Nandi Hills is the classic early-morning escape from Bangalore: a steep, fortified hill station where the plains fall away into mist, wind, and sunrise light. It is close enough for a half-day trip, but it has more identity than a simple viewpoint.
The hill has layers. On the summit are the old fort walls, Yoga Nandeeshwara Temple, Amrita Sarovar, and the cliff known as Tipu's Drop. At the foot of the hill, Bhoga Nandeeshwara Temple is a much older and more finely carved temple complex than many visitors expect from a Bangalore day trip.
Go early, partly for the view and partly because the road and summit can become busy. Nandi Hills is most satisfying when treated as a small historic landscape: climb or drive up for the fort and views, then slow down at the temple below before returning to the city.