Mysore’s Marvels: things to do

Danger! Danger! …. Health Warning…. 😉 no, we jest. This is a safe, healthy friendly place. A city that feels more like a town. The risk you run is of not allowing enough time to see what Mysore and it surroundings has to offer. Many guests feel they could stay for longer and wish to linger, it’s that sort of place. That’s a common problem in India but Mysore is special. Of course we’re not biased nor are we blatantly promoting our business. 🙂

Confused? Need help to plan? Just ask….

We’ve listed below some of the things that our guests have loved about Mysore and around.

If you want more help: visit our tours and resources page for specific suggestions and feel free to contact us directly (bottom of page) to discuss your visit in more detail. We’re not a travel or guide company, we just do these things to help our guests have a wonderful time in Mysore and to wish to come back for more.

In Mysore itself….

Our top three suggestions for what to see when you visit Mysore are…..

Mysore Palace with its audio tour and on Sunday evening the famous illuminations

Devaraja Market colourful and atmospheric selling fruit, vegetables, flowers, jaggery, oils and spices

the wonderful island of Srirangapatnam.

Whilst Srirangapatnam is not exactly in Mysore it’s a mere 12kms to get there and provides a great opportunity to understand and feel something of the tremendous culture, religion and history of this fascinating place.

On the island, it’s easy to fill a half or full day, just 30 -40 minutes from Mysore in our Auto Rickshaws and once out there there’s our MYcycle or auto rickshaw tour.

Just don’t miss-it. its fab! The island is created by the split of the Kaveri River, about 1.5 x 5 kms in size with a great mix of small town, village, river and countryside. There’s the Summer Palace, Tipoo Sultan’s Fort, Temple, Dungeons, the site of the fourth war of Mysore, lovely riverside locations and traditional carpenter workshops with a great riverside place for lunch. (if you haven’t spotted it, this is Stephen’s favourite).

Some guests do a tour or extend to a full day and return for another visit!

But there are many more Marvels in Mysore …..

Local Artisans: wood carving and patchwork (marquetry) with the largest concentration of such artists in the world, stone carving, making jaggery (basic sugar), bullock carts, silk mill

Museums and Art Galleries: Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Sangrahalaya (tribal arts and crafts), Jaganmohan Palace and many more concerts and exhibitions

Zoo

Lakes: there are two offering superb bird-watching opportunities not least on Tanu’s Tours

Loads of heritage buildings from the golden years of Mysore’s development, institutional buildings, houses and loads of Palaces

Occasional music and dance concerts

There is just so much to see and do, you’ll be nicely surprised. Tell us about your interests, and we’re happy to help wherever we can with further suggestions.  Check out our suggested tours.

We can also put an itinerary together for you:

email us with questions at tours@mycycle.co or

complete the form at the bottom of this LOOOONG page.

Other Resources:

check other pages on our web site and blogs such as Seeking Skies who have a few entries from their trip to Mysore

Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary: near to Srirangapatnam, although for the casual observer  with a good eye, most of the birds can be seen on a tour of Srirangaptnam. Its critical to visit at the right time of year, usually mid to end of winter but do check. Tanu’s Tours which also cover birdwatching.

Palaces and Temples, there are just too many to mention at the main Palace there are the Trinesvaraswamy, Shweta Varahaswamy, Lakshmiramana Swamy, Gayathri and Bhuvaneswari and Someswarar and Kodi Bharava Temples, confused? I am! and in and around the city in addition to the main Palace there seems to be one every few blocks, often used as institutional headquarters such as the Cheluvamba Mansion

and to help you make sense of it all check our tours page with themed tours providing tasters and on heritage, birds, photography, street food, artisans, trees and the environment and of course our world famous guided MyCycle tours

Railway Museum

Very close to the Bed and Breakfast are:

1. Lalith Mahal Palace Hotel is a crazy place for a relax beside the pool, swim and in the evening, a drink in the traditional bar, or meal at the restaurant, just a 20 minute walk from Mysore Bed and Breakfast
2. Sand Sculpture museum
3. Wax Museum 😉 Check  Seeking Skies for their take  on this Mysore oddity! (We’ve not been)
4. Chamundi Hill, walk part, up or down 1,000 steps, have an auto drop and pick you up. See the views of Mysore, pass the Nandi Bull sculpture. The Temple of the Goddess Chamundeshwari and the statue of the Demon she killed after which Mysore is named.

FOOD

In and around Mysore you’ll find Great places to eat and drink…ranging from traditional north or south indian, veg and non-veg, with and without drinks or sometimes Manjula will prepare an evening meal, ask her to provide a cookery lesson! Our favourite places to eat include:

• Dose Corner, Lemon Tree, and delicious street food are all close to a Mysore Bec and Breakfast
• Kamat, RRR and Siddartha for traditional Indian food especially at lunchtime
• Mylari for their Dosas
• Roopa and Silpashri for a roof top with atmosphere and beer
• Mayura Restaurant on Srirangaptnam, great riverside location
• over the other side of mysore and in the main Yoga area a whole range of modern diverse cafes selling organic food, fresh salads, vegan/vegetarian through to Italian, and wood fired oven pizzas. Our top recommendations are a Tina’s, Anu’s and Old House.

Check out the Ashtanga Brighton foodie suggestions for places to eat in the centre and in Gokulam.

HEALTHY AND WELLBEING

We could say that Mysore itself is a tonic but it’s also famous of course for various types of Yoga especially Ashtanga and Hatha ranging from drop-in to longer term teaching programmes. Check out this Guardian (UK newspaper) article for Top Yoga Places

We’ve recently discovered that Mysore has its very own Himalayan SaltCrystal Cave more Information of our visit can found on our bloglet  Or on their own web site  at Cave

There is a whole range of other therapies including Jag therapy, Ayurveda, massages, singing bowls and much more. You name it and we’ve probably got it.

We’ve introduced a taster of the range of different options available check tours.

FESTIVALS

such as Dasra, Ganesh…and many more unpredictable events throughout the year.

DAY TRIPS…..

Near Mysore

locally in one of our friendly Fare’s Fair, auto rickshaws:

Srirangaptnam

Somnathpur Temple

local Villages

DAY TRIP….

further afield (in a taxi)

Melkote, temple town with temples, ruins and Khadi cotton project with hand spinning and weaving. Tom and Amy combined a trip to Melkote with Shravanabelagola and you can find more details here

Bylakuppe Tibetan settlement, the second to be established in India with golden temple 90 mins from Mysore and the trip to the Dubare Elephant camp can be added to this day trip. Check our maps page for a guests hand drawn map and ask Stephen about visiting our favourite nun Ani to see their Temple, Monastery and workshops,

Check our tours

Temples of Belur, Halebid, ( a full long day tour) and Shravanabelagola (Jain temple and monolithic giant at Shravanabelagola) more details of this tour called BHS can be found here

or further afield for a few days:

Coorg

Nilgiris Hills:

Ooty, Coonoor, Toy Train

North Kerala backwaters and Kannur beaches

Numerous National Parks (or similar): Bandipur, Nagarahole, Mudumalai, Kabini River, Nilgiri Biosphere Park, Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, BR (Biligiri Ranga) Hills, Dubare Elephant camp, Kokkare Belle Bird Sanctuary, Dandeli, Bannerghatta, Wayanad

or even further afield in a bus, train (depends), plane or automobile:

Fort Cochin, the famous temple of Madurai, Backwaters overnight stay, Hill Stations: Ooty, Munnar…. Tamil Nadu Temple Towns, Pondicherry, Stone carvers of Mahabalipuram, Goa, Murdeshwar, Jog Falls,

Hampi (check our blog for details our trips and here’s the update), ask for details of Krishna a great auto rickshaw driver in Hampi and Gokarna, Kannur,

So don’t worry we’re here to help to get the best out of your stay. Just ask. Drop us an Email with your interests and requests.

As I hope, you’ll agree there’s much to do here in Mysore but above all, guests really appreciate, getting to know an easy-going, friendly, cleanish, accessible city.