Hyderabad also known as the Nizam state or city of pearls and is the capital of Telangana state, India. The city mesmerizes everyone who visits the place, with its architecture and modernity. The place has 400 years of history and being a metropolitan city, is one of the most happening tourist destinations.
The city has many famous temples, mosques, and palaces that are home to thousands of tourists. Many people visit Hyderabad for business and job purposes as it is a major industrial city. The city provides the best business and job opportunities for everyone. Also, the city has several famous tourist places that lure tourists from all over the globe. You can take a one-day tour bus and cover some of the places in a day with the help of a Hyderabad travel guide assisting you
Following are the top 20 tourist places to visit in Hyderabad:
1. Charminar
Charminar is the first tourist place in Hyderabad that strikes the mind when anyone thinks about Hyderabad. It was built by Muḥammad Qulī Quṭb Shah in the year 1591 to honor his wife Bhagmati. The four pillars of Charminar represent the four caliphs. Charminar is a four-storied structure each of which is intricately carved around with detailed handwork. It is listed among the most recognized movements in India. Also, you can visit Mecca masjid and shop in Laad Bazaar which is famous for its bangles. It takes about 40 minutes to 1 hour to see and completely understand the history of Charminar. The place is well connected with other parts of the city, you can easily travel by local transport or metro.
2. Hussain Sagar Lake
It is one of the largest artificial lakes in Asia and a tributary of the Musi River. The main attraction of Hussain Sagar Lake is the 16m Buddha statue made with white granite stone and Lumbini Park. The park hosts a number of activities in the form of renting cruises for parties and boating. You can opt for a two-way ferry ride that takes you to the Buddha statue. The are also many activities for both kids and adults. Also, you can spend a joyful evening by taking a walk along Necklace Road and Tank Bund. It takes around 2 hours to see the place and experience its beauty during sunset. As the place is in the center of the city it is well connected with transport facility. Necklace Road MMTS station is the nearest railway station.
3. NTR Gardens
NTR Gardens was established in memory of Shri NT Rama Rao on 36 acres of land. The place is full of greenery offering many recreational activities from boating to fun activities. There is a mini train that takes you through the complete gardens and covers major attractions. Also, the place offers many cafes, and restaurants to indulge in various delicacies. Usually, people prefer to come to this place on weekends and enjoy their time peacefully. It takes approximately 2 to 3 hours to view the place completely. But people usually prefer to take a half day and slowly enjoy and explore the place. You can either travel by metro or bus to reach the place.
4. Ramoji Film City
Ramoji Film City attracts tourists all around the country because it is one of the largest film studios in the World covering an area of 2500 acres. The has various attractions for its visitors such as theme sets, gardens, movie shoot locations, filmi duniya, and various other activities. It is a complete package for families and couples. This place is a kind of heaven for kids with its themed zones. You can also see the famous Bahubali sets which are open for visitors. It is located 70 km from Hyderabad and it takes a day to completely explore the place. You have to reach LB Nagar and take a bus from there or you have to pre-book a bus which is operated by the Film City.
5. Golconda Fort
Golkonda Fort is built by Qutub Shahi Kings and is well known for its architectural marvels. The fort has 8 gates and huge walls around the fort. From the top of the fort, you can have a view of the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. You should not miss the light show in various languages with voiceover. It is also believed that there is a secret underground passage from the Fort to Charminar for kings to escape during the war. It takes 3 hours to visit the fort which is located 11 km from the city. You can either travel by bus or metro to reach this place. Make sure to carry a water bottle and some snacks as you need to walk to explore the place.
6. Salar Jung Museum
Salar Jung Museum is located on the banks of the Musi River. It is considered to be one of the biggest one-man collections in the world with an impressive collection of 43000 art objects, 9000 manuscripts, and 47000 printed books. This museum has 38 galleries with 20 on the first floor and 18 on the second. Once in a while, Nizam Jewels are exhibited in the museum. You should not miss the music of The English Bracket Clock which puts on a show every hour. It takes around 2 hours to see each and every collection. You can catch a bus or travel through the metro. Gandhi Bhavan is the nearest metro station and from there you can book an auto or cab.
7. Chowmahalla Palace
The palace was built by Afzar-ud-Daulah the fifth Nizam in the 18th century. Initially, the palace was built on 45 acres, and in present-day, the palace covers 12 acres of land. It has vast courtyards and magnificent chandeliers which were lighted with candles during Nizam’s stay. You can explore the architecture of the place and enjoy in gardens. It takes 2 hours to completely explore the place. The palace is located near Charminar so you can visit the places together. The palace is just 700m from Charminar and you can reach it by walking.
8. Durgam Cheruvu
Spread across an area of 63 acres Durgam Cheruvu is also known as Madhapur Lake. The 6-lane Durgam Cheruvu Hanging Cable Bridge is famous for its nighttime views. There are many activities to do around like boating, camping, and trekking. There are many food joints that offer various street food along the lake. The place is located close to Hitech City and one can easily reach the place by bus or metro. Durgam Cheruvu metro station is the nearest station.
9. Botanical Gardens
The Botanical Gardens is spread across 120 acres and developed by the forest department. The place has a good collection of various species of flora and fauna. The place had 19 sectors that cover medicinal plants, aquatic plants, bamboo, palm, fruit, and many other varieties of trees. You can find a rare variety of plants and colorful flowers. The place is a famous picnic spot for children. It takes about 2 hours to explore the place and it is located near Hitech City which is easy to travel. Usually, schools bring children for picnic and students who study botany come here to visit the place.
10. KBR national park
The park covers approximately around 390 acres of land and is called Kasu Brahmananda Reddy National Park. It is one of the largest parks in Hyderabad which has a lush green and refreshing environment. The park consists of many species of birds and is rich in flora and fauna. You take a walk along the walking path to explore the natural beauty of the place. Also, the place is famous for movie shootings. The place is located in Jubilee Hills and Banjara Hills which are well connected to the city. It takes about 2 hours to completely explore the place.
11. Shilparamam
Shilparam is the best place if you want to experience a village-like atmosphere in the city. The place is mainly developed to encourage and preserve the handicraft community. There are many recreational activities like bullock cart rides, boat riding, fun activities, and many more. You can also host parties and events in Shilpa Kala Vedika. There are many handcrafted items that you can buy to decorate your home and carry as souvenirs. You can also see an artificial setup village. The place is located in Madhapur and it takes about 3 hours to explore completely. You can easily travel to the place by bus or by sharing autos.
12. Paigah Tombs
Paigah Tombs have a blend of Rajput-style architecture and the tombs are made of marbles. The place has impressive jaali works with attractive interiors. Graves and tombs which belong to the Paigah family are the main attractive elements of the place. Each tomb is different and has a different structure. The place is located in the old city which is 10km away from Charminar. It takes about one hour to completely explore the place. You can easily reach the place from Charminar.
13. Taramati Baradari
Taramati Baradari is a Persian style garden built by the sultans of Golkonda Fort. It is a historical part of Ibrahim Bagh. The place is specially designed for Quli Qutub Shah’s Sarai (princess). In the present day, the place is converted into a commercial resort for tourists to stay and enjoy the magnificent views. Also, you can see a lot of photographers around with cameras and shooting wedding photographs. The place is located in Ibrahim Bagh which is 4 km from the Golkonda Fort so can visit both places at a time and it hardly takes an hour to visit the place. You can easily reach the place by local buses or by booking a private taxi.
14. Birla Temple and Planetarium
Birla Temple is located in the heart of Hyderabad city which has one of the most popular and modern planetariums in the country named Birla Planetarium. You can attend spectacular cosmic shows organized by the planetarium. And you can see the most amazing views of the city from the top of the temple which is visited by hundreds of people daily. Make sure to check the timings before you visit the place. The place is located on Naubat Pahad which can be viewed from many places in the city. You can easily reach the place by metro and it takes about 3 hours to explore both temple and the planetarium. Lakdikapul metro station is the nearest metro station. From there you can walk for a few minutes to reach the place.
15. Statue Of Equality
The Statue Of Equality which is also referred to as the Ramanuja statue is the tallest metallic sitting statue in the world. The statue resembles equality among people and is located on 45 acres of area. 108 temples are surrounded around the statue. All the temples have statues of Lord Vishnu in various avatars. Each temple statue represents an original temple which is located in various parts of India.The place is located in Shamshabad along the outer ring road. There is no frequent availability of public transportation to the place. So it is preferable to book a cab to travel to the place and you can explore the entire place within 3 hours. There is a dedicated parking space if you are traveling by your own vehicle.
16. Nehru Zoological Park
This is one of the best sightseeing places in Hyderabad to take kids on a weekend. It is one of the largest zoos in the country and is home to more than 1500 species of animals. The place has many sightseeing places full of animals and there are separate sections for, butterflies, reptiles, and night animals. You can explore the entire place in a toy train inside the zoo which covers the important parts of the zoo if you cannot walk. Most schools bring children to this zoo for a picnic. The zoo is located near Mir Alam Tank which is just 15 km away from the city and it takes half a day to explore the place completely. From CBS you can get a many number of buses to reach the zoo. If you are going in a group with children it is preferred to book a private vehicle and enjoy the road travel.
17. Purani Haveli
Purani haveli also known by the name Masarrat Mahal Palace is located in the Patthar Gatti Region. It was the official residence of the Nizam and in the present day, it is converted into a museum open for the tourist to come and explore the history lo Nizams and their living. The palace has beautiful carvings and intricate designs on the walls which were handcrafted by the artists. The Patthar Gatti region can be easily reached via public transport. Gandhi Bahavn is the nearest metro station from there you can catch a bus or take a shared auto. Approximately it takes about an hour to explore the place.
18. Falaknuma Palace
Falaknuma Palace it one of the most visited tourist places in Hyderabad. The palace originally belonged to the Paigah family and was later occupied by the Nizams. In the present day, the palace is restored into a hotel leased by the Taj Group. The Place has hosted many VIPs from Ivanka Trump to Narendra Modi. You can take a walk around the palace and experience its beauty. The palace is located in the Engine Bowli, Falaknuma region. The easiest way to reach the place is via MMTS train which has a stop in Falaknuma. It takes around 2 hours to walk around and see the magnificent beauty of the palace.
19. Chilkur Balaji Temple
Chilkur Balaji Temple is the oldest and most famous tourist place in Hyderabad. The temple is also called Visa Balaji Temple because there is a belief that people get visas approved by praying to God. Usually, you can see a huge crowd of people doing 108 turns around the temple once their wish gets fulfilled. The temple is located almost 30 km from the city. The easiest way to reach the temple is to board a direct bus at Mehediatnam. If you plan to do 108 rounds it takes around 3 to 4 hours depending on the crowd and one hour if you just want to explore the place.
20. Sanghi Temple
Sanghi Temple is another famous temple around Hyderabad. This place is famous for movie and serial shootings and people visit here to pray to the sacred Raja Gopuram which can be seen from a far distance. The temple is completely built with marble making it shine when the sun hits the gopuram. You can venture around the temple and view its intricate architecture. The temple is 35km away from the city and is located on the Paramanand Giri hill. It takes around 3 hours to explore this temple if you prefer to walk through the hill. As the temple is on the outskirts of the city it is preferable to take your own vehicle or book a taxi.
All the places mentioned above are top tourist places in Hyderabad that you should visit when you are on a trip to Hyderabad. Apart from these places, there are other places like Mount Opera, Jalavihar, Snow World, and many popular malls to visit if you are seeking some entertainment. You can enjoy the time spent and make beautiful memories at any of the places which you see in Hyderabad. Also, make sure to eat and explore the food options of the places. Some of them really offer amazing food which will be a treat to tor tastebuds. If you are new to the place it’s best to take a Hyderabad travel guide who can suggest famous places while explaining the history of the place and the best food joints to eat.
