Old Bangalore Walking Tour: Palace, Temples, Fort & Market

A teak palace, stone carvings, a crumbling fort and the sensory chaos of an Indian market, all in one morning

This 3-hour walking tour through Old Bangalore takes you inside Tipu Sultan's 230-year-old teak palace, a 1690 Hindu temple with carved stone columns, the 16th-century Bangalore Fort, and a working produce market where vendors, cows and heaps of vegetables fill every corner. Entry to all monuments is included; a licensed guide in English leads the walk. Wear clothes that cover your legs and shoulders to enter the temples, and bring a scarf if you are a woman.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Bangalore's historic sites and market

• Meet guide and start tour
• Visit Tipu Sultan's Summer Palace
• See adjoining Vishnu temple
• Walk to Bangalore Fort
• Explore Bangalore Fort remains
• Experience the bustling local market
• Visit the Jain temple

The Experience

The walk starts at Tipu Sultan's Summer Palace, a structure built entirely of teak wood in Islamic architectural style. Your guide—a Government of India approved and licensed guide—walks you through the diwan-e-am and diwan-e-khas (the public and private audience halls), then explains Tipu Sultan's history: his alliances with the French, the Anglo-Mysore wars, his role in rocket science innovation, and the controversies that followed. A museum inside the palace grounds adds context to how he came to be called the Grandfather of Rocket Science.

Next door stands the Vishnu temple, built in 1690 by Chikkadevaraja Wodeyar. The walls are covered in stone sculptures of Hindu mythological figures, and the interior columns are carved with ornate detail—the kind of workmanship that draws Hindu devotees to book marriage ceremonies here months in advance. A 10-minute walk away is Bangalore Fort, a mud structure originally built by Kempegowda (the city's founder) in the 16th century, then rebuilt in stone by Hyder Ali in the 1760s. Only about 5 percent of the fort remains, but it is well maintained and rarely crowded.

The market stop is where the sensory overload begins. Vendors, coolies, hawkers and buyers jostle for space alongside cows, cycles, rickshaws and bikes. Heaps of vegetables, fruits, flowers and spices pile up everywhere. There is order in this disorder—the market functions—but the noise, the movement and the sheer density of life in action is what makes it worth seeing. This is typical India in motion, the kind of scene that photographs cannot quite capture.

The walk ends at a Jain temple, where you learn about Jainism—one of the world's oldest religions, with roots going back at least 2,500 years. The guide explains the core principles of non-violence and vegetarianism, and the outsized economic footprint of the Jain community in India despite making up less than 0.4 percent of the population. Entry to the Jain temple follows certain restrictions, which your guide will explain.

What’s included

• Entry to Tipu Sultan's Summer Palace, the Vishnu temple, Bangalore Fort and the Jain temple.
• a live guide in English (either a licensed guide or a trainee guide, depending on your option).
• and access to the working produce market and surrounding streets.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearby

Operated by Bangalore and Beyond

Is this one for you?Book with the licensed guide if you want detailed historical context and fluent English narration; choose the trainee guide if you prefer a smaller group and a lower price. Either way, the walk works for all fitness levels, though you will be on your feet for three hours navigating crowded streets and temple interiors.

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Top questions

What is Tipu Sultan's Summer Palace made of and what can I see inside it?

Tipu Sultan's Summer Palace is built entirely of teak wood in Islamic architectural style. Inside, you see the diwan-e-am (public audience hall) and diwan-e-khas (private audience hall), and a museum on the premises that explains Tipu Sultan's history, his military campaigns and his contributions to rocket science.

Do I need to cover my legs and shoulders to visit the temples on this walk?

Yes. Both the Vishnu temple and the Jain temple require that you cover your legs and shoulders. Women should also bring a scarf. Entry to both temples is subject to their working hours and any seasonal variations.

How old is Bangalore Fort and how much of it still stands?

Bangalore Fort was originally built as a mud structure by Kempegowda, the founder of Bangalore, in the 16th century. It was rebuilt in stone by Hyder Ali in the 1760s. About 5 percent of the fort remains today and is open to visitors in a well-maintained condition.

What will I see at the produce market stop?

The market is a working space where vendors, coolies, hawkers and buyers move around cows, cycles, rickshaws and bikes. Heaps of vegetables, fruits, flowers and spices fill the stalls and streets. It is a dense, noisy, active snapshot of daily life in Bangalore—the kind of sensory experience that defines an Indian market.

Can I choose between a licensed guide and a trainee guide on this walk?

Yes. You can book the walk with a Government of India approved and licensed guide, or with a trainee guide. Both options include entry to all monuments and the same 3-hour route through Old Bangalore.

What is Jainism and why does the guide spend time explaining it?

Jainism is one of the world's oldest religions, with at least 2,500 years of history and roots contemporary to Buddhism. Its core principles are non-violence and vegetarianism. Though Jains make up less than 0.4 percent of India's population, they contribute more than 24 percent of personal tax collections and own over 28 percent of Indian property—a disparity worth understanding when you visit their temple.