Holiday at the ever so hospitable city of Hyderabad. Fondly called the 'city of Nawabs' Hyderabad offers a captivating combination of tradition and trend to the tourists and travellers.

The main landmark in Hyderabad is the Charminar. Located in the heart of the city the galleries and arches of Charminar are of great importance to the tourists. The glass bangles are a must buy from Charminar. Close to the Charminar stands the Mecca Masjid. The mosque is large enough for nearly ten thousand men at prayer. Amongst the other mosques in the city are Jami Masjid and the Toli Masjid. Another tourist attraction in Hyderabad is the Falakuma palace. The palace was home to the last Nizam and stores the most expensive art objects, tapestries and carpets, in addition to the largest single-man collection of diamonds. Between Hyderabad and its twin city Secunderabad lays the Husain Sagar Lake.

This large artificial lake offers breathtaking views of Naubat Pahad, a hilltop crowned by the Birla temple. The Salar Jung Museum is another worth visiting place in Hyderabad. For the animal lovers Nehru Zoological Park is the perfect place for lion safari and watching other wild animals. Hyderabad is home to Osmania University also. It is the largest university in India and boasts of students from across India and abroad. State Central Library that was established in 1891 also makes an interesting tourist spot in Hyderabad.

Places to see

There are several interesting places to see around Hyderabad too. Amongst the most popular excursions from Hyderabad is the Golconda. Famous for the Golconda Fort it was the power centre during the 16th and the 17th centuries. World-renowned diamonds like Kohinoor, Darya-I-Noor, the Orloff, the Pitt, and the great table of the Nizam all belong to Golconda. Warangal is another place near Hyderabad worth visiting for its thousand-pillar temple, which is a specimen of the Chalukya architecture. Then there is Bidar that has palaces mosques baths, schools and tombs within a strong fortified area as the main tourist attraction. Nagarjunakonda, around Hyderabad is often visited for its Buddhist influence. Sculpture, monasteries, and amphitheatre feature amongst the remains here in Nagarjunakonda. Hyderabadi cuisine is a must check out while holidaying in Hyderabad. The Hyderabadi biryani is the most popular dish. The kabab, haleem and Nahari sheep trotters are the other must try delicacies of Hyderabad.

In terms of desserts sheer birinj and Shahi Tukre are the best options available. Hyderabad also happens to be a shopper's paradise. The pearls of Hyderabad are extremely popular. The love of Nizams for pearls and diamonds can still be seen in the tourist and connoisseur in Hyderabad alike. Bidriware, a type of encrusted metalwork is also a great souvenir option from Hyderabad. The kat saris of Hyderabad are irresistible buy for all the women holidaying in the city.