Hampi, the city of ruins, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Situated in the shadowed depth of hills and valleys in the state of Karnataka, this place is a historical delight for travellers. Surrounded by 500 ancient monuments, beautiful temples, bustling street markets, bastions, treasury building and captivating remains of Vijayanagar Empire, Hampi is a backpacker’s delight. Hampi is an open museum with 100+ locations to explore and a favourite way to see the city from the perspective of its history.

Hampi was the capital of the Vijayanagar empire around 1500 AD, and by some accounts, the second largest city in the world at that time. Over the next centuries it fell out of importance, and now you can explore the ruins of a lot of temples and other structures spread out over a vast area. The terrain around Hampi is as mysterious as the ruins itself – the city is surrounded by boulders of different sizes, and you can climb to the top of them with a little effort to get a stunning view of the entire city and the geography. It is located on the banks of the Tungabhadra River. Famous for its massive, beautifully carved temples, especially the Virupaksha Temple, dedicated to the patron deity of the empire. You can also find remains of the old aqueducts, canals and military barracks and stables here. Hampi was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1986 and many efforts have been taken to restore the lost glory of the place – very limited (if any) modern establishments are allowed in the main area, which gives an authentic feel to the ruins.

Places to Visit

Virupaksha Temple

The Virupaksha temple (or Prasanna Virupaksha temple) is located on the banks of the Tungabhadra river at Hampi. Built during the 7th century, the beautiful architecture and history of the temple have made it a UNESCO World Heritage site. The temple is abode to one of the forms of Lord Shiva called Lord Virupaksha. While it is located at present-day Hampi, it was once a smaller shrine in the middle of the ancient and majestic Vijayanagara empire. You will find beautiful stone inscriptions dating back to the 7th century on the walls of the temple as proof of its rich heritage. Architecture-lovers and history-buffs, do visit the temple when you are in Hampi!

The temple has tall towers or gopurams acting as gateways to the inner sanctums, as is usually seen in temples of south Indian style architecture. The gopurams lead to many inner corridors and halls, all decorated with ornate stone-work. The sculptures depict mythological stories of numerous Gods and Goddesses. The main deity of the temple is Lord Virupaksha, but it is also abode to few other Hindu deities too. While many devotees visit the temple during festival seasons like the Car Festival, it is otherwise less crowded.

Vithala Temple

The most impressive structure in Hampi, the Vithala Temple dates back to the 16th century and is a truly splendid example of rich architecture. The famous stone chariot, which has become an iconic symbol of the architecture of Hampi, is located inside the premises of this temple.

The temple complex is spread over a huge area. The main gate has an impressive arch with carvings, and opens in a large courtyard which has the famous stone chariot in the center. The main temple is located just behind the chariot and has beautiful carvings. There are also several other smaller temples inside the courtyard, all of which are definitely worth a visit. The carvings on the walls/pillars of these structures depict various gods in different forms.

Lotus Palace

Close to the Zenana Enclosure, is a monument that stands out in its design and style from most of the structures of Hampi. Another complex, for royal women, this one gets its name from the lotus-like dome.

Monkey Temple

On top of the Anjaneya Hill, at a distance of 2 kilometres from the Virupaksha Temple, the beautiful Yantradharaka Hanuman Temple also known as the Monkey Temple is present inside a cave. The temple being 500 years old is dedicated to Lord Hanuman. Sri Vyasaraja, who was the Rajaguru of the Vijayanagara Kingdom and a Dwaita philosopher, was the one to install the idol of Lord Hanuman in the temple. Being one of the most famous attractions of the Anjeyanadri Hill, the Monkey Temple is considered as a sacred spot for all the Hindus.

One has to climb 570 steps to reach the temple since it is located on top of the hill. Though the climb is steep, the beautiful views and the pleasant air make up for the climbing. One is also likely to come across aged people climbing up with energy and devotion. There is a small temple just 5 minutes away from the Yantrodharaka Temple which is dedicated to an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, i.e. Lord Srinivasa. His idol has been carved out by Sri Vyasaraja. Below a fig tree in front of the Hanuman Temple lie some snakestones, and they are worshipped as well. It is one of the must-visit spots for all nature as well as religious lovers.

Hampi Bazaar

This bazaar is facing the Virupaksha temple and hence is also known as the Virupaksha Bazaar.

Various artifacts are available here including antique coins, shawls, bags etc. Most tourists purchase souvenirs here.

Hippie Island

While most tourists stay to the south of Tungabhadra where most of the ruins are located, some prefer the north banks which have a vibrant hippie culture. Virapapur Gadde or Hippie Island is a small island situated across the Tungabhadra river. It takes 5 minutes to travel to the island via coracle or boat. The last boat for the island leaves at 5.30 pm. The backpacker’s delight, Hippie Island (Virupapur Gadde) is an epitome of scenic beauty and is known for laid back ambience and lodges.

It has shacks and cafes which operate from October end to mid-March. They serve awesome food along with chilled beer, and most of these have a great view of either the river or the beautiful rice fields. A lot of these cafes also serve as guest houses and you can get simple rooms here at cheap rates. Away from the luxurious life, living in small huts, savouring the taste of both Indian and Western cuisine and lying on the banks of the river you will definitely develop affection for the place. The shacks and cafes are a joint venture by Indians and Foreigners. Virupapur Gadde is full of backpackers who are on their way of exploring the remains of ancient times in the modern age. Therefore, you would find many for your company.

During the peak, season backpackers storm this area. It has small tourist huts which are offered at quite reasonable prices. The island has small cafes which are a joint venture of Indians and foreigners who stayed back to the place after it mesmerized them. A coracle ferry is needed to reach this side of the river. During the monsoon season, it is advisable to take a taxi to another end which is 40 km away.

Coracle Ride

When in Hampi, you absolutely have to get hold of a coracle and ride in one. It is one of the few places in the country where you can get such an experience and we guarantee that it is going to be a lot of fun. You can rent a coracle at really economic rates and cross the rates in the ferry that looks exactly like the one in olden days. This is one of the most exciting experiences and things to do in Hampi.

Queen’s Bath

A part of the Royal Enclosure, this aquatic enclosure was the Royal bath during the times of the Vijayanagara Empire. It was built in such a way that no outsiders could enter the bath, and has lost much to ruins at the date.

Matanga Hill

This hill is described as the location of the hermitage of the Saint Matanga during the Ramayana, hence is appropriately named.

This is an ideal spot for those looking for some trekking excitement, as it is the highest peak in Hampi.

Elephant Stables

The Elephant Stables served as an enclosure for royal elephants back in the day of the Vijayanagara Empire.

Eleven domed chambers are seen here with a particularly decorated one which served as an enclosure for the musicians during any performances.

Must Try Food in Hampi

1. Mango Tree Restaurant

2. Gopi Guest House & Roof Restaurant

3. Suresh Restaurant

4. Laughing Buddha

5. Taste of Brahmins

6. Shiva Cafe

7. Korean Restaurant

8. Shiva Moon

9. Sagar Hotel

10. Hampis Top Secret Restaurant

How To Get Here

Hampi is well accessed by road and rail. Although the railway station is in Hospet, 12 km away from Hampi, one can take a local bus or an auto-rickshaw from the Hospet railway station to Hampi town. The nearest airport at Hubli(143km) is not preferred by most visitors.

By Air

The nearest airport to Hampi, Bellary is 60 km away from the temple town. Hubli Airport is another Airport which is 143 km away from Hampi. Also, JSW Vidyanagar Airport in Toranagallu is located approximately 40 kms from Hampi. However, if you are a foreigner visiting the places you need to step down at Bengaluru Airport to get a Visa on Arrival. You can book domestic flight tickets from Bengaluru to Bellary or Hubli. Also, you could take a private taxi from Bengaluru Airport centre to reach your final destination Hampi which is 350 km away from the International Airport.

Alternatively, you can also reach Mumbai and take an overnight bus/train to Hospet and reach Hampi from there.

Nearest Airport: Kempegowda International Airport (BLR) – 272 kms from Hampi 

By Road

There are buses to Hampi (or to Hospet) from major cities like Bangalore, Mumbai, Pune and Bellary. NH4 connects Bangalore to Hampi and it takes around 7 hours to reach here. From Hospet, it takes around 40 minutes by a local state-run bus to reach here. 

By Train

Not having its own railway station, trains halt at Hospet Junction (13km). However, there are very few trains to Hosapete Junction (HPT) and they are mostly sold out well in advance during the season.