowly turning into an education center for school children.

The moment you enter the aviary armed with a plate of cut fruit, you will be treated with a flock of birds rushing to savour the fruits while sitting on your shoulders, arms and even top of your head.

Get yourself photographed with these beauties at the aviary. Apart from aviary, there is also a beautiful Bonsai garden to spend your time leisurely.

Best time – All year around
Entry time – 08:30 am to 5:30 pm

4) Karanji lake
A man-made lake located near the heart of the city surrounded by a breathtaking canopy of lush green trees and well laid pathways. There is a watch tower to observe the birds flocking merrily in the lake.

Enjoy your time cycling the nature park surrounding the lake. You can also go for boating in the lake. Apart from this, this place also houses Butterfly park, Orchid park and a play area for children.

Best time – From September to January
Entry time – 08:30 am to 5:30 pm

5) Chamundi hills
How much ever touristy it can get, Chamundi hill is one undeniable place which can’t be missed in your Mysore trip. How can you miss the fantastic view of Mysore city from the hills? Added to the view, the hill also has a famous temple named Chamundi temple. Built by the hoysala rulers, this 1000 years old temple in Chamundi hill houses Chamundeeshwari as the presiding deity.

Not only the vibe of the temple, but also the drive to the temple was too good to be true. The hill is commercialized with lots of food stall and toy shops all around the temple but still you can find a quiet spot to relish the panoramic view of the city.

Go on a fantastic ride to Chamundi hill at night to experience the breathtaking view of illuminated Mysore palace along with the city from atop the hill.

Best time- All year around. 
Entry time – 07:30 am to 09:00 pm

6) Jaganmohan palace
Standing covertly in the old alleys of Mysore, Jaganmohan palace houses an auditorium hall and an art gallery.  When we went there, the art gallery was under restoration. We could only visit auditorium hall which was hosting a kid’s dance show in the evening.

Heard from friends that art gallery in the palace has a collection of Heritage furniture, musical instruments, clocks and also Raja Ravi varma original paintings

Best time- All year around.
Entry time – 08:30 am to 5:30 pm

7) Sand Sculpture Musuem
Mysore Sand Sculpture Museum at the base of the Chamundi hill is first of its kind in India. A young woman named M.N.Gowri painstakingly sculpted nearly 150 sculptures. It took her around 5 months to make these marvelous sculptures using 115 truckloads of construction sand. Sand museum houses sculptures ranging from history to mythology to public awareness to Mysore heritage.

Time – 08:30 am to 06:30 pm

8) Ride a Tonga
Mysore being one of the last places where tongas are still in use, we took the ride near Mysore palace and felt transported back in time. While four wheeled Sharot rides look royal, two wheeled tonga rides are way cheaper to roam around.

9) Savour the melt-in the mouth dosa at Vinayaka Mylari
Looking at the queue outside a small restaurant named Vinayaka Mylari in the Nazarbad area, I was skeptical whether the food is overrated. The moment Sagu masala dosa melted in my mouth, I knew this restaurant has lived up to its legacy.

This dosa comes with a divine filling of sagu, onion and coriander. The dosa is full of flavour that you can’t resist eating more of it. Still cynical? Pack your bags to Mysore and eat Sagu dosa yourself and then thank me later!

Time – 06:00 am to 01:30 pm, 03:00 pm to 09:00 pm

10) Mutton pulao in Hanumanthu
Being one of the oldest hotel(Since 1930!!), Hanumanthu hotel in akbar road is quite famous among travelers and city dwellers. From the rich aroma of pulao to perfectly cooked mutton pieces, everything about this pulao was scrumptious.

Interesting thing is that it is served in a leafy plate. As the taste of the pulao was little less spicy to my standard, I poured the watery gravy(May be Paya!) given to adjust to my spice level.

Time – 07:00 am to 10:00 pm
Note – Monday is a holiday

11) Wax musuem

Located 3 km from Mysore palace, wax museum with music theme is an emerging tourist place housing life size wax statues in native attires. It also boasts of possessing largest collection of musical instruments in Karnataka. Display of musical instruments belonging to different parts of the country to statues of life size playing it makes the visit to wax museum worthwhile.

Mysore city is a perfect confluence of both heritage and modern. From maintaining its old world charm in heritage palaces to holding the authenticity of the festivities to preserving the amazing indigenous cuisine, Mysore sure is a legacy of past which should be experienced to truly appreciate it. Add in the easy accessibility to places and modern day accompaniments to make sure that your travel to Mysore is a pure delight.

Despite my three visits to Mysore, I still feel that I have only scratched the surface of this heritage city.

Have you visited Mysore? Which is your favorite place in Mysore?