Karnataka has 12 UNESCO-class heritage sites that aren't Hampi. Here are seven worth a weekend trip from Bengaluru — and which ones to skip.

Karnataka's heritage extends far beyond Hampi, but most tourists never see it. Lakkundi (200km from Bengaluru) holds 101 temples and 100 stepped wells from the Western Chalukya era — most visitors have the entire complex to themselves on weekdays. Aihole and Pattadakal nearby form a single weekend trip that surpasses Hampi for sheer architectural variety. For coastal Karnataka: Bhatkal and Murudeshwar combine 9th-century Jain influence with the Arabian Sea. Stay in homestays at Kollur (Rs 1500-3000/night) and you're 90 minutes from both. Skip: Belur and Halebid in monsoon — temples are stunning but slippery and overcrowded. Visit Oct-Feb. Skip Mysore Palace if you've seen Indore's Lal Bagh or Hyderabad's Chowmahalla — better preserved, less crowded.