The city is home to Infosys, Google's Research and Development Center, and some of the world's most talented (and inexpensive) software engineers.
How to get around: Forget public transportation. Auto-rickshaws are everywhere and charge about $1.50. Taxis are easily found at hotels and taxi stands, and a car with a driver costs about $3.50 per hour or $9 for a four-hour tour. Try Hertz for rentals (476 Adugodi-Koramangala Main Road; 91-11-4184-1212).
Where to find free Wi-Fi: Coffee World (86 Brigade Road; 91-98-8029-8505) is an uncrowded chain of living-room-style cafes with creamy frappés and sweet treats.
Where to get a trim: Bangalore has hundreds of small barbershops offering haircuts for less than a dollar, but most Westerners pay $10 at Bounce (First Floor, Magnolia Towers, Vittal Malya Road; 91-80-4132-9100).
Best place to get down to business: Sunny's (34 Embassy Diamante, Vittal Malya Road; 91-80-4132-9391) serves European and Indian food and is popular with the IT crowd. It's relatively quiet, so you can talk.
Best place to celebrate closing the deal: The 80-year-old Mavalli Tiffin Rooms (Shop 14, 11 Lalbagh Road, Wilson Garden; 91-80-2222-0022) is famous for its South Indian food. It's also cheap. The Thali meal - with vegetables, lentils, bread and rice - costs about $2.
What you might not know: Residents call their city Bengalooru. Like Bombay (now Mumbai), the city was renamed to make it sound more Indian and less British.
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