Mysuru in 72 Hours: A 3-Day Itinerary, Palaces Last

Most visitors start at the palace and leave by lunch. Turn the order around and Mysuru opens up

Almost every Mysuru plan begins at the same gate. The bus pulls up, the crowd files through the Amba Vilas Palace, and by early afternoon the coach is heading back towards Bengaluru. The palace deserves its fame, but treating it as the whole of Mysuru is like reading only the last chapter of a good book. This itinerary saves the palaces for last. First come the market, the hill, the river island and the quiet old neighbourhoods, so that by the time you stand in the palace courtyard you understand the city that built it.

Day One: Market Morning and the Hill

Early morning: Devaraja Market. Begin where Mysuru shops. Devaraja Market, the old covered market in the heart of the city, dates from the era of the Wodeyar kings and still runs on its own rhythm. Arrive early to see jasmine and marigold strung into garlands, pyramids of coloured kumkum powder, betel leaves stacked in bundles, bananas of several kinds and the sandalwood and incense that Mysuru is known for. Parts of the old building have needed repair in recent years, so the layout may differ from older guidebooks; just follow the flower sellers.

Vegetable and fruit sellers with baskets of produce in Mysuru's Devaraja Market — Photo: Ryan from Toronto, Canada / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

Breakfast. Mysuru’s breakfast culture is serious. Look for a busy old eatery serving soft, butter-topped dosa, idli and strong filter coffee. Ask locals where they eat; the answers will be confident and specific.

Late afternoon: Chamundi Hills. As the heat eases, head to Chamundi Hills on the southeastern edge of the city. You can drive to the top, where the Chamundeshwari Temple honours the goddess who gives the city its legend, or, for the full experience, climb the long stone stairway of around a thousand steps. Halfway up stands the great Nandi, the bull of Shiva, carved from a single block of black stone in the seventeenth century and still garlanded by worshippers. From the top, the city spreads out below and, on a clear evening, you can pick out the palace.

The monolithic black stone Nandi bull on the steps of Chamundi Hills, Mysuru — Photo: Ankur Panchbudhe / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0

Day Two: Srirangapatna and the River

Morning: the island town. Srirangapatna, a short drive or train ride north of Mysuru, sits on an island in the Kaveri river and was the capital of Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan in the eighteenth century. Start at the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, an ancient Vishnu shrine that gives the town its name. Then visit Daria Daulat Bagh, Tipu’s summer palace, a low teak building whose walls are covered with painted murals, set in a formal garden. Nearby is the Gumbaz, the domed mausoleum where Tipu Sultan, his father and mother are buried.

Afternoon: birds on the Kaveri. Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary, a few kilometres from Srirangapatna, protects a string of small river islands where waterbirds roost and nest. Boats take visitors close to the islands, where you may see painted storks, egrets, cormorants and, if you are lucky, mugger crocodiles basking on the rocks. Nesting is most active in the cooler months and into summer, so check the season before you go.

Evening: back to the city. Return to Mysuru for dinner. Try a full south Indian meals plate, then finish with a piece of Mysore pak, the rich gram flour and ghee sweet that carries the city’s name.

Day Three: Palaces Last

Morning: Jaganmohan Palace. Start the palace day with the smaller one. Jaganmohan Palace, a short walk west of the main palace, now houses an art gallery with paintings, including works by Raja Ravi Varma, and a collection of curiosities gathered by the royal family. It is usually far quieter than the main palace.

St Philomena’s Church. Take an auto-rickshaw north to St Philomena’s Cathedral, the twin-spired neo-Gothic church completed in the twentieth century. Its tall spires and stained glass make a striking contrast to the Indo-Saracenic city around it.

Afternoon: Amba Vilas Palace. Now, finally, the palace. The present building was completed in the early twentieth century, after a fire destroyed the older wooden palace, and is a blend of Hindu, Mughal, Rajput and Gothic styles. Take your time in the Kalyana Mantapa, the marriage hall with its stained-glass ceiling, and in the Durbar Hall with its rows of carved pillars opening out towards the hills. Photography rules inside can change, so check at the entrance.

Mysore Palace framed through an ornate wrought-iron gate at sunset — Photo: Pavanaja / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Evening: the lights. On Sunday evenings and certain public holidays, the palace is usually illuminated with many thousands of bulbs for a short period after dark. If your third day falls on one, plan your exit so you are standing on the palace grounds when the lights come on. It is a fitting final scene. Check the current schedule locally.

Fruit stalls under umbrellas outside the old Devaraja Market building in Mysuru — Photo: Paul Arps / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

How to Reach Mysuru

Most travellers come via Bengaluru. Frequent trains connect Bengaluru and Mysuru, and the journey takes roughly two to three hours depending on the service. The Bengaluru–Mysuru expressway has also made the drive faster. Mysuru has a small airport with limited flights, so check current schedules. Within the city, auto-rickshaws and app-based cabs are easy to find.

Best Time to Go

October to February is pleasant, with mild days and cool evenings. Dasara, usually in September or October, is Mysuru’s grandest festival, with processions and the palace lit every night, but also its busiest time, so book well ahead. Summer, from March to May, is warm, and the monsoon brings regular showers that turn Chamundi Hills green.

Where to Stay and Eat

Stay in the central part of the city, within easy reach of the palace and Devaraja Market. Mysuru has heritage hotels in old mansions, comfortable mid-range hotels and simple lodges. Eat breakfast in old-style tiffin rooms, try a Karnataka meals plate for lunch, and buy Mysore pak and sandalwood products from established shops.

Tips

Climb Chamundi Hills late in the afternoon, not at midday.
Carry small change for temple offerings and footwear deposit counters.
Remove shoes and dress modestly at temples and the palace.
Buy silk and sandalwood from government emporia or reputable shops if you want guaranteed authenticity.
Keep the palace for the third afternoon. It will mean more.