Forming the backdrop of the city is the 1,100-feet-high Chamundi Hill. On the top of the hill stands the temple dedicated to the Goddess Chamundeshwari, the royal family's patron deity. To reach the temple one can either drive through the 13-km stretch up to the summit or climb the 1,000 stone steps. Nearby the temple stands the huge statue of Mahishasura, the demon slain by the Goddess.

Being a heritage building, the palace is located about 11 kms from the city of Mysore. This twin storied palace was commissioned in 1921 by Maharaja Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV and was designed by E.W Fritchley in the Renaissance style with concepts from the Italina palazzo and the English manor. Nestling at the foot of the Chamundi Hills, the pleasing white structure was modeled in the lines of St. Paul's Cathedral in London.

It is located at a half-hour's drive from the city . The well-manicured steps of these world famous terrace gardens are bordered by watercourses. Musical fountains with soft colored lights add to the visitor's delight. The view of the gardens during the nights is a thing to be seen.

The church looms 165 feet into the air, its twin spires touching the sky. The interiors, much like any other church, are peaceful. The stained glass lends a lovely yellow light to the interiors of the church. The beautiful image of Philomena, who is known as a martyr for Christ, is placed uncharacteristically in an underground chapel. Interiors of the main hall depict scenes from the birth of Christ, the Last Supper, the Crucifixion, the Resurrection and the Ascension of Christ. No photography allowed inside the church.

The Mysore palace is an architectural wonder. The main building is in grey granite, three storied and dominated by a five storied tower topped by a gilded dome. The tower soars to a height of 145 feet from the ground. The palace is built around an open courtyard, to the east of which is the elephant gate. On the first floor is the Durbar Hall and towards the north is the Ambavilasa. The Kalyanmantap or the marriage hall is awesome. The stained glass decorations and the murals adorning the pavilion are worth spending some time over.

It is located about 15 kms from the royal city of Mysore. There are many interesting places here of which the summer palace of Tipu Sultan is a must visit. Built in 1784 in the Indo-Saracenic style, the palace also has a small museum where Tipu's trivia, including a gold-embroidered tunic, old paintings and a coin collection, are displayed. A little away from the palace is the Gumbaz, the mausoleum of Tipu Sultan and his father, Hyder Ali.

The nearest airport is Bangalore, at a distance of 140 kms from Mysore. All domestic airlines are operating flights to and from Bangalore to all major cities of the country. A few international flights to the Middle East are also operated from Bangalore.

Mysore is well connected through rail. There are many train services operating between Bangalore and Mysore. The Shatabdi Express connects Mysore to Chennai. The ideal route to reach Mysore is via Bangalore.
 

There is a good network of roads that connects Mysore to the other important cities of the region.Bus services by Karnataka Road Transport Corporation and transport corporations of the neighboring states as well as private tour operators make it easy to reach the city without any difficulty.

Although Mysore enjoys the pleasant weather but in summers the city too become hot and humid. The best time to visit the city is during Dussehra Festival in October. Dussehra also heralds the start of the tourist season, which adds to its suitability as a time to visit the city.