Although having a reputation as a modern global commercial centre Bangalore remains one of India’s most attractive cities. Founded in 1537 by Kempe Gowda, a Magadi chieftain, Bangalore developed into the city it is today under the British who took over its administration in 1831. Bangalore was made into a spacious garrison town complete with impressive avenues, beautiful parks and comfortable bungalows surrounded by green lawns, tennis courts, churches and museums – much of which still remains to this day.

Visit Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace, a two-story ornately carved building, and the nearby Bull Temple, built in the 16th Century and the home to a 5m tall Nandi bull made of grey granite. Afterwards continue onto the Lalbagh Botanical Gardens originally laid out in 1760 by Haidar Ali and later expanded by Tipu Sultan. These gardens contain one of the largest collections of rare tropical plants in India with over 1,800 species of tropical, subtropical and medicinal plants present. Also of interest is the Vidhan Soudha a spectacular post Independence government building which houses both the State Legislature and Secretariat.