Cubbon Park
This large, 120-hectare (300-acre) green space right in the heart of the city is shaded by massive clumps of bamboo and is a perfect place for picnics. One feature is a statue of the old colonial empress herself, Queen Victoria.

Free admission.

Lalbagh Botanical Gardens
‘Lalbagh' means ‘red garden' and a feature of these botanical gardens, located 4km (2.5 miles) south of the city centre, is an enormous swathe of red roses. The gardens were laid out in the 18th century by Hyder Ali and his son Tipu Sultan and many of the trees have been there since the beginning. They are home to one of India's largest collections of rare tropical plants and a glasshouse modelled on London's Crystal Palace.

South Bangalore
Tel: (080) 2657 3667.
Website: www.horticulture.kar.nic.in/lalbagh.htm
Free admission.

The Fort and Tipu Sultan's Summer Palace
A few minutes walk south of the City Market are The Fort and Tipu Sultan's Summer Palace. The fort, at Krishna Rajendra Road, was built in stone by Tipu Sultan on the site of an earlier mud brick one. Much of it was destroyed in the wars with the British and it has not been restored or well maintained. Tipu's Summer Palace is built of wood and has notable teak pillars but much of its painted decoration has disappeared.

Admission charge.

Bull Temple
Bull Temple, 2km (1.2 miles) further south at Bugle Hill, dates from the 16th century and contains a granite monolith of Nandi, the bull. There are often prayer gatherings, musicians and wedding processions to be seen.

Bugle Hill
Free admission.

Iskcon Temple
The Iskcon Temple, 8km (5 miles) northwest of town, is a shiny modern temple lavishly decorated. Iskcon stands for International Society of Krishna Consciousness, sometimes known as the Hare Krishnas. It is open to the public and has a multimedia cinema showing films on the Hare Krishna movement. For the converted there are five shrines.

Hare Krishna Hill, Chord Road
Free admission.