Bangalore is India’s high-growth tech hub, but your 3 day Bangalore itinerary shouldn’t just be about office parks and traffic. To see the city’s real character, you need to balance its colonial-era parks with its world-class craft beer scene and frantic traditional markets. This guide focuses on the three essential pillars of the city: the historic Lalbagh Botanical Garden, the regal Bangalore Palace, and the chaotic charm of KR Market. You will navigate the "Garden City" through its historic lung spaces, storied eateries, and the modern energy that makes it India’s most livable metro.
Day 1: Palaces and Parks
Start your 3 day Bangalore itinerary by exploring the city’s royal history and its reputation as the Garden City. This day covers the central and northern heritage belt.
Morning
Bangalore Palace: Open from 10:00 AM. This Tudor-style estate is modeled after Windsor Castle. Look for the ballroom, the fortified towers, and the sprawling grounds. It is a 15-minute auto-rickshaw ride from the city center.
Cunningham Road: Walk ten minutes south of the palace area to find local breakfast spots. Skip the international chains and head to CTR (Shri Sagar) nearby in Malleshwaram for their Benne Dose (butter dosa). It is legendary for a reason. Expect a wait on weekends.
Afternoon
Lalbagh Botanical Garden: Take a 20-minute Uber to this 240-acre park. Walk to the Glass House, inspired by London's Crystal Palace. The rock formations here are 3,000 million years old. Enter through the West Gate to stay close to the shade.
MTR (Mavalli Tiffin Rooms): Located right outside the Lalbagh gate. This is a culinary institution. Order the Rava Idli—a dish invented here during WWII. It is crowded, functional, and efficient.
Evening
Cubbon Park: Transition to the city’s central lung space. Walk the bamboo groves and see the High Court and State Central Library buildings. The red Gothic architecture is a sharp contrast to the greenery.
Lavelle Road: Exit Cubbon Park towards Lavelle Road for dinner. This is the upscale heart of the city. Visit Sunny’s for a classic meal or Biere Garden for your first taste of Bangalore’s famous craft beer. Most spots here are walkable from the park exit.
Day 2: Markets and Microbreweries
Day two of your 3 day Bangalore itinerary shifts from the manicured parks to the grit and flavor of the old city, ending in the nightlife capital of India.
Morning
KR Market (Krishna Rajendra Market): Arrive by 7:00 AM if you can. This is one of Asia’s largest flower markets. It is sensory overload—intense smells, loud bartering, and bright colors. Wear closed-toe shoes. It is chaotic but essential for seeing the "old" Bangalore.
Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace: A short walk from the market. This teakwood palace is an example of Indo-Islamic architecture. It’s small and won't take more than 45 minutes, but the intricate carvings are worth the detour.
Afternoon
Basavanagudi: Take an auto-rickshaw to this traditional neighborhood. Visit the Bull Temple (Nandi Temple), which houses a massive monolithic bull carved from a single boulder.
Gandhi Bazaar: Walk from the temple to the bazaar. This is the place to buy spices, silks, and traditional wares. Stop at Vidyarthi Bhavan for a coffee. It is a historic student haunt where the service is fast and the atmosphere hasn't changed since 1943.
Evening
Indiranagar (100 Feet Road): Take the Metro (Purple Line) to skip the evening gridlock. Indiranagar is the epicenter of Bangalore’s social life.
Toit or Pecos: Start at Toit for a microbrewery experience—Bangalore is the craft beer capital of India. If you prefer a dive bar with classic rock history, head to Pecos. Everything in Indiranagar is walkable once you arrive, but the sidewalks are uneven.
Day 3: Museums and Modernity
Finalize your 3 day Bangalore itinerary by looking at the city's intellectual side and its high-end shopping districts.
Morning
National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA): Housed in a restored colonial mansion on Palace Road. The permanent collection features works by Raja Ravi Varma and Amrita Sher-Gil. The cafe in the courtyard is one of the quietest spots in the city.
Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum: If you have any interest in Bangalore’s rise as a tech giant, this museum is a fascinating, if slightly retro, look at science and engineering. It is located right on Kasturba Road.
Afternoon
Commercial Street: This is the city's most famous shopping stretch. It’s a maze of narrow lanes selling everything from bespoke suits to cheap trinkets. Practice your bargaining skills here.
Blossom Book House: Located on Church Street. This is a pilgrimage site for bibliophiles. It is one of the largest second-hand bookstores in the world. Stacks go from floor to ceiling. You don't browse here; you get lost.
Evening
Brigade Road and MG Road: These are the historic commercial arteries of the city. Walk the length of Brigade Road to see the neon lights and the crowd.
The 13th Floor: End your trip here for a view. It’s a bar on MG Road that offers a panoramic look at the city skyline. It’s the best place to see how the "Garden City" has transformed into a vertical metropolis. For dinner, walk to Empire Restaurant for their famous late-night chicken and ghee rice.
Where to stay for this itinerary
Stay in Indiranagar if you want nightlife and proximity to the Metro. It is the most "plugged-in" neighborhood. For a more central, upscale experience, choose Lavelle Road or Residency Road. These areas keep you within a 20-minute radius of the main parks and palaces while offering the city's best dining options right at your doorstep.
Add a day if you have time
If you have a fourth day, leave the city. Take a day trip to Nandi Hills, about 60km away. You need to leave by 4:30 AM to catch the sunrise above the clouds. Alternatively, visit the Mysore Palace, a 2.5-hour trip via the new expressway. It is one of India’s most visited monuments and offers a deeper dive into the regional royalty that shaped the state of Karnataka.