THE KIKI STUDIO - BLOG

Top 10 Places In Hyderabad

Dhruvil Nisar
September 7, 2023
11:51 am

Traveling is a passion. Passion for exploring, learning about new places, and being enriched by its culture, heritage, or modernness. Today’s generation is more of an avid traveler as their life is confined to a limited space. So to ease out and have a relaxing time, they move to new places to explore. India is a culturally rich land where every city has something to offer. The same goes for the City of Pearl, Hyderabad. Yes, the capital city of Telangana, as well as Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad, has perfect attractions that date back to history as well as current times.

Hyderabad was the capital of Andhra Pradesh only until 2014, when Telangana separated and became another state. Since then, it has been the capital of both states. The city landscapes are stunning and make you wonder about their beauty. Since there are several large and small attractions in Hyderabad, we will discuss the top 10 places in Hyderabad that one should not miss visiting while planning a holiday in Hyderabad.

1. The Astonishing Beauty Of Charminar

First and foremost name that comes to visit while in Hyderabad has to be the Charminar. The scenic beauty lies in the heart of the city. The monument was constructed with a motive in the year 1591 by Mohammed Quli Qutub Shah. A motive to ward off the evil and deadly epidemic that spread at that time. It took the lives of many people. If you glance at the architecture in Charminar, you will find them to be of Cazia style. The four minars in the monument are 48.7 mts tall. Inside the Charminar, there are 45 open spaces to pray and a mosque as well. There is also a little market surrounding Charminar. You can shop for things at very nominal rates from there. Several other attractions are nearby so plan your visit accordingly.

Charminar hardly takes an hour to visit, boosting the rich heritage culture. The entry is not free and is charged Rs 5 for Indians and Rs 100 for foreigners. The gates open daily to visitors from 9-30 a.m. to 5-30 p.m.

2. Exhaustive Personal Collections At Salarjung Museum

Mir Yousuf Ali Khan, also known as Salar Jung III, founded the Salar Jung Museum in 1591. It is spread over 10 acres of land and has two floors. There are 38 galleries in it which boasts richness and royalty, displaying more than 13000 objects. Mir Khan spent his entire life and wealth collecting these valuables worldwide. The museum has display of various antiques collected worldwide. It is famous for having the most extensive personal collection by anyone in the world. You can find art from various parts of the world, such as Eastern Art, Indian Art, Middle Eastern Art, and European Art. Apart from various forms of Art, you can also find woodcarvings, Indian sculptures, Chinese Porcelain, Persian carpets, and much more in the musuem. It also has digital form of art that connects to the today’s youth very well. The place is perfect for history enthusiasts as well as art lovers.

The museum is open to visitors all days a week except for Friday from 10-00 a.m. to 5 p.m. The entry fee is Rs 20 for Indians and Rs 500 for foreigners. Children and students do not have to pay anything.

3. Stunning As Well As Soothing, Birla Temple

Birla temple is a famous tourist attraction situated on top of a hill named Naubat Pahad. To its south, flows the Hussain Sagar Lake. Lord Venkateshwara is worshipped in the Birla temple. The temple is said to be built over a period of 10 years using a massive amount of white marble (almost 2000 tonnes) brought from Rajasthan especially. The beauty of the temple is that you can view the twin cities, Hyderabad and Secunderabad, from it. The architectural style depicts North and South Indian temples. As the temple is located on the hilltop, you need to walk quite a bit to reach the main temple, but upon reaching, the peace and serenity are worth coming for.

The stories from Hindu Mythology, Ramayana, and Mahabharata, are intricately carved on the walls of the mandir. Another feature is that the temple has no bells in it. It is because Swami Rangnathananda thought of the temple premises as being used for meditation purposes as well. Hence no bells. Many Hindu god idols and the Buddha statue are inside the temple.

The temple is open all days of the year from 7-00 a.m. to 12-00 p.m. and again from 3-00 p.m. to 9-00 p.m. There is no entry fee to visit and seek blessings in the temple.

4. Man Made Lake Hussain Sagar Lake

Asia’s most prominent man-made/artificial lake, Hussain Sagar, is a famous tourist spot among travelers. The lake is said to connect twin cities, Hyderabad and Secunderabad. The lake is said to be dug around in 1562 by Ibrahim Quli Qutub Shah. This lake’s main feature is the 16 meters tall Buddha statue in the middle of the lake.

Visitors can also enjoy the boating facilities and other water sports at Hussain Sagar Lake. The lake is surrounded by a number of parks and gardens, namely NTR Gardens, Lumbini Park, Sanjeevani Park, and more, which you can also visit along. Have a stroll in the garden, do nature photography, visit the tomb, and have the tranquillity of the lake.

The heart-shaped lake is open all day long from morning 9-00 a.m. to evening 9-30 p.m. You do not need to pay anything to visit the lake. But there are extra charges for boating as well as water activities.

5. The Magical World Of Entertainment In Ramoji Film City

A thematic destination for travelers, Ramoji Film city is a movie-lover paradise. Ramoji Rao did the inception of Ramoji Film city in the year 1996. The cine magic can be seen spread across 2000 acres of land. With different sets, studio tours, eco-tours, and adventure activities, Ramoji Film City has every bit of entertainment for you. Guinness book records also recognize it as the biggest integrated film studio in the world. Several films have been made in the studio; one among the famous is the Bahubali. You can visit the set and get engrossed in the film era of Bahubali. It is an experience one can never forget.

The film city is open all days a week except on Sundays from 9-00 a.m. to 6-00 p.m. The ticket price is 1150+ taxes for adults and Rs 950 + tax for children (3 years-12 years).

6. Unforgettable Meet With 1500 Species In Nehru Zoological Park

Named after the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, the Nehru Zoological Park is among the biggest zoos in India. The zoo was open for public visits in the year 1963. Spread over 380 acres of land and home to over 1500 species, the government of Telangana runs this park. The animals here are kept in zoological order. You can enjoy elephant ride, different safaris, toy train rides, and make a visit to aquarium. It excitingly provides every nuance of the species.

The wildlife park has different entry prices for weekends and weekdays. It is Rs 60 for adults on weekdays and Rs 40 per child. At the same time, it is Rs 75 per adult and Rs 50 a child on weekends. The camera charges are different. Also, the safari, toy train, aquarium, and other visiting places inside have a nominal fee to pay.

7. Acoustic & Architectural Excellence At Golconda Fort

The Golconda fort or earlier known as Mankal, is an architectural genius. Built-in the 11th century on a hilltop, the fort has now only ruins in it. The fort was said to be built by the kakatiya dynasty ruler, but it is always associated with Qutub Shah Dynasty. It is believed there was a priceless vault in the fort in old times, with the most famous diamond, Kohinoor, and many other jewels. The fort was initially made out of the mud. Then the Qutub rulers used granite and made aesthetic changes to it. The acoustic engineering is so good that you can also hear the clap from one km away.

The fort is open every day from 9-00 a.m. to 5-30 p.m. the ticket price is nominal at Rs 5 for Indians and Rs 100 for foreigners.

8. The Glory Of The Past, Chowmahalla Palace

200 years old, Chowmahalla palace has four palaces in it (Chou means four, and Mahalla means palaces). The palace resembles the Shah Palace of Tehran in country Iran.

The palace is said to be constructed in the 18th century, and after the government restored it, it was opened for visitors in the year 2005. The palace has two courtyards, namely the Northern Courtyard and Southern Courtyard. Both the Courtyard has fascinating sites to visit. It also has a clock tower named as Khilwat Clock. The palace has a major attraction named Khilwat Mubarak. All the nizam ceremonies were held in the palace. The intricate carvings, water fountain, green landscape, and chandeliers are artistically done in the palace.

The palace remains closed on Fridays. Rest all days visitors can visit from 10-00 a.m. to 5-00 p.m. The entry fee for adults is Rs 50 and Rs 10 for kids. For foreigners, it is Rs 200. An extra charge for photography and videography is there.

9. Local Street Shopping From Begum Bazaar

Known to be the biggest commercial market in the City of Hyderabad, Begum Bazaar is a must-visit destination for all your shopping needs. The bazaar has been there since the Qutub Shah rulers and is located near the Naya Pul Bridge in the old city. The narrow lanes in the bazaar are mostly crowded. It is better to go for shopping in the morning or afternoon as in the evening it gets heavily crowded. You can shop from clothes to glassware, jewelry, bags and other household commodities at wholesale and retail prices. It is said to be the second-largest fish market in Hyderabad as well.

The bazaar is open every day except on Sundays from 10-00 a.m. to 11-00 p.m. Do not forget to buy some pearls from the local street shops in begum Bazaar.

10. Pray For Visa Clearance At Chilkur Balaji Temple

Around 30 km from Hyderabad, in Chilkur, is a temple most famously known as Visa Balaji temple. Yes, as the name says, it is believed that people do visit and pray to Lord Venkateshwara in the temple for any problems regarding their visa clearance. Many devotees come to this temple located on the banks of the famous Osman Sagar Lake. The temple has enchanting architectural designs and is said to be among one of the oldest temples in Telangana, i.e., half a millennium old (500 years).

It is as esteemed as Tirupati Balaji temple. This is because there is a legend behind it. As per some of the legends, the temple was constructed by a devotee who couldn’t visit and seek blessings at Tirupati Balaji due to health reasons. Thus seeing his devotion, Lord Venkateshwara appeared and asked him to find the idol with Sridevi and Bhoodevi and form a temple. Since then, people who cannot visit Tirupati temple have come and sought blessings at Chilkur Balaji temple.

The temple is open all around the year from morning 6-00 a.m. to 1-00 p.m. and 4-00 p.m to 6-00 p.m.

The above list has major tourist attractions in Hyderabad, and people wish to visit them on their trip. Other places can be visited as per your preferences, like food, entertainment, heritage, or religion. A bustling city, Hyderabad has recently become the hub of IT industries. This is the reason it is also called a Cyber City in India. Offering you scenic locations to stunning landscapes, Hyderabad City must be on your visit list.