Hyderabad was spun into a city with the yarn of love. The tale runs in the land of fancy but is probably true. It’s about a young Muslim prince and his love for a nubile Hindu girl – about a relationship that develops in spite of caste, class and religious divides. About a town that grew into a city called Bhaganagar (named after the girl called Bhagamati, or ‘the lucky one’). The prince became King and shifted his capital to the town of his beloved.

It’s evident that the city of Hyderabad has been loved and cared for. Hyderabad is steeped in history and heritage and that makes it a very interesting city as far as tourism is concerned.. You will find heritage in the Faluknama Palace, in the priceless treasures of the Salar Jung Museum as also the imposing Golconda Fort and the recognisable four minarets of the Charminar. The wide roads and public parks in the garrison town of Secunderabad, the leisurely pace of the people of Hyderabad who still have the time and the gentility to offer "adaab" and to cook up a slow simmering storm in flavourful cauldrons do this special city real proud.

Besides being a veritable treasure trove stacked with heritage, the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad are one of the major centres of Information Technology development, and is known as 'Cyberabad' with many of the big IT companies having their headquarters here. A delightfully elegant disposition, a miracle of technological revolution or a city with quite some tradition - Hyderabad is really all of these and more. So travel to Hyderabad to explore the charms of this city of pearls.

How to Reach Hyderabad?

By Air : Hyderabad has a new state of the art airport which is serviced by international flights from Europe and the Middle East. Domestic flights operate from all major hubs. Taxis and auto-rickshaws ply back and forth to the city centre.

By Rail : Hyderabad has three stations: Kacheguda, Hyderabad (Nampally) and Secunderabad. All three are major junctions on the South and West Zone sectors of the Indian Railways. These stations get a lot of traffic from all parts of the country ensuring that Hyderabad is well connected to all parts of India and to the many towns and villages in the state. Superfast, express and mail train services link it to major destinations like Mumbai, Delhi, Calcutta, Pune, Chennai, Bangalore and Thiruananthapuram.

By Road : Good motorable roads connect Hyderabad to Aurangabad (548 km), Bangalore (568 km), Mumbai (735 km), Calcutta (1588 km), Chennai (704 km), Tirupati (651 km) and Panaji (698 km). The state roadways bus service scene is fairly efficient. Both state roadways and privately owned buses ply to all the important places within the state and to neighbours in the region. There are services to even Mumbai and Nagpur in Maharashtra. Private bus services run air-conditioned video coaches but they need not deliver all they promise.

Best Time to Visit Hyderabad

The best time to visit Hyderabad is in the winter months between October and February. During this time the city experiences maximum temperatures of 28º C – 29º C with minimum temperatures near 13º C, ensuring cool nights. The Deccan Festival is held in late February every year and is a good time to be there as there are interesting cultural events that take place at this time of the year.

In the summer months temperature can soar upto 40°C in the daytime, dropping to a minimum of 30º C at night. The monsoons hit Hyderabad during June and September.

Things to do in Hyderabad

The twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad are immersed in history and the renowned gentle nawabi culture permeates through even in today’s fast paced times. The list of things to do in Hyderabad is long and varied.

For the historically inclined, not many cities in India can offer as much as this city does. From the grandeur and magnificence of the Faluknama Palace to the bustling area of the Charminar where the four minarets of the structure dominate the skyline to the sprawling Golconda Fort that guarded the city in the olden days, Hyderabad is where history meets modernity, and with an untold grace. Museum enthusiasts will have to visit the well known Salar Jung Museum that houses indescribable treasures of the Nawabs that ruled this principality. The museum holds paintings, beautiful marble sculptures and jewellery that is quiet amazing.

Hyderabad is a shopper’s delight! The main shopping area of Abids is lined with shops selling interesting wares from jewellery to Shopping for pearls is something everyone who visits this city does, so go ahead and indulge!

Foodies rejoice – Hyderabadi cuisine is legion, so go ahead and sample the biryani and bagar baigans and the salans – Hyderbad is definitely a gastronomically exciting city and a foodies dream come true.

So whether you are a culture vulture, shopper or have a thirst for discovery, Hyderabad is sure to please.

Places Near Hyderabad

Nagarjunakonda is a place near Hyderabad that is situated at 150 kilometres. From being a holy place for Buddhists to being a pilgrimage for the pundits of development, this site has certainly seen some excitement in its time. Archaeological digs in the 1920s found the ruins of stupas and chaityas at what must have been one of the largest centres for Buddhist studies in the 2nd century BC. In the 1950s, the government found this the ideal location for a large Dam on the River Krishna. Dedicated archaeologists managed to salvage almost everything, rescuing the ruins brick by brick. The original site has been replicated on a little island that also houses a museum, open Saturday to Thursday.

Hotels in Hyderabad – Choice is Yours

There are numerous hotels in Hyderabad ranging from 3-star, 4-star and 5-star deluxe to budget hotels.