Mysore (officially Mysuru) is one of the most regal, cultured, and visitor-friendly cities in South India — a place where the grandeur of the Wadiyar maharajas’ court lingers in its palaces and festivals, where sandalwood and silk perfume the bazaars, and where tradition and modernity coexist with rare grace. Capital of the Mysore Kingdom for over six centuries, Mysore is today celebrated as the cultural capital of Karnataka and one of India’s finest heritage tourism destinations. Here are the top tourist attractions in Mysore.
1. Mysore Palace (Amba Vilas Palace)
The Mysore Palace is the crown jewel of Mysore tourism and one of the most visited monuments in India — second only to the Taj Mahal in annual footfall. The current palace — a spectacular blend of Indo-Saracenic, Hindu, Mughal, and Gothic architectural styles — was completed in 1912 by the British architect Henry Irwin for Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV. The interiors — the Durbar Hall with its stained-glass ceiling, the golden throne, and the ornate ceilings — are breathtaking. On Sunday evenings and during the Dasara festival, the palace is illuminated by over 97,000 bulbs.
2. Chamundeshwari Temple — Chamundi Hill
Perched atop the 1,062-metre Chamundi Hill overlooking Mysore, the Chamundeshwari Temple is the most sacred religious site in the Mysore region and the presiding deity of the Wadiyar royal family. The 40-metre gopuram is richly decorated with polychrome stucco figures. The 1,000-step climb to the summit passes the magnificent Nandi bull — a 16th-century monolithic sculpture over 5 metres high. The hill offers panoramic views of Mysore city.
3. Dasara Festival (Navaratri)
Mysore’s Dasara is one of the grandest and most famous festivals in India, celebrated over ten days and culminating in a procession (jamboo savari) on Vijayadashami day in which the idol of Chamundeshwari is carried on a magnificently caparisoned elephant through the streets. The royal family of Mysore presides over the traditional ceremonies, and the entire city is illuminated in a dazzling light display for the duration. Hundreds of thousands of visitors descend on Mysore each October for this extraordinary spectacle.
4. Brindavan Gardens
Laid out below the Krishnaraja Sagar Dam on the Kaveri River, Brindavan Gardens is one of the finest terraced gardens in India, styled in the Mughal garden tradition. The fountains are illuminated at night in spectacular colour-changing displays, and the garden is at its most beautiful during the evening hours. The nearby KRS Dam itself — completed in 1924 — was an engineering marvel of its time and transformed the agricultural fortunes of the Mysore region.
5. Mysore Zoo (Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens)
Established in 1892 and spread across 157 acres adjacent to the Mysore Palace, Mysore Zoo is one of the oldest and most celebrated zoological gardens in India. It is renowned for its excellent animal welfare standards and the quality of its breeding programmes. Residents include gorillas, chimpanzees, giraffes, white tigers, elephants, and white peacocks. The zoo has received numerous national awards for zoo management excellence.
6. St. Philomena’s Cathedral
St. Philomena’s Cathedral is one of the largest Catholic churches in India and a striking example of neo-Gothic architecture. Built between 1933 and 1941 in the style of the Cologne Cathedral in Germany, its twin spires rise 54 metres above the city. The stained-glass windows depicting biblical scenes are particularly beautiful, and the cathedral is open to visitors of all faiths as a cherished part of Mysore’s diverse religious landscape.
7. Devaraja Market
The Devaraja Market in the old city is one of the most atmospheric and colourful markets in South India. Stalls overflow with jasmine and rose garlands, the famous Mysore sandalwood products (soap, incense, oil), silk fabrics, fresh vegetables, and regional spices. Shopping for silk at the government-run silk showroom and for handicrafts at the Cauvery Emporium provides access to authentic Mysore crafts at reasonable prices.
8. Jaganmohan Palace and Art Gallery
Built in 1861 as an overflow venue for the Mysore royal court, the Jaganmohan Palace now houses one of the finest art galleries in South India. Its collection includes paintings by Raja Ravi Varma — India’s most celebrated Victorian-era painter — along with Tanjore paintings, European works, antique musical instruments, ivory carvings, and fascinating royal memorabilia from the Wadiyar court. The palace’s ornate wood-carved interiors are themselves works of art.
9. Somnathpur Hoysala Temple
Located 35 kilometres from Mysore, the Keshava Temple at Somnathpur is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and perhaps the finest example of Hoysala temple architecture in existence. Built in 1268 CE during the reign of King Narasimha III, every surface of the star-shaped temple is covered in bands of intricately carved figures — elephants, lions, horses, mythological scenes — executed with precision and artistry that leaves visitors speechless. The temple is smaller than Halebidu and Belur but more perfectly preserved.
10. Railway Museum
The Mysore Railway Museum is a hidden gem that delights visitors of all ages with its collection of vintage locomotives, royal saloons, and railway memorabilia. The centrepiece is the private saloon of Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV — an ornate carriage that transported the king in an era of rail travel at its most luxurious. A joy ride on a vintage steam locomotive is available within the museum grounds.
Mysore: A City Worth Savouring
Mysore rewards the traveller who lingers. Beyond these top ten attractions, the city’s cuisine — the soft-centred Mysore Pak sweet, the distinctive Mysore masala dosa, the Mysore coffee — its silk weavers, its yoga tradition, and its unhurried pace of life all contribute to an experience of South India at its most cultured and gracious. Give Mysore at least three days — and you will almost certainly wish you had allowed for more.
