Hyderabad Hotels

For a grand vacation anywhere, a nice place to stay is a must. Although there is always the option to stay in motels or even rent a small apartment, nothing still beats living in a lavish room overlooking the city. That is why anyone who has extra money to spend should make the most out of their vacation by staying at first class and luxurious hotels. After all, the reason why people take a vacation is to relax and unwind, and nothing takes stress or tiredness out of a day of walking and seeing the sights than lounging in a warm jacuzzi with a glass of wine in hand. Such services are always available in five-star hotels.
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Necklace Road

A wonderful place to unwind and just plain relax in Hyderabad is the long strip of boulevard popularly known as Necklace Road. The name comes from the fact that the whole road, along with Hyderabad’s Tank Bund, resembles a beautiful necklace when seen from the sky. This long stretch of road connects NTR Gardens and Lumbini Park in Hyderabad to Sanjeevaiah Park in Secunderabad. This is how the whole thing is connected: the road from Sanjeevaiah Park connects to the Tank Bund Road which, in turn, is connected to the NTR Gardens, forming a circle.
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Secunderabad

Located six miles northeast of Hyderabad, Secunderabad is often called the twin of Hyderabad; both are usually popularly referred as “Twin Cities”, although the name Secunderabad is rarely used outside of both. Its history runs parallel to that of Hyderabad, with some scholars claiming that its origin was technically established back to the time when Hyderabad was also formed. Hussain Sagar, a manmade lake built by the Qutub Shahis during the 16th century, separates Secunderabad from Hyderabad, and both cities shared the same airport until early 2008. In spite of the close connections between the two, though, both cities have a different fusion of cultures, with Secunderabad having fully developed under a direct British rule while Hyderabad has been a princely state since its inception.
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Hyderabad Neighbourhoods

Hyderabad is made up of many neighbourhoods. Here you can find out about some of the more popular ones. As well, you can find out about Secunderabad, the twin city right next to Hyderabad.

Secunderabad

Located six miles northeast of Hyderabad, Secunderabad is often called the twin of Hyderabad; both are usually popularly referred as “Twin Cities”, although the name Secunderabad is rarely used outside of both. Its history runs parallel to that of Hyderabad, with some scholars claiming that its origin was technically established back to the time when Hyderabad was also formed. Hussain Sagar, a manmade lake built by the Qutub Shahis during the 16th century, separates Secunderabad from Hyderabad, and both cities shared the same airport until early 2008. In spite of the close connections between the two, though, both cities have a different fusion of cultures, with Secunderabad having fully developed under a direct British rule while Hyderabad has been a princely state since its inception. Find out more.

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Shilpakala Vedika

When Shilpakala Vedika was unveiled in 2002 amidst a lot of fanfare (including a glittering cultural show complete with classical and tribal dances and a lot of dignitaries), there were concerns that Hyderabad’s other, more enduring cultural center, the Ravindra Bharathi, would be put out of business and completely overshadowed. While Ravindra Bharathi is still up today (and still going strong), the fears shared by those people then were not totally unfounded: Shilpakala Vedika is touted as the best convention center in the country and, with its facilities and pedigree, it might as well be.
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Ravindra Bharathi

Every city worth its cultural heritage should have an auditorium or theater, or so they say. After all, much of a place’s culture is present in the form of performing arts. Songs, dances, performances, stories — whatever it is, as long as a group of people congregate to watch it, it becomes a memory that is shared by everyone. That is why it is important that a theater is constructed to house every and all kinds of performances.
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Secunderabad Attractions

Secunderabad may not have a history as rich as its twin sister, Hyderabad, nor may it be as big, but dismissing this wonderful city in India just because of those two reasons would be a very grave mistake. While much of the city developed under British rule, resulting in different cultural fusion, it still holds very good spots for those who want to immerse themselves in Indian culture. The atmosphere in this city is also much more serene than Hyderabad, making it a prime place for those who want to enjoy everything in relative peace and tranquility.

Interesting places one can visit in Secunderabad include:
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Falaknuma Palace

About 5 kilometers or so from historic Charminar, another grand masterpiece of architecture can be found. It is called Falaknuma Palace, which literally means “Star of Heaven” in Urdu.

Considered one of the finest palaces in Hyderabad, Falaknuma Palace was constructed by Nawab Vikarul-Umra, former Prime Minister of Hyderabad and the fifth emir of the Paigahs. He then generously gave it to the sixth Nizam of Hyderabad, Mahboob Ali Khan Siddiqi, also known as Asaf Jah VI, when the Nizam professed a liking for the place as it held a commanding view of the whole city.
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Hyderabad Numaish

In Urdu, “Numaish” means exhibition, and the Numaish in Hyderabad is precisely just that; it is an open-air exhibition to display all the ingenious products and goods that the city of Hyderabad produces. Held annually since 1938 during the ruling period of Hyderabad’s Nizams, the fair gets about 2.5 million people each year, with up to 2600 stalls set up for the perusal of the buying public. To say that it is a massive event is pretty much an understatement.
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Purani Haveli

Just southeast of Afzal Gunj Bridge near Dewandevdi in Hyderabad lies one of the many palaces of Hyderabad’s Nizam, the Purana Haveli Palace. Built more than 200 years ago, the Palace, while not as grand as the other palaces built by the Nizams across their dynasty, is still a very fine example of the melding of two culture’s architectural styles. Even now, it still stands as a wonderful edifice that is representative of India’s rich and diverse history. Purani Haveli is literally translated as “Old Quarters”.
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Bhongir Fort

Sometimes, there are places that are relative unknowns that are just as awesome and breathtaking as those that get plastered all over the news and tourist sites. That is why when someone goes on a vacation to some foreign place, an itinerary set by a travel agency or tourist company isn’t always the best choice. There is still much to be said about discovering less well-known attractions in out-of-the-way places; it harkens back to the time when there was magic in discovering something that is relatively low profiled. Case in point: Bhongir Fort in the municipality of Bhongir, in Hyderabad.
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Taramati Baradari

Romance is not uncommon, especially where royalty and history are concerned. Across the ages, stories are told about kings who have fallen under the spell of a courtesan. In the Middle East, the story about Scheherezade and her one thousand and one nights of stories and tales to the Persian king Shahryar has given the world a thousand and one dreams, not to mention her story being a tale unto itself as well. The middle ages, in particular, are rife with romance and grace, and they are especially obvious in India where it is customary for rulers to have harems.
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Botanical Garden

Avid horticulturists and tourists with natural green thumbs will be glad to know that when they decide to visit Hyderabad, they will already have a place waiting for them. The Hyderabad Botanical Garden is a 120-acre area of land in the Kothaguda Reserve Forest especially allotted to preserve different varieties of plants and trees, both to be enjoyed by future generations and also to educate the people. It is developed by the Forest Department is being groomed by the Tourism Department to be a major tourist attraction.
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Legislative Assembly

Enclosed in the Public Garden at the heart of Hyderabad City, the Legislative Assembly of Hyderabad is the seat of the state legislature of Telangana. It can be considered the heart and soul of Hyderabad as it is where the power of the state’s laws and legislation are made and passed. Aside from the important function it serves, the Legislative Assembly also happens to be one of Hyderabad’s most majestic buildings, outside of the actual palaces of the Nizams. As such, it is easily one of the most imposing building in the city, and is becoming a popular destination for tourists and locals alike.
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Chowmahalla Palace

If something has the distinction of being the center of a rich, historically established city, then chances are high that that something is breathtaking and grand. Such is the case of the magnificent Chowmahalla Palace, the former seat of the Asaf Jahi dynasty and where the Nizams used to entertain their royal visitors and high-ranking guests. Built more than 200 years ago, in the 18th century, the Chowmahalla Palace has long been known for its unique style and elegance. “Chow” means four in Urdu and “Mahalat”, the plural of “Mahalel” means palaces. Literally, the name means “Four Palaces”. It has now been meticulously restored by the government so it has gotten back much of its former glory.
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King Kothi Palace

Among the dynasties that made up the state of Telangana’s colourful and rich history, perhaps none has contributed to structural beauty and aesthetics appeal more than the Asaf Jah line of rulers. More commonly known as Nizams, the Asaf Jahs are responsible for a lot of the great and magnificent edifices and palaces that are found at Hyderabad. Most of these structures have been classified as prime tourist spots by the Telangana state government.
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Birla Science Museum

The Birla Science Museum is the second phase of the B.M. Birla Science Center, one of India’s most prestigious institutions for dissemination and promotion of science to the public. Together with the Birla Planetarium and the Birla Dinosaurium, the Birla Science Museum was created to educate the masses about the fundamentals of science in a manner that is interactive, exciting, and fresh — a far cry from just reading about it in textbooks and journals.
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Hyderabad Background

In this section you can find a lot of background information about Hyderabad that will help you understand the city and its people. Click on the title or the photograph to find out more about any of these topics.

Hyderabad Demographics
	Since Hyderabad has become one of India’s most prominent IT emerging cities as well as the country’s center of scientific and technological development, many people from different parts of the country have migrated there to take advantage of the sprouting opportunities. As a result, the population of Hyderabad has become a potpourri of various ethnic groups. Find out more

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Hyderabad Film Industry (Tollywood)

Every developed country has, as one of its important roots, its own movie industry. In fact, film is probably one of the best indicators of a place’s culture. With film, one can see how a nation has developed, both artistically and culturally across the years. The film industry can also put a country or a place on the map, the classic case in point being, of course, Hollywood.
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Hyderabad Media

When it comes to media and telecommunications infrastructure, Hyderabad is among the most well-developed in all of India. This is mostly due to the fact that Hyderabad is one of the fastest growing cities in the country, with one of the leading IT and ITES hubs located there. In fact, the whole city is covered by a large network of optic fibers, ensuring uninterrupted and fast data communication transfers. As a result, Hyderabad’s media remains on the forefront of modern technology.
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Hyderabad Shopping

When you’re in Hyderabad, where and what to shop should be the least of your concerns since Hyderabad is a shopper’s delight. Whether you’re buying something exotic and indigenous, or just looking for the next great gadget or fashion gear, Hyderabad has it all and more. What’s even better is that if you’re hunting for the local stuff, you can engage in that age-old and time-honored tradition of haggling and bargaining. What you think is cheap can even be bought cheaper, if you’re a good enough haggler. Those with enough silver in their tongue can practically get away with a bag full of beads and saris at less than a hundred bucks.
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Hyderabad History

Among the cities of India, Hyderabad, the capital of the new state of Telangana, has one of the richest and most colourful histories, accentuated by magnificent architecture and a rich culture. Several influences for the past 400 years has molded it into the A-1 status city it is today.
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Hyderabad Sports

When it comes to sports, Hyderabad offers the usual array for the ordinary tourist or citizen, mainly golf, tennis, and even horse racing. However, there are only two that have totally captured the city’s attention: cricket and field hockey. The fervor the Hyderabadis have for these two sports is so great that some say it borders to near fanatical levels.
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Hyderabad IT Industry

Back in the mid-1990s in the United States, when the Internet boom was just starting, the East was also poised to get in on the technological wagon. Hyderabad, an ancient city borne of mixed traditions and cultures, started the slow transformation into a cyber-city that, today, has become one of India’s premiere information technology and IT-enabled service hubs. Hyderabad has also become the country’s center for scientific and technological development not only in IT infrastructure but also in pharmaceutical and science research industries. To say that Hyderabad is the financial and technological capital of the state of Telangana is not a rumour; it is a fact supported annually by the many international technological firms that call the city their home.
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Hyderabad Government and Administration

Back when it was still a state unto itself, Hyderabad was governed by a hereditary line of rulers called Nizams, the shortened title of Nizam-ul-Mulk, which meant Administrator of the Realm. This dynasty was founded by Mir Qammar-ud-Din Siddiqi, a viceroy of the Mughal empire. When the Mughal empire crumbled, the viceroy in Hyderabad declared the place independent and by the 18th century, it had surpassed the Mughals. When the reorganization of the Indian states happened in 1956, Hyderabad was split into three: Telangana, Maharashtra, and Karnataka.
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Safety for Tourists in Hyderabad

Like most exotic places in the East, Hyderabad is a wonderful place for tourists to visit, with its rich and fascinating history and culture. The Hyderabadis are also quite friendly and accommodating, and while people from the western countries will stand out (both figuratively and literally), they will never feel like a sore thumb sticking out. Hyderabad is a fusion of the old and the new, and a tourist will never run out of interesting places to see and new activities to experience.
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Hyderabad Music And Dance

It can be said that a city’s native dance or music is a unique imprint of its culture and morals, a window to their history and evolution as a race, group, or nation. Even if one would say that their collection of music and dance is influenced or stolen from other cultures, usually those that have occupied them in the past, the resulting amalgamation is still decidedly their very own. Both dance and music contribute much to a city’s unique identity, and more often than not, whenever a foreigner visits a new place, the one thing that lingers in their memories long after they’ve left it are the festival’s involving indigenous music and dance. The Mardi Gras, for example, is immediately associated with Caribbean countries, or those that have Caribbean influence, such as Louisiana.
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Hyderabad Weather

One of the major things that has a great impact in a person’s enjoyment of a vacation is the kind of weather that a particular place has. That is why for most everyone, especially those living in the West and the North where there are cold seasons, a place having tropical or equatorial weather is always a good place for a vacation. Fortunately for those who are considering spending a few days in Hyderabad, the place is one of those that are located relatively near the equator so a nice warm weather can generally be expected. It can be described as tropical, but not the clammy, overly sweltering type.

Hyderabad generally has three seasons. They are:
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Getting To Hyderabad

Those who want to add Hyderabad to their itinerary of cities to be visited in India will find out that there are several ways of getting there. The good thing about Hyderabad is that it is very well connected to to the major cities of India as well as the world so there’s no having to make multiple stops in little towns or cities to reach this historic and beautiful place. If you want to go the scenic route, however, you can do that too, via land travel.
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Getting Around Hyderabad

Hyderabad is the capital of Telangana and is one of India’s most progressive and historical cities. As such, it offers many attractions and things to see and experience for the everyday tourist. The city is rather big so people who are planning on seeing all Hyderabad has to offer would do well to invest a few days to see the main attractions. The good news is that there are many ways you can go about getting around the city. Each one has its own pros and cons and it will really depend on your style of travel and preference.
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