HYDERABAD INDIA Content courtesy of Lonely Planet Guide www.lonelyplanet.com Hyderabad is reminiscent of its illustrious and opulent past when the Qutb Shahi dynasty reigned. Today, this original home of the Kohinoor diamond has turned into a fast growing cosmopolitan centre set against the backdrop of forts, palaces, vibrant markets and of course aromatic biryani joints. TRANSPORT Quick Facts GETTING THERE STD Code: 040 • Air: Rajiv Gandhi International airport, 22km from the city, has Helpful Websites daily flights to most airheads in India and overseas flights also. www.lonelyplanet.com/india/ • Train: Secunderabad, Hyderabad – also known as Nampally – andhra-pradesh/hyderabad-and- and Kacheguda are the three major train stations. secunderabad local TRaNspoRT www.telanganatourism.gov.in • Bus: Local buses are run by APSRTC. Fares start at `5. • Auto: Available across the city. The minimum fare is `20, for Make a trip to Ramoji the first 2km, and then `11 per additional kilometre. Film City, the largest • Local Train: MMTS is the local train network with more than integrated film city in the 25 stations. Fare is from `5–11. Trains run from 4am–11pm. world, and find out about the inner workings of a movie set. • Taxi: Radio taxis have to be prebooked. The charges vary Tours are available, and the from `10 to 25 a kilometre. guides are well-informed. coNNEcTIvITy I hyderabadi biryani is a must-try; © Most big hotels offer free wi-fi. Internet cafes are easily available. GettyimaGes/ GreG elms to catch out conspirators. European styles. Definitely TOP EXPERIENCES Mornings are best for peace worth a visit. and quiet. A sound-and-light Charminar Hyderabad’s iconic landmark was built by show is also held here. Qutb Shahi Tombs These Mohammed Quli Qutb Shah graceful domed tombs in 1591. The dramatic four- Salar Jung Museum The sit serenely in landscaped column structure has four huge and varied collection, gardens about 1.5km arches facing the cardinal dating back to the 1st century, northwest of Golconda Fort’s points. The 2nd floor, home to was put together by Mir Yusaf Balahisar Gate. All but the last Hyderabad’s oldest mosque, Ali Khan (Salar Jung III), the Qutb Shahi ruler were laid to and upper columns are not grand vizier of the seventh rest in these black asphalt, usually open to the public, nizam, Osman Ali Khan. The octagonal tombs with a but you can try your luck. The 35,000 exhibits from every bulbous top. structure is illuminated from corner of the world include 7–9pm. sculptures, wood carvings, Husain Sagar Lake & ivory, Persian miniature Necklace Road This is Golconda Fort Explore the paintings, weaponry, toys Hyderabad’s answer to ruins of the Golconda Fort and more than 50,000 books. Mumbai’s Marine Drive. The and unravel a bygone world Cameras are not allowed. road skirting the Hussain of royalty, jewels and conflict. Sagar Lake, comes alive in the Guides can also demonstrate Chowmahalla Palace The evening with people. When lit, the impressive acoustics in nizam family has sponsored the road looks like a string of the royal palace where one’s a dazzling restoration of the pearls, and is thus christened whisper into the corner of the palace. Begun in 1750, it was Necklace Road. Its popularity wall can be heard perfectly expanded over the next 100 derives from the monolithic through the walls in the years, absorbing Persian, Indo- statue of Gautam Buddha, opposing corner, designed Saracenic, Rajasthani and which looks lovely when lit up. I the icon oF hyderabad’s landscape is the imposinG charminar in the old city; © GettyimaGes/ uniQuely india Mecca Masjid The best in the APTDC property, Vijay monuments can be found view of one of the city’s oldest Vihar on the banks. Ahead in the midst of industrial and mosques is from the top lies the Launch Station of business activities. There of Charminar. It is said that Nagarjunakonda, a small island are several parks, museums, almost 8,000 labourers toiled with a Buddhist museum, with nature conservation sites, forts, for more than 50 years as the excavations dating back to the resorts and caves that tourists granite structure emerged to 3rd century. If you have time, can go to on a two day trip accommodate over 10,000 you can visit the Ethipothala from Hyderabad. worshippers, making it one of Falls, 22km away. the largest in the world. Pochampally I 42km Warangal City I 148km Pochampally is a weavers’ Lumbini Park This allows This was once ruled by village, where ‘ikat’ like one access to the impressive the Kakatiya Dynasty designs on cotton and silk Buddha statue in the middle which constructed several are painstakingly woven on of Hussain Sagar Lake. monuments like an imposing mechanised and pit looms. Speedboats make furious trips fortress, stone gateways, the You can shop at Pochampally to the statue and back. The Swayambhu temple dedicated Handloom Park. Raj Kumar laser show at 7.15pm each to Shiva, and the Ramappa Handlooms can also guide evening. temple situated near Ramappa you to smaller villages where Lake. These attractions make weavers work on pit looms AROUND HYDERABAD it a great weekend getaway in clusters of 20–25. There’s Nagarjuna Sagar Dam I around Hyderabad that also a spartan museum, 165km Visit the largest stone transports you back in time. Chenethakala Kendram and a masonry dam in the world, temple dedicated to Vinobha Bhave Nagarjuna. built on the Krishna River. You Guntur I 267km The can book an overnight stay bustling city of Guntur is or stop over at the restaurant where historically significant I Qutb shahi tombs are located in a lush Garden ©GettyimaGes/ lsprasath photoGraphy The Park Hyderabad Taj MaHal HoTEl have striking deep-fuchsia ACCOMMODATION %66120606; www. walls, white furniture, tasselled Taj FalakNuMa palacE hoteltajmahalindia.com; bedspreads and piles of %24388888; www. 4-1- 999, abid Road; rooms pillows. More-expensive tajhotels.com; Engine from `1850 rooms are also bold in design, bowli, Falaknuma; rooms This rambling 1924 heritage and all rooms have hardwood from `24,000 building has a magnificent floors, gentle lighting and The former residence of exterior, plants peppered sleek, spacious bathrooms. the sixth nizam took over a about and decent, though decade to restore, but the Taj ultimately overpriced rooms. couRTyaRd by MaRRIoTT % Group’s latest luxury hotel has Each is different so ask to 927521222; www. certainly been worth the wait. see a few: the better ones marriott.com; 1-3-1024 The ‘cheapest’ rooms have have boudoirs, crystal- lower Tank bund Road; ` Italian marble floors, colonial knobbed armoires and wood- rooms from 4500 furniture and great city views, beam ceilings. This hotel lies parallel to the while the Presidential Suite, Necklace Road and provides which was once the nizam’s MINERva GRaNd value for money with its plush living quarters and has its own %66117373; www. rooms, combined with good swimming pool and personal minervagrand.com; sd hospitality and services like butler. You can stay in one of Road, secunderabad; rooms wi-fi, pool and fitness centre. the 60 luxury rooms or even from `4000 The Marriott hotel, which drop in for pre-booked dinner It’s rare to find a hotel that lies across the street, can be to experience the opulence. has genuine style; this place accessed by a private bridge. has nailed it. Standard rooms I the park hotel has contemprary rooms; THE paRk INTERNaTIoNal © the park (one wheelchair-accessible) %223456789; www. theparkhotels.com; 22 Rajbhavan Road, somajiguda; rooms from `7700 The hotel’s contemporary rooms with historic references to the rich textiles and Nizam’s jewels are done up aesthetically. The service is impeccable, along with facilities like an infinity swimming pool overlooking the Hussain Sagar Lake, a health club and spa. It has multiple dining options including Aish, a fine-dining restaurant with Nizami cuisine. fare and other dishes are also restaurants in the same EATING available here. compound – Kamat Jowar Bhakri (Maharashtrian), Kamat souTHERN spIcE FaMous IcE cREaM Restaurant with air-con (North %23353802; 8-2-350/3/2, Mozam jahi Market and South Indian). plot No 34, Road No 3, Dishing out the best natural banjara Hills fruit ice creams since the last RayalsEEMa RucHulu For an unfussy mealtime sixty years, Famous presents %64515252; 36th square, special, try the authentic you with unique flavours like level 5, near peddamma Andhra thali at Southern Spice. anjeer (fig), melon, mango and Gudi, jubilee Hills Add a fish and prawn dish to sapota (chiku). This is your ‘head-to’ your order for some extra zing. destination for authentic spicy kaMaT Andhra cuisine, especially non- oHRI’s Troop bazaar vegetarian fare. The Kundelu %23302200; www.ohris. Excellent authentic Andhra mamsam (rabbit) and prawns com; sri Ram Nagar colony, meals on banana leaves, iguru are worth a try. banjara Hills topped up till you almost faint The multi-storeyed hotel Ohri’s with pleasure, and finished in Banjara Hills is home to I the Fine-dininG tadka restaurant at off with a banana. Its sister ohri’s banjara; © ohri’s many restaurants, providing a range of cuisines on each floor. It’s difficult not to find something to your taste here. sHadab Ghansi bazaar Shadab is one of the oldest restaurants, where brilliant Nizami food is dished out from behind greying counters. Sit upstairs if you want to eat at your own pace. A colourful faluda counter is engrossing to watch if not to eat at. EaT sTREET Necklace Road An open-air food court overlooking the Hussain Sagar Lake, this is one of the best family options as it caters to a variety of tastes; snacks, ice creams, fast food, South Indian of famous personalities who’ve gardens with a pond to stroll SHOPPING shopped here.