Boulder landscapes and the ruins of an empire
Hampi was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire, one of the largest cities in the world in the sixteenth century, until it was sacked in 1565. Its ruins, a UNESCO site, spread across a landscape of giant granite boulders and banana plantations on the Tungabhadra River. The Virupaksha Temple is still in worship, and the Vittala Temple has its famous stone chariot and musical pillars. Explore by bicycle, watch sunset from Matanga Hill, and cross the river to quieter Anegundi.