The city of Nizams, founded in the 16th century and ruled by the QutubShahi dynasty before the Mughal invasion, is an enticer for historians to delve into its rich heritage. The famous Charminar, Hyderabadi Biryani, Ramoji film city, keeps attracting tourists, including food bloggers and artists alike. Well, these are probably just the icings of the cake, and this city will not leave you any reason not to visit it. If your partner loves natural pearls, or you may wish to visit the original home of the Kohinoor diamond in a city having the presence of over 20 lakes, Hyderabad cannot be missed.
Days required- 3 days
Nearby places to go – Ramoji film city
Best time to visit – right after the monsoon and during winter. Usual weather is hot and humid for the rest of the year and is thus, not so favorable.
How to reach –
By air – the most convenient and easy way to reach as there are direct flights from many big cities in India.
By train – This city has three main junctions-Hyderabad Railway Station(Nampally), Secunderabad Railway Station, and Kachiguda Railway Station connecting to different locations, including Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Delhi, Thiruvananthapuram, and Pune.
By Road – Roads are well linked with important cities and states. You can book the govt. Or private run buses from nearby cities. You can also hire rented cars or taxis to your desired destination.
How we traveled – We took a flight from Jaipur. The airport cabs were expensive as compared to the Ola/Uber or local cab services. The state-run Airport bus service is the best and least expensive mode of to and fro transport to the airport and has both pickup and drop services to all major locations in Hyderabad.
Where to stay – Not a single location can be completely ideal to stay for a city as big as Hyderabad. Most of the tourist spots are located in the old city where it is difficult to find good hotels. We suggest finding a place near Nampally Railway station, which is only 5km from the Charminar area.
How to go around – Hyderabad has a metro line and intracity bus services which connect major areas in the city. Ola/Uber and taxis are also easily available. Keep track of office hours to avoid the horrific traffic during travel.
Places to visit
Charminar – The iconic Charminar was built as a mosque after a ravaging plague could be controlled in the city. As the legend goes, it even has secret tunnels connecting with the Golconda fort meant as the escape routes. Situated in the center of the Old city, it is free to visit the Charminar but entering the Minaret is charged and is time-bound. For a building of such historical importance and great tourist admiration, we found it low maintained and slightly tarnished by the over-excited tourists and locals. The area was quite polluted, busy, and congested, and one may find it difficult to maintain social distancing on regular days. There is a famous market area and many famous eateries nearby.
Chowmahalla palace – the residence of the nizam of Hyderabad, constructed in the 1860s and belongs to their heirs now. The castle has big courtyards, a 250-year old clock tower that still ticks with time, Meeting halls, and numerous historical articles of furniture, cutleries, chandeliers, vintage cars like Rolls Royce, fountain, weapons, Chariots, dresses, and paintings. This palace is well maintained and has been opened to the public since 2005.
Lumbini park/Buddha statue – 58 feet tall and weighing about 350 tons, it is said to be the world’s tallest monolithic statue of Lord Buddha. During the first attempt of its erection at the site in 1990, the statue fell into the lake, and it took 2years to pull it out and re-erect at its current site. Located on Hussain Sagar near the necklace road, this park is a picnic spot for locals. The ferry ride is serene and takes you to the peaceful place around this Buddha statue.
Golconda fort – Built on a hill surrounded by battlefields, this fort has been owned by several ruling dynasties in this region rich in natural diamonds. One of the earliest epicenters of diamond and gem trading, this fort has housed many famous diamonds, including the Kohinoor. The entire fort area containing four distinct forts is surrounded by a 10km long wall and is impossible to be explored in a day. This fort has a unique acoustic system because of which the sounds made in one part of this fort can be heard on its other side.
QutubShahi tombs – Tombs of various rulers of the QutubShahi dynasty and some mosques, near to the Golconda fort. Visit this place to get some beautiful photographs with amazing domes and arches in the background.
Ramoji film city – 1666 acres of world’s largest integrated film studio complexes, built in 1996. Sets of Baahubali movies are still intact inside this with all the other monuments. A must visit place if you are visiting Hyderabad and one of its kind experience in India. Save one day out of your time to explore this landmark.
Salarjung museum – Ever wondered what an art collection of a king would include? Visit the private art collection of the Salar Jung family, which now has been endowed to the nation in one of the largest museums of India.
Mekkah Masjid – very near to Charminar, is one of the largest and oldest mosques of India, having a capacity of 20000 built between the 16-17th century. The holy soil from Mecca was commissioned to prepare the bricks for one of the central arches in this mosque; hence it had been named accordingly.
Where to eat
Hyderabadi Biryani- Of course, the first name in the list is the world-famous Hyderabadi Biryani. Available in Veg and Non-veg variants, we tried it at the Paradise outlet which indeed is a paradise for biryani lovers. They serve mutton, chicken, and veg. Biryani. Take out is possible too, but we advise you to enjoy the flavors at the moment it is served and savor it for a lifetime.
Some biryani restaurants – Paradise, Bawarchi, Hotel Shadab, Shah Ghouse
Pista house – do try their haleem (non-veg delicacy usually made during the month of Ramzan), but their multiple outlets supply it all over Hyderabad and India.
Nimrah Cafe and bakery – Try their extra milky and sweet Irani chai with famous Osmania biscuits.
Hotel Shadab –biryani, paya, nihari, and magaz(brain) – come here for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You will get a full range of non-veg delicacies at reasonable prices.
Karachi bakeries – Taste and carry their delicious biscuits back to your home for friends and family. They have an outlet at the airport and sell online as well.
Where to shop –
Begum Bazaar – This place is one of the largest commercial markets in Hyderabad and retailers from all across the country deal with products from here. Closed on Sundays, bargain to your heart to get the best deals from here.
Laad bazaar – one of the oldest markets in Hyderabad, famous for artificial jewelry. Best place to buy bangles. Apart from this, silverware, antique items, silk sarees, fabrics, spices, and perfumes are readily available.
Itinerary – it is very simple.
Day 1
It is best to venture out on the first day of the trip in the evening after relaxing from the previous tiresome journey. Start with the Birla temple which is built on a hilltop and presents a great view of the lake and necklace road which is a local favorite city spot. If you love crowds, visit on holiday. The regular temple timings are (7 am to-12noon and 3-9 pm). To keep the selfie frenzy at bay, no electronics/cameras are allowed inside the temple premises.
Later in the evening, head to the Lumbini park and enjoy the laser show. It is fantastic to watch neon lights forming amazing shapes. Do not miss the ferry ride to the Buddha statue, which is worth watching. PS: do not take the ferry before the LASER show unless you wish to skip it for the Buddha statue.
Day 2
Start early to visit the Golconda Fort(open: 9 am-5 pm). It is a large, ruined fort which is worth a visit and takes about 2 hours to explore. Walking to the top of the fort is highly encouraged for the view if you are enthusiastic about it. And if you could not google the historical information of this fort before visiting, then prefer hiring a guide for a better experience. A sound/light show is conducted every evening which you may skip if time is a constraint.QutubShahi tombs nearby are worth spending time for the photography lovers and some Instagram ready pictures.
From there, take a cab to Chowmahalla Palace, which can be explored on your own and takes 2-3 hours. The premise is distributed into different sections/palaces based on their functionality within which various types of artifacts can be found on display. The vintage car/bike collection is amazing, and one may only wish for a ride.
Day 3
Visit Ramoji film city. It takes the whole day to cover the main attractions, still leaving some parts unexplored. All the places/rides close by 5:30 pm, so manage your time accordingly. We have a special blog on Ramoji’s experience with complete details.
Day 4
Start with the Salarjung museum if history interests you. Visit the Charminar, Mekkah Masjid, and shop for some souvenirs in the nearby markets (Laad bazaar). A lot of famous eateries are located near Charminar which will never allow your stomach to rumble empty.
Few tips for fellow travelers –
- Pre-book your airport transfer if you want to use a cab/taxi, though the Airport bus service is better and cheaper.
- If you are visiting Ramoji city on holiday/weekends, it is better to buy their Star Experience Ticket (double the price of a general ticket) – which provides privileged entry to many attractions inside the complex. With a general ticket, you may have to wait for at least 1hour at each attraction which may sometimes kill the excitement, however, buffet lunch, water bottles, and souvenirs are included in the price.
- Go to Charminar in the evening. Though it will be more crowded, you will beat the day heat, and the whole area will light up to boost up the charm of the Minar and the market.
Ratings (it is subjective and my personal opinion)
Destination overall rating 7/10 – an average tourist destination. 2 extra points just for delicious biryani and Ramoji Film city for which one may even re-visit Hyderabad.
Travel Expense 3/10 – nothing is overly expensive if you are not shopping for precious metals and staying at Falaknuma. One may save more by traveling in Metro and eating at local eateries, which would probably be risky post COVID.
Travel ease 8/10– Travel is easy but very tiring because of the traffic.
Food 9/10 – you will just love the place if you are non-vegetarian.