48 HOURS IN... MUMB DELHI 12 Key wrought-iron chairs, Masthan 5 AI HWY LANDMARK pastel-green shutters, INDIA Nagar mismatched cush- HITECH CITY ions and sweeping 14 Yousurguda MAIN RD water views are more HYDERABAD Durgam Santorini than south OLD MUMB Cheruvu 4 India. Sunday brunch INFORMATION 2 Hyderabad RD BER with fritto misto, eggs Somajiguda AI RD AD NUM Sanjeviah Park OLL RO 16 florentine and wood- T This magnificent southern Indian city won’t stay fired pizzas costs ORR Hussain Sagar Kasu Brahmananda R2,150 (£21)pp. Reddy Nat’l Park 11 Kavadiguda off the tourist map for long, writes Sarah Khan Sunday morning: NK BUND RD CULTURAL TA go to mosque A walk in the park NTR Gardens Indira Park HIGHLIGHT Banjara Hills The Qutb Shahi Necklace Road forms I tombs (13), Fort Road a garland of sorts INNER RING RD NTR NDI (00 91 1800 4254 alongside the Hussain Afzal Gunj RA PARK RD Stadium 15 5454), are a haunting Sagar Lake. It is home RD si River GUNJ Mu complex of 16th-cen- to Lumbini Park (15) AFZAL Ahmed HOTEL tury mausoleums that (Tuesday to Sunday Mussarjung Shaikpet 3 Nagar Lai Bahadur form the final rest- 9am-9pm), where you Pul 10 Medina Stadium ing place of seven of can hire a boat for R50 Market Military area that dynasty’s rulers (50p) and float out to Hyderabad and their families. The the Buddha statue in HIGH COURT RD 13 Golf Course beautiful structures the middle of the lake. RD T FOOD & are notable for their DRINK FOR Ghansi Bazaar TTI RD Nampally onion-shaped domes. A Cultural afternoon Andhra MEHANDI LANG station The Great Mosque Tucked away off Road Pradesh HERG MIR ALAM A stands out for its intri- No 1, Banjara Hills, PAT High Court GA MANDI RD R HOUSE LI Murad cately carved spires. Lamakaan (16) (00 Arch arrival: a Nagar 17 Open daily 9.30am to 91 96 4273 1329; RD car waits near the KALI KAMAN RD Nampally SHOPPING 5pm, entry R100 (£1). lamakaan.com) is a CORBIS Charminar 7 non-profit space in a LAAD B AZAAR RD converted house host- 6 Take a ride Hyderabad is hard at ing plays, lectures 9 work building an un- and literary festivals. H RD GOLC RATHKHANA OSMAN ONDA RD AT ST SA derground railway. Hyderabad’s creative W GAR RD cuisine and most in- customised itineraries Taj Falaknuma Palace Azampura For now, your best set descend at all KHIL 8 triguing historical in Hyderabad includ- hotel (1) at Engine Moghalpura Mu bet for getting around hours to work on their sites are found in this ing accommodation Bowli, Falaknuma Musi River Attapur si Rive is the black-and-yel- latest magnum opus bustling metropolis? and transport. (00 91 40 6629 8585; low three-wheeled over steaming chai 2 AR RD Jiyaguda r tajhotels.com) opened Dabeerpura auto-rickshaw. Fares and samosas (10am- in 2010 after a dec- AN SHAHI RD are R16 (16p) for the 10.30pm, daily except Touch down Get your bearings T station CHARMIN The only non-stop Hyderabad was ruled ade-long restoration. SUL Puranapool first kilometre and Monday). flights are on British by the Islamic Qutb It is one of India’s R9 (9p) for each sub- Airways (0844 493 Shahi dynasty and later most luxurious prop- Madannapet sequent km. Many Icing on the cake 0787; ba.com) from the Mughals, one of erties, where visitors Peerancheru RD AREA OF drivers resist using The beautiful stone RD Heathrow. Connec- whom – Asaf Jah – cre- are made to feel like TALMET DETAIL the meter, so be pre- complex of the 1935 CHEVELLA INNER RING RD CHIN Why go now? tions from various ated his own dynasty, guests of the erstwhile pared to negotiate a Mozamjahi Market in Hyderabad, capital UK airports are avail- the Nizams, who pre- ruling nizam – the Nehru 1 TALABKATTA RD price at the outset. Jambagh Road, Kattel of the southern able on Emirates sided until 1947. former inhabitant – Zoological Park Mandi, is the back- GRAPHIC: JOHN PAPASIAN OO MAIN RD FALAKNUMA RD Indian state of And- (0844 800 2777; The city sprawls and have free rein over ��� Metres Z Out to brunch drop for a cluster of hra Pradesh, has the emirates.com) via over the banks of the library of rare texts Hip Hyderabadis have popular ice-cream feel of an ancient city Dubai, Etihad Air- the Musi River, with and the king’s 101-seat been flocking toOlive shops. The most transplanted into the ways (0845 608 1225; the Old City to the dining table. Doubles Bistro (14) at Road revered is Famous 21st century: crum- etihadair ways.com) south and the newer from R27,069 (£271), From here, head has built a reputation ing deck, where you An aperitif place.nowfloats.com), No 46, G Ram Reddy (17), a family-run bling vestiges of via Abu Dhabi and reaches to the north room only. north up Khil- as one of the most can gaze out over the Taj Falaknuma Palace where the paneer Marg (00 91 40 6999 institution known elegant estates on the Qatar Airways (0844 and west. The mod- Business travellers wath Road and veer flavourful versions Old City. Tickets cost (1) may be in the thick tikka (R250/£2.50) 9127; olivebarand for its hand-churned one hand; ultra-mod- 846 8380; qatarair ern city is a congested descend on Hydera- right into Laad Ba- of the fragrant rice R100 (£1) (daily 9am of the Old City, but and “Chicken 65” kitchen.com) since mango, sapodilla and ern office parks and ways.com) via Doha. expanse of drab 1970s bad by the planeful Day zaar (6). Do a circuit dish. Sample it at to 5pm). it feels hundreds of (R270/£2.70) will it opened last year. A custard-apple fla- shopping malls on Rajiv Gandhi concrete high-rises, these days and there’s One around the city’s Hotel Shadab (10) at miles away, thanks have you licking your stone pathway leads vours. Double scoops the other. Microsoft airport is 25km crowded flyovers no sleeker address for looming Charminar Madina Circle, High Window shopping to its perch high up fingers. Musicians to a casual oasis: cost R25 (25p). CEO Satya Nadella is south-west of the city and shiny shop- them than the Park monument (7), the Court Road (00 91 40 Hyderabad is known on a hill. Trade in serenade diners with a local boy and the city centre. Pushpak air- ping centres. Newer, Hyatt (4) at Road four-towered arch 2456 5949), where a as the City of Pearls your taxi at the gate ghazal songs. is striding forwards on port buses (hyderabad better-planned neigh- No 2 in posh Banjara and mosque. Next, heaped platter of mut- for good reason – the for a horse and car- If you’re hoping to its hi-tech credentials. .aero) have drop-offs bourhoods have Hills (00 91 40 4949 stop at the 17th-cen- ton biryani costs arteries surround- riage, then retreat at spot a star from the Yet a quiet along four routes ap- sprouted in what’s 1234; hyderabad.park. Take a hike tury Mecca Masjid R150 (£1.50). ing Charminar (7) are sunset for high tea Telugu-language film movement is under proximately every known as Cyberabad, hyatt.com). Doubles Start in the heart of (8), one of the larg- packed to the rafters on the Jade Terrace industry, head to way to reclaim what’s 30 to 60 minutes where Facebook, IBM from R10,800 (£108), Hyderabad’s Old City est mosques in India, Take a view with hundreds of (R1,500/£15), to take N Grill (12) at 788 left of the past – with from 4am to mid- and Deloitte have room only. at the 19th-century then take a closer look Turn your attention jewellery shops. Hag- in the views, along Road No 36, Jubilee spectacular resto- night, for R200-250 gleaming offices. The newly opened Chowmahalla Palace at the domes of the back to the Charmi- gle for some gems to with the melodic call Hills (00 91 99 4999 rations of the Taj (£2-£2.50). The Andhra Pradesh Trident Hotel (5) (2), which has ele- 1938 Government nar (7), Hyderabad’s take back. You could to prayer. 9160; ngrill.com). Falaknuma Palace Taxis charge R21 Tourism Develop- in HiTech City near gant courtyards and General Nizamia answer to the Arc de walk away with an el- The Zen-inspired res- (1) and Chowmahalla (21p) per km; even ment Corporation Cyber Towers, Mad- fountains, a throne Hospital (9) oppo- Triomphe, built by egant strand of pearls Dining with raurant is owned by Palace (2). with a 25-per-cent office (3) is at Tourism hapur (00 91 40 6623 room and some of site. Walk north up Muhammed Quli for under £100. the locals Tollywood legend Through it all, the night surcharge, the House, Himayatnagar 2323; tridenthotels. the nizams’ vin- the Patthargati Road Qutb Shah in 1591 For less pricey sou- Candle-lit tables spill Nagarjuna. Expect to city feels refreshingly journey to the centre (00 91 40 2326 2151; com) is a less pricey tage cars on display promenade, fringed when he transplanted venirs, head to the out across lovely gar- spend about R1,200 untouched by tour- should cost no more aptdc.gov.in). It opens option from Oberoi (00 91 40 24522032; by towering stone his capital from the Laad Bazaar (6). Ban- dens at Our Place (11) (£12) each for salt- ism.