Exotic Hyderabad - a city of culinary jewels and cultural splendors, remarkable for its amazing regal disposition and traditional pursuits, it offers so many diverse things to do.
Old City Icons
Plunge into the very heart of its most fascinating offerings with a tour of the old city. Head out from the landmark Charminar are ripe with the historic nuances of old Hyderabad under the Qutub Shahi and Asaf Jahi dynasties that ruled here for over five centuries. Mark time at Mecca Masjid before heading for the surrounds of Chowmahalla Palace, richly reminiscent of the wealth and grandeur of the Nizams. Near the Golconda Fort are the serene expanses where past rulers of Qutub Shahi and Asaf Jahi dynasties of Hyderabad rest in eternal sleep. Other things to do here include a visit to the Salar Jung Museum with its amazing collection of exhibits — and a leisurely exploration of Laad Bazaar.
Binging on Biryani
Hyderabad and biryani - Say it in one breathe and marvel at the visions they summon up. So don’t’ waste any time. When you are done with the things to do before lunch, or dinner for that matter, find the nearest biryani hotspot, ditch the diet and simply tuck in. Each fragrant spoonful is just heavenly, too good to be missed for a diet! Now you’ll also be able to figure out why Hyderabad city is listed as a UNESCO creative city of gastronomy — and a lot of that is about its world-famous biryani!
Ikat story
Hyderabad’s surrounds also have narratives that are worth exploring. And one of the most compelling ones is about the weavers of ikat, a ‘resist’ dyeing textile that has travelled from here to the four corners of the world. Weaving is an intrinsic part of some of the villages around Hyderabad. Ikat comes in two forms: single ikat and double ikat; the latter requires more dexterity and is also more expensive to buy. Take a tour of Pochampalli 45km from Hyderabad to learn all about it from the Padamshali and Devangas community weavers. Koyyalgudem village too is famous for weaving cotton ikats.
Under the Nizam’s, Hyderabad was transformed into a massive and very rich princely state. There are so many discoveries that await the history and culture buff in this amazing city that one visit is simply not enough. There are Sufi shrines and palaces to explore; there are culinary delights more to sample and crafts to pick up as souvenirs - So returning to Hyderabad has to be one of the things to do on your next bucket list!