Hyderabad India Travel Guide

Hyderabad Images

Hyderabad India

Hyderabad History and Geography

Hyderabad, the land of the legendary Nawabs has a very rich and diverse history. It was established by the Qutub Shahi dynasty in the 16th century. Hyderabad was created when the Shahi dynasty decided to shift their capital from the Golconda to the banks of Musi river.

Hyderabad is surrounded by huge pre-historic rock formations . The Shahi dynasty ruled for more than 150 years and the city expanded and flourished under their rule. After a long battle with the merciless emperor Aurangzeb, the Shahi dynasty collapsed and with it Hyderabad, as it was partially ruined then.

In 1798 an alliance was signed between the East India Company and the Nizam, and an area was given to them as cantonment. This place is the twin city of Hyderabad known as Secunderabad. Both cities are merged today.

As the Mughal empire begin to fall, the reins of power fell into the hands of Asaf Jah-I, who ruled until the mergence into the Indian union in 1948. The mergence of Hyderabad was done by force as the Nizam had wished for an independent state.

Hyderabad Attractions and Things To Do

One of the famous Hyderabad travel attractions is the Charminar, which is commonly referred to as the Arc de Triomphe of the East. It is a 4 colonnade monument built in 1591. The whole edifice contains small decorative arches both horizontally and vertically.

On the western outskirts of Hyderabad, is the majestic Golconda Fort. It is built on an isolated granite hill that rises 400 meters above the surrounding plain.

For a glimpse of the local wildlife, then all you have to do is go to Hyderabad’s Nehru Zoological Park, which is the largest zoological park in India. The park covers an area of 300 acres, with over 3000 species of birds and animals, and a pretty decent lion and tiger safari.

One of the finest examples of a man-made lake is the Hussain Sagar Lake, which is over three centuries old. It one of the more popular Hyderabad travel attractions, with load of water sports activities, a 350 ton Buddha statue on the rock of Gibraltar, and 33 more statues of famous personalities.

The Falaknuma Palace, has been transformed into a museum, and is famous for its very precious collection of treasures. In it are personal belongings of some of the present and former Nizams of Hyderabad.

Hyderabad Shopping

From the era of the Shahi dynasty to the tech-savvy heart of the nation, Hyderabad has come along way. You can find Hyderabad malls and stores that will make your jaw drop what their choice of merchandise. Or you can go to the local bazaars where you still get everything good and cheap. Shopping in Hyderabad is fun, as everything you buy has its value for money. You could buy pearls, diamonds, embroidered fabric in Hyderabad, as it’s one of the cities in India where these items are cheaper. The Lad Bazaar and Sultan Bazaar are one of the oldest and busiest in the city, and are worth visiting.

Hyderabad Cuisine

Hyderabad is very famous for its mouth-watering kebabs and its sumptuous Hyderabadi Biryani. You would get a blend of the mughlai as well as the typical spicy Andhra food. With the city being so developed, its not hard to find good multi-cuisine restaurants. The city has also got one more specialty called “haleem”, a meat and pounded wheat preparation which satisfies taste buds and fills you up. Hyderabadi’s do have a sweet tooth, so you will find lots of sweets and confectionaries shops here too.

Hyderabad Nightlife

The Hyderabad night life is pretty good, with more and more pubs sprouting all over the city. Some of the pubs are really unique, like the Bier Keller, which is created to look like a II world war Nazi bunker. In Hyderabad you would be able to find some fairly intriguing pubs, with good music and crowd. Most of the nightclubs here won’t put too much of a dent in your pocket.

Hyderabad Getting There and Around

From Hyderabad you can travel to lots of places in the state of Andhra Pradesh. It’s the capital of the state, so the infrastructure getting there and around is good. Hyderabad is well connected by airways, railways, and roadways to all the major cities. The best time to come is during the winter season, i.e. Oct- Feb, as summers do become real harsh.

Hyderabad Latest Traveler Activity