11 Must-See Places In Hyderabad

Golconda Fort is a 12th Century majestic fort was built by the Kakatiya kings and was later modified and added to by the Qutub Shahi kings. It is a monument of immense beauty and grandeur and has often appeared in movies as a scenic location. The old-timey essence of Golconda Fort will take you back in time to the glorious past of the Kakatiya kingdom. The best time to explore the fort is in the morning when the crowd is slim and it’s not too sunny. If you wish to see the light and sound show it’s better you come around the evenings when shows in various languages after the fort is closed.

Price: INR 15 (Indians), INR 200 (foreign tourists)

Timings: 9am to 5.30pm, Monday to Sunday

Salar Jung Museum, the largest one-man collection, is the third-largest museum in India. A collection built by generations of Salar Jungs, this art museum was declared open in 1951 by Jawaharlal Nehru. It was relocated to the present location in 1968, which is pretty close to Charminar and other central locations. It houses important artefacts of the Mughal period like Jahangir’s dagger, Noor Jahan’s Fruit knife, and the marble chair presented to Tipu Sultan. Other marvels in this museum are the musical clock, the veiled Rebecca, and the two-faced statue.

Price: INR 20 (Indians), INR 5 (per Indian child), INR 500 (foreign tourists)

You can click pictures of all the artefacts for a minimal charge of INR 50 for your camera.

Timings: 10am to 5pm {all days except for Friday}

 

No trip to Hyderabad can be complete without a visit to this majestic monument which is the epitome of Indo-Islamic architectural amalgamation. It was built by Quli Qutub Shah to commemorate the end of a horrible plague in his kingdom. It takes 149 steps to reach the upper floor.

Price: INR 15 (Indians), INR 200 (Foreign tourists)

You can click pictures of this legendary monument using your personal camera by paying a small fee to let you take your camera along.

Timings: 9.30am to 5.30pm

Chowmahalla Palace, as the name suggests, used to be a grand palace complex spread over 45 acres extending to Laad Bazaar. The Palace consists of two courtyards. The courtyard of the palace has four palaces which are namely Afzal Mahal, Tahniyat Mahal, Mahtab Mahal, and Aftab Mahal. The palace was restored by the Nizam’s family and opened up for the public recently in 2005. The Palace is open to visitors on all days except on Fridays and on national holidays, from 10am to 5pm.

Price: INR 50 (Indians), INR 200 (foreign tourists)

Timings: 10am to 5pm (all days except for Friday)

Falaknuma Palace is an epitome of grandeur and is very luxuriant. The palace was taken over by the Taj Group of Hotels and is now Called Taj Falaknuma Palace. The palace houses artefacts and souvenirs from all over the world and the architecture are second to none.

It’s not open for general public and the entry to the palace can be booked by booking a tour with the Telangana tourism there are two options of the package one could opt for:

Tour Option A: INR 3,100 (adult) and INR 2480 (children): Provides entry tickets, tea & snacks, A/c Transport, Tour Guide.

Tour Option B: INR 2,000 (adult) and INR 1,600 (children): Provides A/c Transport, Tour Guide.

The old city of Hyderabad is the home to many historic bazaars that have been in existence since the Qutub Shahi times. There a few within walking distance of Charminar. The Laad Bazaar is one such expansive market famous for its lacquer bangles, imitation jewellery and wedding trousseau accessories. The Begum Bazaar is another bazaar you can visit; it is a wholesale market for household items, brass, and copper-ware. You can find souvenirs in these markets. Hyderabad is called the City of Pearls and every Hyderabad city tour includes getting a look at these exquisite pearls. These markets are the hub for jewellery making and are also workshops for jewellery making skills and trades like pearl drilling, metal binding, etc.

The Nizam’s museum is housed in the Purani Haveli which was built by the founder of the city of Hyderabad, Quli Qutb Shah. The museum houses several rare and exquisite souvenirs and gold thrones and pavilions but its most prominent attraction is the largest walk-in closet in the world of the sixth Nizam made entirely of teak of about 176 feet long and of two levels.

Price: INR 65

Timings: 10am to 5pm

This is one of the largest prayer halls in the country and its foundation was set by Quli Qutb Shah who insisted soil from Mecca be brought to make bricks to put in the arch, and thus the name of the prayer hall. Though Shah put the foundation, it was completed by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb and took 77 years to be completed. Its arched facades are carved out of a single piece of granite. It has no entry fee and is open to visitors from 4am to 9.30pm seven days a week. However, visitors are expected to dress conservatively and women are additionally expected to cover their head with a scarf to enter the mosque.

Located at one of the highest spots of the city, this temple is dedicated to Lord Venkateshwara and his idol is 11 feet high. The temple is entirely made of white marble; about 2,000 tonnes of it are brought in from Rajasthan. A unique feature of this temple is that it doesn’t have any bells because the holy man who sanctified the temple wanted it to be a place where people could meditate. This is a beautiful temple with both northern and southern elements of temple architecture. The temple premises doesn’t allow cell phones or photography, so you’ll have to deposit the said gadgets before entering the temple.

There is no entry fee.

Timings: 7 am to 12 pm and 3 pm to 9 pm

Located in the smack centre of Hussain Sagar Lake, this monolithic Statue is about 22 meters tall and carved out of a single stone. It is the largest single-stone statue of Buddha in the entire world. People go in mechanised boats to get a closer look at this awe-inspiring statue that the Dalai Lama himself sanctified. You can get a closer look by taking a boat ride.

Price: INR 55 (adults), INR 35 (children)

Timings: 10.30 am to 8pm

Approximately 14 km from the heart of Hyderabad City located in the tech hub of Hitech city lies the craft village of Shilparamam which presents to the visitors not just arts and handicrafts from all over the country but also performing artists. It is a great place to shop for traditional jewellery from all over the country, clothes, and souvenirs. The craft village is open seven days a week.

Price: INR 40 (adults) and INR 20 (children)

Timings: 10.30am to 8:30pm

This recommendation was first posted on Ruddbuddy.