Things to do in Hyderabad

Landmark · Old City

A 1591 monument of four minarets at the crossing of the old city, ringed by bangle sellers, pearl merchants and food.

Local tip: You can climb it, and almost no visitor does. Go early, then eat at one of the Irani cafés nearby. During Ramzan the whole quarter stays open through the night and is at its best.

Landmark · West of the city

A vast 16th-century hill fort with acoustics engineered so a clap at the gate is audible at the summit a kilometre away.

Local tip: Go at opening or an hour before closing to avoid the heat and the crowds. The Qutb Shahi tombs next door are quieter, beautifully restored and often skipped entirely.

Nature · Between Hyderabad and Secunderabad

A 16th-century artificial lake with a monolithic Buddha on an island, ringed by a promenade the whole city walks.

Local tip: Necklace Road at dusk is where Hyderabad exercises and socialises. The lake water itself is polluted — enjoy the promenade rather than the boat rides.

Culture · Old City

The Nizams' palace complex, with the durbar hall, a collection of vintage cars and the world's largest manuscript library on some subjects.

Local tip: Far less visited than Charminar a few minutes away and considerably more rewarding. The Nizam's 1912 Rolls-Royce is in the courtyard.

Culture · 40 minutes east

The largest film studio complex in the world by area, at around 2,000 acres, and a working production centre as well as a visitor attraction.

Local tip: Genuinely enormous and genuinely a working studio — you may see shooting. It is a full day and best done on a weekday.

Nature · 90 minutes west, near Vikarabad

Forested hills on the plateau edge with trekking, an ancient temple and a genuine break from the city's heat.

Local tip: Most people in Hyderabad's tech corridor have never been, and it is the closest real forest to the city. Go in the monsoon or just after, when the plateau is green rather than brown.