Places to Visit in Hampi

Sacred Centre (Hampi Bazaar)

• Virupaksha Temple — Hampi's living temple, dedicated to Shiva, with a 50-metre gopuram. Open 6 am–1 pm and 5–9 pm; entry is free.
• Hampi Bazaar — the long colonnaded market street in front of Virupaksha, with cafés and shops.
• Hemakuta Hill — early temples on a granite hill and Hampi's most popular sunset point.
• Sasivekalu and Kadalekalu Ganesha — two monolithic Ganesha statues on the slopes of Hemakuta.
• Krishna Temple and Krishna Bazaar — a 16th-century temple with a long market street and tank opposite.
• Lakshmi Narasimha and Badavilinga — a 6.7-metre monolithic Narasimha and a 3-metre Shiva linga standing in water.
• Matanga Hill — the highest point in central Hampi and the best sunrise view.

Royal Centre (near Kamalapur)

• Hazara Rama Temple — the royal chapel, its walls carved with Ramayana scenes.
• Royal Enclosure — the Mahanavami Dibba platform and the geometric Stepped Tank.
• Underground Shiva Temple — a temple set below ground level, often partly flooded.
• Queen's Bath — an arched bathing pavilion with a large pool.
• Lotus Mahal — an elegant Indo-Islamic pavilion in the Zenana Enclosure.
• Elephant Stables — eleven domed chambers for the royal elephants.
• Archaeological Museum, Kamalapur — sculptures and a scale model of Hampi. Closed Fridays.

Along the Tungabhadra River

• Vittala Temple and the Stone Chariot — Hampi's icon, with the famous musical pillars (touching them is no longer allowed).
• Achyutaraya Temple — a large, quiet temple complex at the foot of Matanga Hill.
• Kodandarama Temple and Chakratirtha — a riverside temple at a sacred bend of the Tungabhadra.
• King's Balance (Tula Bhara) — a stone gateway where kings were weighed against grain and gold.

Places to visit near Hampi

• Anegundi and Anjanadri Hill — across the river: Hanuman's birthplace, Pampa Sarovar and a 575-step climb. See the Anjanadri Hill guide.
• Sanapur Lake — a boulder-ringed lake on the Anegundi side, popular for coracle rides and sunsets.
• Tungabhadra Dam — a large dam near Hosapete with gardens and a viewpoint; most dramatic in August when the gates open.
• Daroji Bear Sanctuary — sloth bears seen from a watchtower in the late afternoon. See the Daroji guide.
• Badami, Aihole and Pattadakal — Chalukyan cave temples and a second UNESCO site, about 140 km away. See the day-trip guide.

Places to visit in Hampi with family

With children or elders, pick sights with short walks: Virupaksha Temple, Lakshmi Narasimha, the Royal Enclosure, Lotus Mahal and Elephant Stables, the Vittala Temple (battery vehicles cover the walk) and the Tungabhadra Dam gardens. Keep hill climbs like Matanga and Anjanadri for the fitter members of the group. A Hampi sightseeing cab that waits at each stop makes a family day far easier than autos.