Hyderabad Destination Guide

Hyderabad was originally sited on the south side of the Musi river and built to reflect Sultan Mohammed Quli Qutb Shah's splendour and style of governance. The city has now spread widely in all directions - north across the river, eastwards and westwards. The area south of the Musi, the original Hyderabad, is what is referred to as the Old City or shehar (city) by the populace. Its nucleus is the Charminar, a famed landmark and the symbol of the city. With its four minarets and small mosque on the roof, the Charminar is as meaningful to the locals as perhaps the Arc de Triomphe is to the citizens of Paris.

The best time of year to visit Hyderabad is winter, from the beginning of November to the end of February.

This Hyderabad destination guide will tell you all the highlights of Hyderabad and surrounding regions. A perfect way to see the local way of life first hand is to join in on an exciting Hyderabad Tour or Activity. Our Hyderabad Transportation Guide will give you useful travel information on how to get to and around hyderabad.

Things to see & do in Hyderabad

In the Twin Cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad you can meet the past and the present, today's fly-overs and yester years' nawabi culture. Whatever be the purpose of your visit and its duration, your stay in Hyderabad is sure to be enjoyable. Here are some tips to make your stay and moving around more comfortable.

Listed below or to the right is some useful information about Hyderabad and the great places to see and things to do in the region.

It is advisable to engage a pre-paid auto or taxi service at the airport to take you to your destination. At railway stations, take the help of a policeman and wait in the queue for autorickshaws. Night-fare is charged from 10.30 pm to 6.00 am, when you will have to pay one and a half times the meter fare. Always ask the driver if he has the meter card before you book a ride. This way you can check what you pay for.

Hyderabad enjoys a hotter than average climate throughout the year. Mid-March to early June during the hot and dry summer months, the temperature peaks to around 44 degrees centigrade. But the late evenings become cool and even pleasant. From early June, the rains take over. The rainfall is rarely heavy and prolonged as to disrupt life. After a brief spell of heat in October, winter sets in. A temperature of 19 degrees centigrade at nights, and a rise of just a couple of degrees during the day, makes the Hyderabadi winter the best time for visiting.

Normally a healthy place, mosquitoes can be found in some areas, especially during winter. But good hotels ordinarily would have taken care of them. However, as a precaution, take a course of anti-malarial tablets. Drink mineral water, available in all good hotels as well as everywhere else in the city. On a long journey, especially into rural areas, carry bottles of mineral water. Check the seals of mineral water bottles before buying them.

Because India has such a large population of impoversished and illiterate people, petty crime like pickpocketting is fairly common. Be careful while in crowded areas because these rings operate in syndication, and by the time you realise that your wallet has been stolen, it will have been passed on several metres away from you! Keep all valuables and belongings in safe custody.

A number of public telephone kiosks and STD telephone booths are usually lined on the streets. The charge for a single local call is Rs 1.25 in a Public kiosk and Rs 2 in a STD booth. The General Post Office at Abids in Hyderabad and near Patny in Secunderabad are open till 8 pm on week days and till 1 pm on Sundays and public holidays.

While you shopping for things in Hyderabad, especially from markets and exhibitions, feel free to haggle until you reach an agreeable price. Shops, malls and retail outfits do not always allow bargaining. Government emporia, large designer shops only operate on fixed prices.

Hyderabadis are warm, friendly and hospitable. The language spoken by Hyderabadis is colloquial. Do not get offended when they address you in a very casual manner. Local state transport buses have front seats reserved for ladies and disabled people.

The hot climate here demands cotton clothes and casual outfits. Both Indian as well as Western style of dressing is common. On festive and special occasions, rich designerwear, with suitable accessories can be worn. For weddings and festivals it is customary to wear gold, silver and pearls. For business meetings and office wear, pastel or white shirts and dark trousers are worn. Formals or chinos are suitable for travelling executives. Ties and jackets are optional.

The food in Hyderabad caters to all kind of taste buds. But if you want to try out the Hyderabadi delicacies, try Mirchi-ka-saalan, Tandoori and Masala chicken and a variety of Gosht (meat). Try Double-ka-meetha, Khubaani-ka-meetha and Phirni for desserts. The Irani Chai (tea), coupled with munchies such as Fan or Lukmi, always available in any of the Irani cafes, can be had any time of the day. The hotels, restaurants and cafes in Hyderabad close at 11 pm. Try the 5-star hotels for late night meals.

A modest tip of Rs 10 to Rs 15 will suffice for the porters at the airport, railway stations and hotels. Try to ignore the beggars as much as possible, or give them something in kind, rather than cash. If you ever happen to give one beggar some money, you will be surrounded by atleast a dozen in under 20 seconds!

State Tourism Information Bureau
Gagan Vihar, Mozamjahi Road
Hyderabad - 500001
Phone +91-40-4732554/4732555

Govt. of India Tourist Office
Sandozi Building, Street No.1
Himayatnagar, Hyderabad - 500029
Phone +91-40-7630037

Tourist Information Counter
Airport Begumpet
Hyderabad - 500016
Phone +91-40-77192

A.P. Tourism Development
Corporation Ltd.
Adj. to Lumbini Park Tank Bund
Hyderabad - 500 004
Tel. +91-40-7816375

The marble-structure is called so because it has been built by the Birla Foundation over a period of time. The temple was constructed with white marbles from Rajasthan. A blend of North and South Indian temple architecture, the place dedicates the main temple in its precincts to Lord Venkateswara.

Built in 1591-92 by the Qutb Shahi king Mohammad Quli Qutb Shah, this magnificent edifice that epitomises the pride of our city is a structure of char (four) huge minars (pillars). It is also said that during the Mughal Governorship between the Qutb Shahi and the Asaf Jahi rule, lightning destroyed the South Western minaret which 'fell to pieces', but it was forthwith repaired at a cost of Rs 60,000!

To have a first-hand experience, just stand at a particular point at the entrance of the Golconda Fort and clap. It reverberates and the sound can be heard clearly at the Bala Hissar, the highest point on the hill, which is almost a kilometre away. The Golconda Fort provides a majestic backdrop to Bhagyanagar, as Hyderabad was called once. This massive structure with granite walls and barricades extends to nearly 7 kms in circumference. It is said that the Hope Diamond, the Koh-i-Noor Diamond, the Orloff Diamond, etc. originated from this place.

Thirty-three elegant statues of eminent historic personalities like Nannayya, Tikkana, Errana, Rudramma, Molla, Sri Sri, Jashua, Annamayya, Tyagayya, Vemana and Pingali Venkaiah overlooking the water body greet you warmly. The Tank Bund, the dam to the Hussain Sagar and the link between the twin cities, was built by Hazrat Hussain Shah, and is and has always been a major tourist attraction. Adding to its charm is the monolithic statue of the Buddha installed in the heart of the lake.

Stroll across the lane to the west of the Charminar and you reach this street that seats a whole bunch of eager shopkeepers that beckon you and charm you into buying more bangles than you ever thought you needed. One of the oldest shopping centers in the city, Lad Bazaar has some real good stuff among bangles made of glass, lac, metal, semi-precious stones and pearls.

One of the largest zoos in Asia, the Nehru Zoological Park has nearly 1,500 species of animals, birds and reptiles. The zoo is situated in the Bahadurpura area on the way to the N G Ranga Agricultural University in Rajendranagar. The popular species are white peacocks, mynahs, chimpanzees and rhinoceros. The major attraction within the zoo, however, is the Lion Safari apart from the animals, a nocturnal zoo, the pre-historic dinosaur park, a natural history museum, parks, a mini-train and animal rides make the place ideal for a picnic.

These stately domes form an umbrella over the tombs underneath which rest the majestic kings of the Qutb Shahi dynasty in peace, thence the name. Located quite close to and in the vicinity of the Golconda Fort, these tombs were ornamented with blue and green tiles of which only a few can be seen now.

The places you've heard about till now only in the fairy tales come alive here in a mixture of dazzling colors. Ramoji Film City, owned by entrepreneur-cum-film producer Ramoji Rao, is magnificently built across 2,000 acres of land. Right at the entrance you will find two three-star hotels called Tara and Sitara. RFC has carved a niche for itself with its Japanese garden, the ETV planet (a multi-purpose editing suite), a multi-purpose building, a pool and artificial waterfalls. Sets like the airport and the hospital are amazing. With some luck you are likely to find your favorite star shooting in one of the sets for some film.

One of the oldest museums, it is reputed to be the largest private collection in the world. It definitely is a major attraction and is open on all days except on Fridays. The museum has various artefacts collected by Nawab Turab Ali Khan, popularly known as Salar Jung I, the diwan of the Hyderabad State, and his descendants. The popular ones among these rare pieces of art are The Veiled Rebecca (a statue bought in 1876 in Rome), Venice, a painting by Marc Aldine of 19th century Italy, Indian paintings, arms and attires of the Mughal emperors and some clocks.