Bangalore - City Guide

Beauty lies in the eyes of beholder and if you want to see one of the most beautiful places in India then Bangalore is the word for it. Pleasant climate with colorful gardens with lakes and glittering nightlife, Bangalore has made its own attraction for travelers. One of the most charming cities in India, is the capital of Karnataka state and fifth largest city in terms of industrial and commercial growth.

The Garden City of India or Bangalore was formerly capital of what was called as Mysore (which was a State) during the rule of Britishers. The city has been blessed by nature in the sense it has a great variety of flowering tress and gardens. The government is also making consistent efforts to preserve as well as maintain beauty of the city. This has made city, a sheer delight to simply wander around.

Important Facts

Some important facts about the city are as:

State: Karnataka
New Name: Bengaluru

Area: 484 sq km
Altitude: 3000 ft above sea level.
Geographical Location:
Latitudinal Parallels: 12 degree 8' N
Longitudinal Meridians: 77 degree 37' E
Climate: Although Bangalore has pleasant weather throughout year but winters are the best time to visit the city.
March to May (warmest months)
December to January (coldest months)
June to September (rainy - South-West Monsoon)
November to December (rainy - North-East Monsoon)
Mercury level:
Maximum: 33 degree C
Minimum: 14 degree C
Languages: Kannada, English, Hindi, Telegu and Tamil.
Religion: Population is predominantly Hindu. But all faiths are observed here and people live with great cooperation and respect for each other's faith.
Literacy Rate: 85.74%
Population: Around 5.3 million.
Airport: Bangalore Airport is 8 km from the M.G. Road area. Transfer to the city by tourist taxi takes about 20 minutes and costs about Rs. 180. Prepaid taxi service is also available. An auto rickshaw, charging about Rs. 80 takes nearly the same time.
Agriculture: Bangalore is often called as the 'Fruit market of the South'. Grapes, mangoes, bananas, custard apple, sapodilla, jackfruit, melons and guavas are grown here.
Telecommunications:
International dialing code: +91
Local area code for Bangalore: 080

Must Know

Dress: Informal dresses are worn by Bangaloreans with no ties and suits at even business meetings. Revealing clothes will not be appreciated.

Crime : Like any other city in the world, it is always better safe than sorry.

Business: If you are making a business visit to Bangalore then you must know that there are two tech zones in the city. The International Tech Park in Whitefield and Electronic City on Hosur Road. You can get one-stop solution integrating office, production, commercial, recreational and residential needs under single roof at Tech Park. Electronic city is a hub of all electronic items.

Eating Out: Due to strict rules observed by local Police, most of the bars close by 11:30 in the night. They’re some restaurants that open till late in midnight. There are 24-hour coffee shops that can be best place to eat after pubs are close. Except for good restaurants you can expect food to be served without cutlery as local people eat without cutlery. You can use basins available and always eat with right hand.

Tourist Enquiry Offices:
Tourist Reception Counter: Airport-2526 8012
Tourist Reception: Cauvery Bhavan-2221 5489
City Railway Station - 2287 0068 K.S.T.D.C-2221 2901
Government of India Tourist Office-2558 5417

Climate

Bangalore lies in the Southeast quadrant of the state at 12 degrees 8 minutes N Latitude and 77 degree 37 minutes East Longitude. As much as 119 sq km of the city is covered with lakes and tanks- Floor Lake, Kempambudhi Tank, Sankey's Tank, Sampangi Tank are to name a few.

Seasons
There are four main seasons that are characterized by different climatic conditions. Locates at an altitude of 920m(3,021 ft.), Bangalore boasts Delightful weather throughout the year. The average temperature in the warmest month of April registers to 27.1degree centigrade while in the coldest month of January, it is 20.48 degree centigrade. Evenings are cool and pleasant throughout the year

Winters: January-February. A cool and dry season
Summers: March-May. A hot and dry season
Monsoon: June-September. Mainly rainy season. October-December is a subsidiary rainy season.
Rainfall: 87cm (annual average). Southwest and Northeast monsoon

Embassies

Name	Location	Phone
Canada	103 Prestige Meridian 1 29 M.G. Road, Bangalore, 560 001	2559-9418, 2558-1116