Venue
Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel
Address: 8-2-409, Rd Number 6, Green Valley, Banjara Hills,
Hyderabad, Telangana 500034
Phone: 040 6733 1133
The City of Hyderabad
The Pearl City, Hyderabad with its unmatched blend of history and modernity, hypnotizes everyone, whoever sets his/her foot in this beautiful city of Nizams. With a history as old as 400 years and the status of metropolitan city, Hyderabad promises a unique refreshing experience to all.
From historical monuments to natural getaways to mouth-watering world famous cuisine to appealing shopping places and thrilling entertainment parks, this city has it all to keep you glued.
There are many tourism places to visit in Hyderabad, from families, young group of friends, children to senior citizens, everyone will find something of their interest in Hyderabad.
This city is a place worth visiting at least once in a lifetime. In fact, it is impossible for anyone to soak in the multifarious charms which the city has to offer in a limited time span.
Located on the banks of the Musi River, the city of Hyderabad was established in 1591 CE by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shahies. The city is noted for its unique culture, a lineage which can be traced back to the Asaf Jahi rulers, who were great patrons of literature, art,architecture, culture, jewelry collection and rich food.
The moment you emerge from the Hyderabad airport, the city that immediately hits the eye is a sprawling metropolis of shopping malls, flyovers and office buildings with glass facades. And you are left wondering, where did the largest princely state of the Nawabs vanish?
The city of Hyderabad depicts an interesting confluence of the traditional and the modern, the past and the present. So, don’t feel betrayed by these inventions, synonymous of modernity as alongside the metropolis Hyderabad, also exists the Old City with an altogether unique charm of its own.
Hyderabad can be divided into the historic city established by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah on the southern side of the Musi River that forms the Old City, while the New City encompasses the urbanised area on the northern banks.
The Old City is composed of a maze of disorienting alleyways that expand outward from the Charminar. Most of the historical attractions are situated in the old city. Here is a list of the most popular tourist spots in Hyderabad; the ones which you mustn’t not miss:
1. Charminar
The capital city of Telangana, Hyderabad is a popular tourist destination and presents its visitors with a mesmerising contrast of age old traditions, culture at one end and modern facilities, amenities of a metropolitan city at the other end. Hyderabad is one city, which has no dearth of tourist attractions.
The very well known Charminar of Hyderabad is located at the Old City. This square shaped structure with a height of 56 m and breadth of 30 m was constructed in 1591. It was built by Sultan Mohammed Quli Qutb Shah in the honor of his wife Bhagmati.
Also referred as the ‘Arc de Triomphe of the East’, Charminar is adorned with four towers in each corner. The minarets on each side, is of 48.7 m height, each with four storeys. Chaminar has a small mosque as well on the top floor. There are 45 prayer spaces which are still visited by people, particularly on Fridays. Lighting in the evening is quite glamorous and makes for a worth watching site.
2. Golconda Fort
Just 11 km away from the city, the architectural marvel Golconda Fort is well connected to the rest of the city. Built by Qutub Shahi Kings, this fort presents an impressive structure, with eight gates and 87 bastions.
Its impressive structure has majestic walls which are as high as 15 to 18 foot and a parameter of close to 11 km. Along with brilliant architecture, this fort also captivates its visitors with its system of acoustics, its water supply system, ‘Rahban’ cannon and Ramdas’ prison which has carved Hindu deity in it.
The light and the sound show in English, Hindi and Telugu language with the voice over by the Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan is something one must not miss when visiting the Fort. Please note that Camera Tripods are not allowed inside.
3. Ramoji Film City
Since 1991, Ramoji Film City has been alluring tourists from every corner of the country. One of the largest film studios in the world it has the capacity to house almost 50 film units within a given point of time.
It is also listed in Guinness Book of World Records as well. Spread over 2500 acres, it is situated about 30 km away from Hyderabad. Its brilliant architecture and sound technical facilities make it suitable for all the pre and post production of a film.
Its various sets like London Street, Hollywood sign, Japanese gardens, etc; landscapes; vintage buses; and many other features such as Filmi Duniya, Action, Interactive Entertainment, etc, makes a trip to Ramoji memorable.
4. Hussain Sagar Lake
Connecting the twin cities, Hussain Sagar Lake boasts of being the largest artificial lake in Asia. On the tributary of Musi River, it was excavated during Ibrahim Quli Qutub Shah’s reign, in 1562 AD. It has got its name after Hussain Shah Wali.
The main attraction is 16 m high white granite statue of Lord Bhudda with a weight of 350 tonnes, situated at the middle of the lake. The lighting show here is worth watching.
One can take a ferry ride to the statue, which takes and brings back visitors at regular intervals. One can indulge in various recreational activities which are offered here such as boating with the choice of speed boats as well as motor boats, water-skiing, parasailing and cruising. The 48 seater launch offering dinner to its guests is a perfect place for private parties.
5. Birla Mandir
Located atop 280-foot-high hillock of Kalapahad, the beautiful Birla Mandir has derived its name from the industrialist Birlas who have constructed Birla temples in various parts of the country.
Constructed in 1976, it is said it took close to 2000 tonnes of white marbles to build this stunning temple which was brought from Rajasthan. It has drawn its architecture from the amalgamation of three known architectural designs – South Indian Architecture, Utkal temple Architecture and Rajasthani Architecture.
The temple has 11 ft. tall statue of Lord Lakshminarayana with a magnificent lotus carved around it. It also has separate shrines for deities such as Venkateswara, ‘Padmavati’ and ‘Andal’ as well. The complex also houses a separate temple of Lord Bhudda.
6. Jala Vihar
Located at the Necklace Road, Jalavihar, family entertainment park, enjoys a prime location. Suitable for both kids and adults, it offers an amazing range of water activities. Some of these are River ride, Tilt bucket, Mushroom Umbrella, Family slide, Mini aqua trailers, Float slide, Pendulum, etc.
Not just water rides, families can have fun filled moments at games like Mini train, Super-Jet, Battery bikes, Mini Coarsely, Battery cars, Mini rainbow wheel, Air hockey, Water shooter, Basketball, Bungy Trampoline, etc. The party zone here is perfect for all kinds of family functions. It also houses an amphitheatre and the Aesthetic Vedhika.
7. Durgam Cheruvu
Durgam Cheruvu is located quite close to the Hi Tech city. It lies hidden between various granite rocks and hence is referred as Secret Lake too. It is also called with the names of Madhapur Lake.
There are rocks which have surrounded the lake, spread over an area of 63 acres which are approximately 2500 million years old. It is also said that the water of lake was used as drinking water in Golconda Fort.
There are facilities for a range of activities here at the lake such as pedal boating, camping as well as trekking. You will also find cafeteria by the lake side.
8. Taj Falaknuma Palace
On a 2000-foot high hill, Falaknuma Palace is located just at a distance of 5 km from the historic monument Charminar. Built by the Nawab Vikar-ul-Umra, it took close to 9 long years for its completion. However, later in 1897, it was purchased by Nizam VI to serve the purpose of royal guest house.
Spread across an area of 32 acres, the palace has been constructed with marble and is often referred as the ‘mirror of the sky’. There are almost 22 halls and 220 rooms in the palace along with an impressive library, captivating chandeliers, marble staircase and many attractive features which make it an architectural marvel.
It boasts of a rich collection which ranges from Jade collection to rare paintings, manuscripts, books and furniture to statues. In 2000, it was taken over by Taj Group and converted into a 5 star luxury hotel, although the essence has still been preserved with much caution.
9. Shilparamam
A craft village, Shilparamam is one of the popular tourist spots of Hyderabad. Spread over 50 acres, is a popular shopping destination with artisans from all over India showcasing their best products.
Handmade artifacts, hand woven, traditional clothes and traditional jewelry often lure visitors. It has many captivating sections such as Crafts Museum, Cultural Museum, Art Gallery & Library, Multi-purpose Auditorium, as well as Workshops and Research & Design Centers.
And the best part if you won’t have to explore all this empty stomach. They are many food stalls offering mouth-watering snacks as well.