A warm welcome to dear blog readers and guys, embrace yourselves as you are at the right place if you are looking to have some interesting and adventurous time in a tour, off your hectic schedules. Yes, you are at the right place because you are about to know the interesting places to visit in the City of Pearls, Hyderabad that leaves behind Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore to become the best Indian city to live in.
Welcome to Hyderabad, the City of Pearls:
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| THE COLOURFUL CHARMINAR |
There is a reason to call Hyderabad the city of Pearls. The city was known as Pearl and Diamond trading center and continues to be known as the City of Pearls. Many of the city's bazaars including, Laad Bazaar; Begum Bazaar and Sultan Bazaar have remained open for centuries. The Laad Bazaar, situated near one of the historical monuments, Charminar has shops that sell pearls, jewellery and bangles studded with stones, etc. Girls, do we need to say more?
Tourist Attractions in Hyderabad:
Many of the tourists including foreigners are attracted to the magnificent attractions of the city. Hyderabad is the Capital City of South Indian State, Telangana and the history of the city was shaped out by the rulings of Qutub Shahis, Mughals, and the Nizams. The Tourism Industry forms an important role in the economy of Hyderabad. One can't resist themselves in applauding the splendour and beauty of the city as there are a lot of eye stealing attractions like Historical Monuments, Palaces, Religious Places, Museums, Planetariums, Lakes, Parks, Wildlife, etc. So, why still wait around? Let us explore the beauties, starting with the historical monuments.
Historical Monuments:
Mecca Masjid:
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| MECCA MASJID |
Mecca Masjid, also known as Makka Masjid, is one of the oldest mosques in Hyderabad and is one of the largest Masjids in India. It is named so because the bricks were made from the soil that was brought from Mecca to build the Centra arch. It was built 400 years ago during the reign of Sultan Muhammad Qutub Shah, the sixth Qutub Shahi Sultan of Hyderabad. However, the Qutub Shahis never finished the building of the Mosque. It was completed by Aurangzeb in 1964.
The Mosque has a length of 255 feet and is 180 feet wide with a height of 75feet. A room in the courtyard is believed to house a sacred relic of the prophet. According to the history, Sultan Muhammad Qutub Shah invited the entire devout religious elders in the city to lay the foundation stone but as no one had come forward, Sultan himself volunteered to lay the foundation and it's said that he never missed his midnight prayer right from the age of 12.
The aura that one gets to feel near this mosque is simply incomparable. It has the capacity to accommodate 10,000 worshippers to offer prayers at a time. A common sight at this place is feeding pigeons which is considered a virtue in the Muslim community.
Timings: 8:00 am - 12:00 pm
3:00pm - 8:00 pm
Entry fee: No entry fee.
Famous for: Monuments.
Charminar:
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| CHARMINAR |
The famous monument that comes to mind if anybody has to talk about Hyderabad. Its name is derived from two words, 'Char' and 'Minar', meaning four minarets. The landmark has become a global icon of Hyderabad. It's believed that Sultan Muhammad Quli Qutub Shahi, the fifth ruler of the Qutub Shahi dynasty had built the monument in 1591, to commemorate the end of a deadly plague menace that had gripped the city then. Some historians say that it was built in honour of his wife, Bhagyamati.
Historians believe that this structure is an example of Indo-Islamic Architecture style with some Persian elements. The monument is located in the heart of the Old city and it's believed that Hyderabad was measured in four directions from Charminar for Administrative purposes. There is also a legend of an underground tunnel that connects Golkonda to Charminar as an escape route for Qutub Shahis in the case of siege, though the location of the tunnel is unknown. There are some really beautiful balconies on the first floor to the delight of the tourists.
One of the oldest mosques, Mecca Masjid is situated towards the west end of the Charminar. On the east of it lies the famous Laad Bazaar, known for pearls, bridal wear and traditional bangles of Hyderabad. Charminar has become synonymous with the culture of the old city of Hyderabad and also, the area is famous for lip smacking Muslim dishes, hyderabadi culture and stands tall as a reminder of the glorious era.
Timings: 9:00am - 5:30pm
Entry fee: 5 INR
Famous for: Monuments.
Golkonda Fort:
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| GOLCONDA FORT |
Golconda, also known as Golkonda is one of the biggest fortresses in the Deccan Plateau that rests above the land at approximately 400ft. altitude. The name originates from the Telugu words, 'Golla' and 'Konda', meaning Shepherd's Hill. It was originally known as Mankal, built on the top of a hill in 1143. From the kakatiyas to Qutub Shahis, the fort served all the dynasties which ruled Hyderabad during the past. Golconda was the principal capital of the Qutub Shahi kings.
The brown brick walls spread over the green lawns take us back to the Medieval Indian era whose fame and glory touched the hearts of millions of historians. The fort is famous for its acoustics, palaces, ingenious water supply system and the famous Fateh Rahben Gun, one of the famous cannons used in the last seize of Golkonda by Aurangzeb, to whom the fort finally fell.
Golconda still boasts of mounted cannons, four drawbridges, eight gateways, majestic halls, etc. The outermost enclosure is called Fateh Darwaza meaning Victory Gate after Aurangzeb's army successfully marched through this gate. At Fateh Darwaza, one can witness fantastical acoustical effects, which is one among the many engineering marvels at Golconda.
Timings: 9:30am - 5:00pm (except Fridays).
Entry fee: 5 INR(for a person)
25 INR(per Camera)
135 INR(for Light and Sound show).
Famous for: Acoustics, Monuments, Fateh Rahben Gun.
Qutub Shahi Tombs:
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| QUTUB SHAHI TOMBS |
These are the magnificent monuments that withstood the test of time and Nature's vagaries. The tombs of the legendary Qutub Shahis lies about one kilometer away from the Golkonda fort. These tombs are said to be oldest historical monuments of Hyderabad. The tombs are built in Persian, Pathan, and Hindu architectural styles, the one of its kind in the world where the entire dynasty is buried at one place. They lie amidst beautiful landscape gardens with intricately carved stonework.
Each tomb is of Quadrangular shape and rises around 9 to 15 meters above the terrace. Each tomb differs in size and surprisingly, the smallest of all happens to be the founder of the dynasty's, Sultan Quli Qutub-Ul-Mulk. The smaller tombs constitute single stories while the larger tombs are seen as two storeyed. During the Qutub Shahi period, legend says that these tombs were of great significance that even criminals taking refuge there were given pardon. These tombs are the examples of the architectural heights of Qutub shah dynasty, a delight for history buffs.
Timings: 9:30am - 4:30pm.
Entry fee: 5 INR(for children)
10 INR(for adults)
25 INR(for Camera).
Famous for: Monuments.
Palaces:
Be prepared to get back in time while taking a Royal Tour to the magnificent palaces of Hyderabad. If you are a person with passion in exploring the grand residence of the royalties, here we are, looking into the Hyderabad's wonderful and royal Palaces. You will get to know the minute details of the Nizam and the Hyderabad Province. Let us immerse ourselves into these beautiful locations,
Chowmahalla Palace:
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| CHOWMAHALLA PALACE |
ChowMahalla palace, also known as ChowMahallattu is a palace of the Nizams of the state of Hyderabad. This palace has played a perfect host to numerous royal guests and still welcomes the admirers with a majestic charm. Built in several phases between 1857 - 1869 by Nizams, the complex comprises four palaces in Moghul and European styles, of which the main palace is double storeyed while the remaining being single. As one enters the palace, their eyes get bedazzled by the overhead, Belgian Crystal made Chandeliers and the mirror finished white marble floor. It was originally spread across 45 acres of land extending from Laad Bazaar to Aspan Chowk road but unfortunately, at present only 12 acres remains. The palace is a replica of Shah's palace in Teheran.
Presently, the palace consists of two courtyards with graceful palaces, the grand Durbar hall or the Khilawat. Gardens and Fountains add to its elegance. Southern Courtyard is the oldest part of the complex. It consists of four graceful palaces Tahniyat Mahal, Mahtab Mahal, Afzal Mahal, and Aftab Mahal. Southern Courtyard has been restored and is open to the public. Another stunning construction is the Clock Tower. It houses the Khilawat clock that works perfectly.
Timings: 10:00am - 5:00pm(except fridays and public holidays).
Entry fee: 10 INR(for children)
25 INR(for adults)
100INR(for Camcorder).
Famous for: Heritage, Monuments.
Falaknuma Palace:
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| FALAKNUMA PALACE |
Falak-Numa means 'Like the Sky' or 'Mirror of the Sky' in the Urdu language. Falaknuma palace was built by an Italian Architect through one of the Paigah nobles, Nawab Vikar al-Umra, later owned by the Nizam of Hyderabad. The palace was built in the shape of a Scorpion with two stings spread as wings. The middle part is occupied by the main building and the kitchen. The Falaknuma palace is a rare blend of Italian and Tudor Architecture. Its stained glass windows throw a spectrum of colour into the rooms.
The Nizam used the palace as a royal guest house and it has a commanding view of the entire city. The Falaknuma fell silent after the 1950s. Its last guest was the President of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, in 1951. The palace was mostly kept closed since then and underwent a huge restoration after it was given on lease to the Taj group of hotels in 2000.
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| 101-SEATING DINING HALL |
The Renovated hotel was opened in 2010 and the rooms and halls were decorated with Ornate furniture and brocade from France. The palace has a 101-seating dining hall, considered the largest in the world, and the Durbar hall, embellished with the carved wooden ceilings, walnut furniture, and handcraft mirrors. The famous Bollywood celebrity, Salman Khan spent two crore rupees to book the hotel for two days for his Sister's Wedding.
Timings: 9:00am - 6:30pm.
After all this exploration on historical monuments and palaces, why don't we watch Miss Satvika, a Youtuber share her awesome experience in Hyderabad......
That was quite an experience, wasn't it? Satvika talks about the friendly people in Hyderabad and you got to see the Begum Bazaar, the biggest commercial market in Hyderabad and about the Hyderabadi Hindi language. Satvika even explored the Great Hyderabad Adventure Club (GHAC) which conducts a lot of adventure activities like Trekking, Camping, Bungee Jumping, Paragliding, and Skydiving.
One needs to visit the Necklace road in Hyderabad, the most peaceful place and located at the heart of the city. If viewed from the sky, the road has the shape of the necklace and hence the name. Coming to the greatest entertainment of ours, yes we are talking about the movies and it is called Tollywood in Hyderabad which produces the largest number of films in Hyderabad, apart from Bollywood.
Ramoji Film City:
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| RAMOJI FILM CITY |
Ramoji Film City is the largest integrated film city in the world. It's spread across 1500 acres and made its way to the Guinness Book of World Records for being the largest film studio in the world. It is also a popular tourism and recreation center with several attractions including an amusement park. RFC is owned by Ramoji Rao, head of the Ramoji Group which owns among other things, film production facility and a film production company,'UshaKiran Movies'.
It also serves as the perfect destination for corporate events and lavish weddings. Some of the major attractions of the spectacular film city are Sun Fountain, Japanese Garden, Angel's Fountain, Princess Street, Eurekha, Ramoji Tower, and Film World. Several film makers say that you can walk in with a plain script and complete a great movie here. The management offers a wide variety of packages, which makes it a perfect holiday for you to refresh and recharge. There are stunt and technical shows, in which blue screen is used to show the technicalities involved in film making.
Timings: 9:00am - 5:30pm
Entry fee: 900 INR(for children)
1000 INR(for adults)
Fee may vary depending on the tour package you choose.
Hussain Sagar Lake:
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| BUDDHA STATUE |
In the video, Satvika even shared with us about the world's largest Buddha Statue that is 72ft. in height installed amidst the trample waters of Hussain Sagar Lake. Large man made lakes are a testimony to the efforts of our rulers in historical times. we need to board the boat from Necklace road to go to the peaceful Buddha statue. Located on its banks is Tankbund which consists of gardens and statues of famous personalities. The Tank Bund is dotted with statues of eminent historical personalities such as Nannayya, Tikkana, Sri Sri, Jashua, Annamayya, Tyagayya, Vemana, Errana,, Rudrama, and Pingalli Venkayya greeting you warm welcome. Boating and Water sports are regular features at the lake.
And after much of such visitings and explorations, who could resist thinking of food to fuel us for more adventure and fortunately, Hyderabad is known for several famous food items and as shared by Satvika, Haleem which is available during Ramadan festival and Hyderabadi Biryani are the world famous food items.
Timings: 8:00am - 10:00pm.
Fee: depending on the boat you choose ranging from 55 INR to 400 INR.
So, why don't we watch a foreigner, Trevor James share his wonderful experience on 'Indian Street food tour in Hyderabad'......
It was a lot of information, wasn't it? Again, Trevor here talks about the friendly people in Hyderabad. He shared with us about Buttermilk Vada, Masala Dosa, Haleem, Irani Tea with moon biscuits and finally, Mutton Biryani with a 10 out of 10 rating.
Let us have a look at the famous local restaurants you can dine in according to your taste,
Restaurants:
Hyderabad is no exception when it comes to rich food culture which comprises of Mughal, Turkish and Arabic influences. Let us dig deep and look at some of the famous restaurants.
Barbeque Nation:
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| BARBEQUE NATION |
Barbeque Nation offers fun and engaging dining experience. It consists of five pre-fixed Barbeque starters. Each table is equipped with a grill that guests can use to keep their starters warm or glaze with the accompanying marinades and sauces. The extensive spread of dishes is inspired by International Cuisine and you can have quite an awesome experience for sure.
Paradise:
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| PARADISE RESTAURANT |
Paradise in Hyderabad is spread across the city with six outlets and still emerging. It was a small cafe that serves tea and snacks way back in 1953, but now one of the famous restaurants in Hyderabad every tourist dine in. The secret to the Paradise's success is its delicious Biryanis, the best in town by general consensus. So, don't let go if you are visiting Hyderabad.
Bawarchi:
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| BAWARCHI |
Bawarchi is another chain of restaurants that provides delicious biryani which locals love. Several varieties of biryanis including Vegetarian is available, but the most popular biryani is with marinated meat. Not just biryani we are talking about, Chinese dishes, kebabs etc, are also available.
Places to visit nearby Hyderabad:
Now, there are some place you can consider if you have plans to visit not just Hyderabad but also the places around. Let us look into the details,
Chilkur Balaji Temple:
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| CHILKUR BALAJI TEMPLE |
Chilkuru Balaji temple is at a distance of 24km from Hyderabad-Nampally Railway Station. Chilkur is a small village on the banks of Osmansagar and this is the most famous pilgrimage center in Hyderabad. The temple is definitely an epicenter of a great deal of spiritual energy. The deity, 500 years old Sri Balaji resides in this temple.
The faith is that if you make a wish after 11 pradhakshanas, then that wish comes true. And once the wish comes true, you will have to come back to do 108 pradhakshaanas. Also famous as 'Visa Balaji', the devotees believes in getting a visa if they have blessings of Chilkur Balaji. Another notable aspect is that it's one of the few temples in the country, which doesn't accept any monetary donations. The management believes that the only fee the lord asks the devotees to make pradhakshanas around the temple.
Timings: 5:00am - 9:00pm
Entry fee: free.
Sanghi Temple:
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| SANGHI TEMPLE |
At a distance of 25km from Nampally Railway Station, Sanghi temple is situated on a hillock, Paramanand Giri. It's a very beautiful temple done in marble and the management has given a lot of importance to the environment. The residing deity of the complex is Lord Venkateshwara, a 9.5ft tall structure. The temple is built in the Chola Chalukya style and the complex comprises of small temples dedicated to Padmavati, Siva, Rama, Anjaneya, Ganesha, Kartikeya, Navagrahas, Goddess Ashtalakshmi and Durga.
Timings: 6:00am - 1:00pm and 4:00pm - 8:00pm
Entry fee: free.
Birla Mandir:
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| BIRLA MANDIR |
Birla Mandir is located on the top of a hill at 280 ft, Kala Pahad which is a twin hillock of Naubat Pahad. The presiding Diety is Lord Venkateshwara. The construction took almost a decade to complete and was consecrated in the same year by Swami Ranganathananda of RamaKrishan Mission. Birla Mandir is among the top ten tourist places to be visited in Hyderabad. The architecture style is a blend of North(Utkal) and South Indian styles of temple architectures. The statue of Lord Venkateshwara is about 11 feet in high with a carved lotus canopy above, adding to the beauty of the deity. The view of the city from the temple is worth all the efforts.
Timings: 6:00am - 12:00pm and 2:00pm - 9:00pm
Entry fee: free.
Bhongir Fort:
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| BHONGIR FORT |
At a distance of 54km from Hyderabad, Bhongir fort is situated in Bhongir(also known as Bhuvanagiri), situated between Hyderabad and Warangal. The place which falls on the way to well known famous temple, Yadagiri Gutta, is well accessible by road and rail. This place is an important historical site around Hyderabad. The Bhongir fort is a unique egg-shaped construction with two entries protected by huge rocks. Due to this, the fort is considered impregnable by the opponent armies. The hilltop gives a wonderful bird's eye view of the area. The Telangana government has taken initiatives by launching many sports here. One among them is Rock Climbing which is quite popular among those who yearn to face the thrill of living on the edge. It usually takes an hour to trek to the top of the hill. Ensure you carry enough water.
Timings: 10:00am - 5:00 pm
Nehru Zoological Park:
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| NEHRU ZOOLOGICAL PARK |
Nehru Zoological Park is a must for nature and animal lovers, spanning across an area of 300 acres. One of the huge and among the best in Asia, it is home to more than 1500 species of animals, birds, and reptiles, kept as close to their natural habitats as possible. The Lion Safari Park, Natural History Museum, and the Children's Train are added attractions. This park has been extended to a Safari Complex also including Bear Safari, Tiger Safari, and Bison Safari. Eateries are provided for visitors including a multi-cuisine food court, canteen, dairy parlour and bakery. Moreover, Mir Alam Tank is a large tank that is situated adjacent to the park that attracts a lot of visitors due to its boating activity conducted by TS Tourism Department and is the source of water for the Zoo.
Timings: 8:30am - 5:00pm(except Monday).
Entry fee: 10 INR(for children)
20 INR(for adults)
1500 INR(for film shooting).
So guys, what do you feel? Don't you think it's one of the exciting and adventurous places in India? Of course, it is, with the historical monuments taking you back to the glorious era, palaces reminding of the royal style of India, dishes that make you feel awesome with all those rich spices, temples with blended architecture styles and beliefs around here, great adventure clubs, Amusement parks, Zoological parks which tempts you to visit again and again. Hope you guys have a great time around with the friendly people in Hyderabad and feel free to share your views.
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