Bangalore

1 Vidhana Soudha

The first stop on any sightseeing circuit of Bangalore should be the imposing Vidhana Soudha, the state legislature building. The enormous monument was built from 1954-58 and drew on the unskilled labour of convicts, who were given their freedom on completion of the project. Granite columns, carved ledges and floral motifs combine with steel and reinforced cement, resulting in a blend of architectural styles described as neo-Dravidian. Join the camera-toting crowds that gather on Sunday evenings when the building is illuminated. Opposite the Vidhana Soudha is the equally attractive red-brick High Court of Karnataka. Completed in 1885, the two-storey Greco-Roman-style structure served as the public offices of the colonial British government.

2 Botanical Gardens

Hyder Ali, the ruler of Mysore, southwest of Bangalore, laid out the botanical gardens in 1760; it was his love of red roses that inspired the name Lal Bagh, meaning red garden in Hindi. The grounds were expanded, first by his son and later by the British, who introduced rare species from Kew Gardens in London, and built the military bandstand and glasshouse. December is a good time to visit the 97-hectare site because many plants and flowers are in full bloom. The gardens are where residents go to escape the city. Early joggers are followed by school groups, exercising businessmen and, at dusk, courting couples who sit around the lotus pond eating ice cream. The gardens host an annual Republic Day flower show on January 26.

3 Colonial bungalows

Homesick British administrators and merchants appreciated the city's cool climate and residential areas grew in response to the increased army presence early in the 19th century. Today, a few crumbling colonial bungalows fight a losing battle against encroaching steel and concrete apartment blocks. These relics of empire evoke a melancholic sense of decline and are worth seeing before they are sold. Head for Frazer Town or Benson Town, where single-storey homes with broad driveways and tidy gardens are reminiscent of the British home counties.