Hyderabad Sightseeing: Discover the Best Sightseeing Attractions in Hyderabad

Hyderabad, famed as the Pearl City, astonishes with its harmonious amalgam of history and modernity. For a city just as culturally rich as it is economically prosperous, Hyderabad stuns with its sightseeing marvels. I, for one, fell in love with the city of Nizams the moment I set foot here. The city is about 400 years old and also a metropolis which grants you the best of both worlds when it comes to local sightseeing in Hyderabad. I must tell you, my first time in Hyderabad was uniquely refreshing!

Hyderabad sightseeing tours are massively famous throughout the country; even the locals of Hyderabad cherish these sightseeing places and take great pride in the existence of each of these gems. Apart from the wondrous attractions, I absolutely loved the delectable cuisine, the enlivening markets and the entertainment parks. The city has such a diverse list of tourism attractions that no tourist will ever leave the city without having enjoyed the city thoroughly.

All of this is owing to its unique culture which is a result of the beautiful harmony between its past and present. Add to this the city’s correlation with art, literature, architecture, and mouth-watering food, you’ve got yourself a place you’d want to settle in. Trust me, I do!

With plentiful sightseeing attractions in Hyderabad, these are some of the best sightseeing places in Hyderabad that you must not miss: -

1. Charminar

Telangana’s capital, Hyderabad is a famous tourist destination in the South that has never failed to surprise me with its local sightseeing beauty. I have been mesmerised with its contrast of age-old traditions, culture and modernity.

If I had to choose one sightseeing spot in Hyderabad that exemplified the culture and traditions of the city, it would be the Charminar, without a single doubt in my mind! Located in the Old City, the world-renowned Charminar of Hyderabad is a square-shaped structure that has a height of about 56 m and a breadth of around 30 m. Constructed in 1591, the Charminar was built by Sultan Mohammed Quli Qutb Shah in the honour of Bhagmati, his wife. The monument is the pride of most sightseeing tours in Hyderabad and is picturesque to the say the least. What’s more, Charminar is also known as the ‘Arc de Triomphe of the East’. It has four towers that adorn each of its corners. Each of the minarets is over 48 m in height and has four storeys. Apart from all of this, Charminar also houses a small mosque on the top floor. With 45 prayer spaces which people still visit, particularly on Fridays, the lighting arranged in the evening is what leaves me in silent wonderment. It is quite remarkable a sight that you can cherish only while sightseeing in Hyderabad!

2. Golconda Fort

 Arguably the most beautiful sightseeing place near Hyderabad, Golconda Fort is only 11 km away from Hyderabad city. I remember the first time I visited this architectural marvel; I was simply awe-struck. Since my childhood, I have had a liking for architectural masterpieces, and I must say, I was quite impressed by how the fort was built. With a grand structure, eight gates and eighty-seven bastions, the Golconda Fort was built by Qutub Shahi Kings in the 16^th century.

A popular attraction in many Hyderabad sightseeing tours, the Golconda Fort is a majestic structure with walls as high as 15 - 18 feet and parameters close to about 11 km. The architectural brilliance sure is a highlight, but it’s not the only highlight. What makes Golconda Fort a truly special sightseeing place near Hyderabad is the light and sound show.

The light and the sound show are available in three languages, English, Telugu and Hindi. What’s more, the voice-overs are done by the legendary Bollywood superstar, Amitabh Bachchan! Now, that isn’t something you can miss; at least I couldn’t!

3. Ramoji Film City

 Whenever it is that Hyderabad sightseeing is talked of, those who have visited the city and surprisingly even those who haven’t, take the name of Ramoji Film City. With the curiosity of finding out why exactly everyone says so, I had visited Ramoji Film City before any other sightseeing place in Hyderabad. Honestly, it didn’t even take me an hour to understand why and soon after my first trip to Hyderabad and visiting its sightseeing places, I too joined the group of people that immediately associated Hyderabad sightseeing with Ramoji Film City.

Ramoji Film City was established in 1996 and since then it has been enticing tourists from all over the nation. It is, after all, one of the largest film studios there is in the world! So much so, the film set is capable of housing about 50 film units, if not more, at the same point of time. That is why Ramoji Film City was also listed in the Guinness Book of World Records.

I had a ball as I explored the sets of London Street, Japanese gardens, the Hollywood sign, and so many more! This is such a sightseeing place in Hyderabad!

4. Hussain Sagar Lake

Connecting the two megalopolises of Telangana, the Hussain Sagar Lake is considered as the largest artificial lake in the whole of Asia. Excavated in 1562 AD during the reign of Ibrahim Quli Qutub Shah, it got its name after Hussain Shah Wali.

Sightseeing in Hyderabad can show you some spellbinding sights; one being the 16m high statue made using white granite of Lord Buddha that weighed about 350 tonnes. This beautiful statue is situated in the middle of the lake, and boy, the light show here is such a magnificent spectacle!

I was very impressed by the ferry ride that took me to the statue; it takes and brings people back at regular intervals but the various recreational activities were what caught most of my interest. I could choose to go speed boating, motor boating, water-skiing, cruising and parasailing. Even the 48-seater launch that offered dinner to us guests was amazing to host private parties. Trust me, it was; I say that from personal experience!

5. Birla Planetarium

Inaugurated in 1985 by the late Sri N.T. Rama Rao, the dome-shaped Birla Planetarium is situated right in the heart of the city, Naubat Pahad. Every sightseeing place in Hyderabad had something unique to offer, and so did the Birla Planetarium. Developed with the technical help received from Japan, the Birla Planetarium has four sections, each of which offers a unique opportunity of exploring the unknown. The very concept of this was very intriguing to me. The four sections of the planetarium are:

• The interactive science Centre
• Archaeology Centre
• Window on Science
• Dinosaurium and the Nirmala Birla Art Gallery

I also loved the Sky show which is conducted every day; it is one of the most attractive features in the Planetarium. I couldn’t have imagined that sightseeing in Hyderabad would lead me to this; I am so glad it did!

Hyderabad is a city which has no dearth of sightseeing and tourist attractions. You also have many hill stations near Hyderabad that can be perfect getaways for a rejuvenating break. During my past two visits to Hyderabad, I have booked Hyderabad sightseeing packages which have made my holiday so much easier. Experience the bliss of living in a land that beautifully embraces its past while cheerfully welcoming its future.