Hyderabad city, the capital of Andhra Pradesh, has over 400 years of history. Founded by the sultans of Golconda in the 16th century, the town was plundered and destroyed following the Mughal occupation in 1685. Hyderabad is a heady mixture of heritage, traditionally hospitality and a thriving software revolution. Hyderabad with its rich cultural backdrop is famous for its Bangles and Ivory products. It is also famous world over for its fabulous diamond markets glass embedded bangles and the delectable Hyderabadi cuisine. It has a Hindu - Muslim culture with a number of monuments of historical importance. There are no forests in this district, and this district is the smallest district in Andhra Pradesh and the densest one in the whole State.A walled city, it has many buildings in a blend of Hindu and Muslim style. India`s First Cigarette Charminar was produced from Vazir Sultan Tobacco factory situated at Azamabad area, which has more than a Hundred years of manufacturing experience on this branded Cigarette. Apart from this Many Public Limited Companies like B.H.E.L, H.A.L, DRDO, MIDHANI, NFC, ECIL, CITD, HMT etc are placed in this District.

The gleaming bazaars of the old city, in the midst of which stand the 400-year-old Charminar, the modern shopping complexes and ultra-modern malls in the newer areas of the city add to the charm of Hyderabad. The Golconda fort, capital of the kingdom by that name, is today very much part of the city, as is Cyberabd, a new local area created to keep pace with the zooming Information Technology sector. Pearls, bangles, silks, computer software, handicrafts and above all a delectgable cuisine add to the splendour of this great city. Hyderbad, being capital city is well conected by Road from all major cities in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, Tamilnadu, Maharastra and Orissa.

Legend says that in 1586 Muhammad Quli Qutub Shah, the fifth ruler of the Qutub Shahi dynasty founded a new city along the banks of river Musi for his ladylove, Bhagmati. The city was then called Bhagyanagar. Later when Bhagmati entered the royal family, she was honored with the title Hyder Mahal and Bhagyanagar became Hyderabad. In 1724 Hyderabad became the capital of the independent kingdom if Hyderabad.

Shamirpet Lake:
Located 24 km to the north of Secunderabad, Shamirpet has a beautiful lake and a deer park. Its peaceful environs make it a great picnic spot. AP Tourism offers comfortable cottage facilities for accommodation, while the forest lodges can be booked with the AP Forest Department office at Saifabad.

Asman Garh Palace:
The palace was designed and built by Sir Osman Jah, a noble belonging to the Paigah family and one time Prime Minister of Hyderabad State. The granite turrets and arched windows of Asman Garh stand atop a hill some distance ahead of the Hyderabad TV tower. The palace now houses an archaeological museum.

Shilparamam:
Shilparamam is a crafts village at Madhapur, set amidst lovely rocks, rippling waterfalls and gorgeous lawns, about 14-km from Hyderabad. It showcases various art forms and handicrafts of various artists from all over the State. Here Indian festivals are celebrated in the most traditional way and unique festivals bring together talents from the world over. The annual All-India Festival of Arts and Crafts held here in February brings to the limelight the cultural and artistic traditions from every nook and corner of the country and is a unique opportunity to take home a piece of India. It also has the amphitheatre where performances ranging from classical music concerts and dances to contemporary English plays are staged.

Ocean Park:
Located at Gandipet in Hyderabad, Ocean Park is one of the first theme parks started in the twin-cities. It is a unique amusement park for the entire family and has attractions like a kiddie`s pool, a 60ft high ride, the Slam Bomb, bumping cars and dry rides for people of all ages. It is also equipped with facilities like multi-cuisine restaurant.

The Clock Room:
The clock room is one of the best galleries with a collection of more than 300 clocks. The major attraction of this museum is a musical clock, which was sold by Cook and Kelvy of England. The clock is a mechanical wonder, a toy figure of a watchman who pushes open the door, emerges hour after hour in a great hurry to beat the melodious gong that indicates time. Other highlights in the museum include the "veiled Rebecca", "Mestophiles" and "the Lady with the lamp".

Birla Temple:
Overlooking the Tank Bund, the Birla Mandir presents an arresting sight when illuminated in the evening. This magnificent structure built entirely out of marble from Rajasthan, stands atop the Kala Pahad, the twin hillock of the Naubat Pahad. Built by Birla Foundation over a span of ten years, the main temple is dedicated to Lord Venkateshwara. It combines the architectural styles of the Southern and Northern Indian temples. The intricately carved gopurams (tower) at the base are in typical South Indian style, while the smooth sikhara (dome) at the top is in the North Indian Rajasthani style. The temple has beautiful marble carvings and some of them illustrating verses from the Ramayana. The inner shrine of the temple is a replica of the Venkateswara temple at Tirupati. The Birla Mandir presents a colourful spectacular sight when illuminated at night. A trip to Hyderabad remains incomplete without a visit to the enchanting Birla Mandir.


Information Offices
Tourism & Culture Dept.
Govt. of Andhra Pradesh, A Block, 3rd Floor Secretariat Hyderabad - 500 063, Andhra Pradesh, India Phone: +91-040-23456717, +91-040-23450991 Fax: +91-040-23454966, +91-040-23450068

Director of Tourism
Govt. of Andhra Pradesh, Tank Bund Road, Hyderabad - 500 063, Andhra Pradesh, India Phone: +91-040-23452492 Fax: +91-040-23453109

Andhra Pradesh Tourist Information Centre
Tourism Department, Govt. of Andhra Pradesh Phone: +91-040-23450444

Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation
Tourism House, Himayatnagar, Hyderabad - 500 063 Andhra Pradesh, India Phone: +91-040-23262151 +91-040-23262152 +91-040-23262153 +91-040-23262154 +91-040-23262457 Fax: +91-040-23261801

Yatri Nivas, S.P Road
Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India Phone: +91-040-27816375, +91-04027893100

India Tourism
2nd Floor, Netaji Bhavan, Himayatnagar, Hyderabad - 500 063 Phone: +91-040-23261360, +91-040-23261363

APTDC Central Reservation Offices
Tank Bund Road, Hyderabad - 500 063 Andhra Pradesh, India Phone: +91-040-2345036, +91-040-23450165 Fax: +91-040-23261801

How to reach Hyderabad
Air-
Hyderabad being the capital city is well connected by air from all the important cities of the country. Hyderabad being is an important centre in the air transport network of south India and it is well connected with domestic and international airport at Begumpet about 16 km from the city. There are flights in either direction between Hyderabad and Bangalore, Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, Chennai, Bhubaneswar, Nagpur, and Vishakhapatnam. Hyderabad has an international airport too.

Rail-
Hyderabad has got its own railhead and is connected with all the major cities within the state and outside. The railway network connected with Bangalore, Bhubaneswar, Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, Chennai and other cities in India extensively covers the twin cities of Hydrabad and Secunderabad. The city bus service also operates from the railway station.

Road-
Hyderabad, being the capital city of Andhra Pradesh, has excellent road services to adjoining states. Regular bus service connects Hyderabad with all the important places within the country. For city transportation city buses, taxis, and auto rickshaws are also available. On the crossroads of National highways 7 and 9, Hyderabad is well connected. Buses of the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation and Private buses operate to all centers in the region. Hyderabad has an extensive network of National highways and other roads.

There are several other famous places in Hyderabad such as,
Mecca Masjid
Thousand Pillar Temple
Ramoji Film City
Hussain Sagar Lake
Golconda Fort
Falaknuma Palace
Charminar
Salarjung Museum
Osman Sagar