Hyderabad - Best Places of Interest

June 13, 2016 Travel, Within India

Hyderabad – A Sightseeing Cluster of the Old and the New

Want the perfect holiday experience where you can visit historical sites but at the same time enjoy the luxuries of modern amenities? The answer is Hyderabad. Giving its guests the perfect combination of both properly maintained historical landmarks and the latest modern amenities, the only thing you can complain about in Hyderabad is the hot climate!

There are some cities which have completely turned a new leaf and people who had visited it a decade back will not be able to tell the head or tail of the city, but then again, there are cities that still have a long way to go into modernization and still keep their prime focus on preserving the ancient monuments and landmarks that it is known for. Hyderabad is in-between both. The city is a perfect blend of the past and the present. The historical sites are still preserved well in the city, however, you will have to look beyond the towering skyscrapers and go around those buildings to actually get a view of the historical sites. After you have arrived on your Mumbai to Hyderabad flights Air India, you can head back to your hotel, relax and then straight ahead head out for you sightseeing adventure! Here are some places you cannot miss out on during your trip.

Charminar

One of the most iconic landmarks in the city of Hyderabad, the Charminar is like its name says, is a monument/mosque with ‘four towers’. It is one of the first places people seek out to visit on their sightseeing trail in the city.

Hussain-sagar-lake -Hyderabad — Hussain Sagar lake Hyderabad Image credit- http://www.todayincity.com/

Husain Sagar lake

The beautiful artificial lake in Hyderabad giving Hyderabad that romantic touch was built-in 1526 by the great well-known Sufi saint, Hazrat Syed Shah Wali. A walk by the sides of the lake is one of the favorite evening pastime activity people in the city like to do.

Mecca Masjid

One of the oldest mosques in the country, it is clearly the oldest and the most sacred mosque for Hyderabad. There is a myth and belief surrounding this place that anyone who sits on the benches outside the mosques is bound to return back to revisit the mosque again very soon regardless of where they visit from.

Golkonda fort, Hyderabad — Golconda fort Image credit- http://www.hyd.co

Golconda Fort

The Golconda Fort requires no introduction to any tourist or traveller. Much has been spoken of and written about this place that anyone visiting the city cannot just let a visit to this place go by. It is an important mention in the talks of the main landmarks in the country and a key monument of the city to draw crowds from far and wide.

Ramoji Film City

One of the newer places from the list of places to visit in the city, the Ramoji Film City facility has been accredited as the world’s largest studio complex by none other than the prestigious Guinness book of world records! A host of the most popular and well-known motion pictures have been directed and shot here.

Nehru Zoological Garden

Acting as a safe haven for some endangered animal species and some of the rarest species of birds, this zoo is well maintained and makes for a refreshing visit! It is clearly one of the top places to visit in Hyderabad just for its sheer beauty and helping get up close and personal with some of nature’s finest but sadly endangered species.

*/This is a guest post by Maria Simpson. She liked my earlier post on ‘Best Places of Interest in Hyderabad and wanted to contribute in relation to it. /*

May 26, 2016 Food

Top 5 Food Trucks In Hyderabad For a Lip-Smacking Foodie

Food trucks have become a trend in the culinary field. It is one of the effective ways of enjoying a lot of different styles of food uniquely. Many foodie travelers love Hyderabad because of the cuisine of the land. The cuisine was developed to win the hearts of Nizams of the land.

If you are in Hyderabad and are looking for some food truck experience, this article is right for you.

Chettinadu Villas

The lip-smacking dish of Southern India is idli (boiled rice cake) or dosa (Indian pancake). Do you know that there are more than 60 types of idli and dosa? If you want to enjoy some, you can visit Chettinadu Villas. They serve authentic Chettinadu-style food for a reasonable price. You can either call them to fix a place if you are traveling in a large group or, you can call them to locate them too.

Specials: Cheese Dosa, Mutton Idli, and Idiyappam

Where: Indira Nagar Service Lane, Gachibowli

Timings: From 6: 30 PM till midnight

Phone Number: 7799002711

Hungry Parrots

Lebanese food is known for its meat-filled flavors. They have a juicy mixture of meat and vegetables with soft Arabic bread. Shawarma is a very common and tasty Arabic food. If you are looking for Arabic food in Hyderabad, you can always rely on Hungry Parrots. This truck is known for its quick delivery time.

Specials: Different Styles of Shawarma

Where: Hitech City Road, Madhapur

Timings: 5:30 PM to 12:30 AM

Yum Stop

Yum Stop is a new food truck that is getting more famous in Hyderabad. This truck is famous for Indian and Chinese cuisine. The most interesting part of this truck is that the menu keeps changing every day. It is a bit hard to find the same menu again soon. You can call them to locate them. This truck has earned good reviews from the media. Seating is not available. High food quality can be expected and the proof of the quality is that the truck has a great crowd even after midnight.

Specials: Bread Omelette, Dosa Bandis, Sandwiches, Bonda

Where: Near Dapalla Hotels, Jubilee Hills

Timing: 10 PM till 3 AM

Phone Number: 7032997796

Chipotle

As the name indicates, this place is for Mexican food lovers. You would be astonished to see the quality of Mexican food that you can enjoy in South India. This truck is available for business even during the daytime. Tacos, burritos, and every other Mexican food can be found here. This place is for those who are ready to taste so spicy food. Home delivery is also available. Seating arrangements are not available and thus, only take-outs are possible.

Specialty: Nachos and Salsa

Where: Wipro Office, Gachibowli, or beside Phoenix Avance hub

Timing: 12:30 PM to 11:30 PM

Phone Number: 040- 3165016

Fat Cow Creamery

This is the truck for sweet lovers. While South India tour goers prepare themselves for spicy food, this truck is proof that the cuisine is capable of adding various flavors of frozen desserts to your plate. Starting from ice creams to all kinds of desserts, this truck is the home for sweet tooth holders. This adorable little blue trailer would remind you of the ice cream truck that used to ring bells to attract children in the suburbs. The specialty of this truck is ice cream served on a roll. It is your regular ice cream with exotic fruits and chips, still, it looks different. There are no seats available so only a takeaway is possible. Vegetarians can also enjoy these desserts.

Specialty: Berry Berry Ice Cream, Oreo and Cream, and Banana Ice Cream in Roll

Timing: 1 PM to 12:30 AM

Where: Usually At Banjara Hills

Phone Number: 7036111213

Food trucks have been common since the 18^th century. This is the best way for those who want to enjoy street food authentic to the local cuisine hygienically. Communicate with the locals or use any apps like Zomato to find some interesting food trucks near you.

*/ This is a guest post by Sophia Oatley. /*

Food trucks

Best Places of Interest in Hyderabad

The city was established by Mohammed Quill Qutb Shah nearly a century before the Mughals captured the region. The relics of Qutb Shahi and Nizam rule are still visible with the Charminar which symbolizes this city. Golconda Fort is another major landmark. The influence of Mughlai culture is also evident in the city’s distinctive cuisine, which includes delicious biryani and Haleem. Salar Jung Museum, Purani Haveli, Charminar, Golconda Fort, and the famous biryani. Guess, which place. I am referring to it here.

It is none other than Hyderabad. It is now the capital of southern India’s Telangana state. Earlier it was the capital of Andhra Pradesh. Historically, Hyderabad is known as a pearl and diamond trading center, and it continues to be known as the City of Pearls.

The city has many traditional bazaars, Laad Bazaar, Begum Bazaar, and Sultan Bazaar which have remained open for centuries.

Best Places of Interest

Salar Jung Museum– The huge and varied collection in the museum was curated by Mir Yusuf Ali Khan (Salar Jung III), the grand vizier of the seventh Nizam. The exhibits here are from every corner of the world which include Persian carpets, Japanese lacquerware, Chinese Porcelain, Mughal miniatures, famous statues of Veiled Rebecca and Marguerite and Mephistopheles and much more.

Hyderabad, Salar Jung Museum — Salarjung Museum
In Hyderabad
Image credit – Mannar K (flickr.com)

Purani Haveli– is an old palace, was the official residence of the Nizams of Hyderabad before independence. It is built in a u-shape and with two parallel elliptic wings, the residential part is the center of the palace. It also has the Nizam’s museum.

Hyderabad, Purani Haveli — Purani Haveli, Hyderabad
Image credit – www.hyderabadtourism.travel

Charminar – this renowned landmark was built by Mohammed Quli Qutb Shah to celebrate the founding of the city and the end of epidemics caused by Golconda’s water shortage.

Hyderabad, Charminar — Charminar |
Image courtesy ruffin_ready (flickr.com)

The four-column, 56-mm high structure has 4 arches facing the 4 cardinal directions. There are minarets over each column. The 2^nd floor has Hyderabad’s oldest mosque but that, and the upper columns are off-limits to visitors. Near the Charminar, there are small stalls that sell everything from berries to perfumes. There are shops where varakh (silver foil) is pounded to be put on sweets. If you go a little further then you can see Laad Market, which has best of South India’s wedding finery and the best pearl shops.

Birla Planetarium– The Birla Planetarium of Hyderabad was the first planetarium of the country. It was inaugurated in 1985 by late N.T. Rama Rao. The planetarium is equipped with the latest technology to bring you a thrilling and exciting experience while learning about the universe. The shows comprise of Haley’s comet, space explorations of the solar system, riddles of the Black Holes and the newly discovered Dark matter with interactive sessions resulting in a huge draw.

Lumbini Park– Located near Hussain Sagar Lake, Lumbini Park has a laser auditorium, boating facilities, well-maintained gardens and a number of musical fountains, an ideal spot for family entertainment. This auditorium has the capacity to seat 2000 people. It hosts show on Hyderabad’s history in English and Hindi for visitors. The park was renamed as T.Anjaiah Lumbini Park in honor of former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.

Lumbini Park entrance Image courtesy- Mspraveen at the wikipedia project — Lumbini Park entrance
Image courtesy Mspraveen at the Wikipedia project

Hussain Sagar Lake– Being at this lake is a pleasure. It is a man-made lake built by Hussain Shah Wali to provide irrigation water to the area, and now is an important link between the two cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.

Hussain Sagar Lake, Hyderabad Image courtesy- Alosh Bennett, Flickr — Hussain Sagar Lake, Hyderabad
Image courtesy- Alosh Bennett, Flickr

In the centre of this lake is a statue of Gautam Buddha, carved out of a single block of solid white granite.

Golconda Fort– This fort dates back to the 16^th century during the reigns of Qutb Shah kings which was built as a mud fort by the Yadavas and Kakatiyas. The fort was then expanded to into a massive and expansive fort of granite, with a circumference that extended around 5kms. It remained with the dynasty until 1590. The fort was then expanded to have an outer wall that enclosed the city. It is considered to be an engineering marvel for its acoustic effects: one handclap below the entrance dome can be heard at the highest point of a pavilion a kilometre away. It is believed that it acted as a warning from an enemy attack.

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References:

Wikipedia -for distances between cities.

Video: qaanso roobaad channel