About 340 km from Bangalore lies Hospet. Its tourist importance lies in its proximity to Hampi, the site of the medieval Vijayanagar Empire, situated about 13 km away. The Tungabhadra Dam here harnesses the waters of the Tungabhadra River. At the base of the dam is a garden styled along Japanese lines.

Attractions

Harihara, 90 km away, is situated on the banks of the Tungabhadra river. It has an ancient temple dedicated to Harihareshwara.

Hampi, 13 km away, is a World Heritage Site and the most beautiful and evocative of all the ruins in Karnataka. The erstwhile capital of the Vijayanagar kingdom, it is full of delightful surprises. Like the King's Balance where kings were weighed against grain, gold or money which was then distributed to the poor, the Queen's Bath with its arched corridors, projecting balconies and lotus-shaped fountains that once sprouted perfumed water, the two-storeyed Lotus Mahal with recessed archways, the huge Elephant Stables, the splendid Vithala Temple with its musical pillars and the Stone Chariot, the Virupaksha Temple, still used for worship, Ugra Narasimha, the 6.7-m tall monolith, the Pushkarini Tank, the Mahanavami Dibba and so much more