Location: Western Andhra Pradesh

Languages : Telugu, Urdu, English and Hindi

Climate: February - May (32 - 39⁰C), Monsoon: June - September (30 - 34⁰C) Winter: October - January (20 - 25⁰C)

 Best Time : Hyderabad has a tropical savanna climate with very hot summers. Most tourists decide to travel right after the monsoon season,from October to January,as the climate is very pleasant and there is much less rain.

 Distance from major Indian cities:

Nearest Airport: Rajiv Gandhi International Airport 22 kms from Hyderabad

The capital of the state of Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad is the fifth largest city in India with an ancient civilisation and culture. Attached to the city is its twin, Secunderbad, which is part of Hyderabad. The twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderbad are separated by the Husain Sagar, an artificial lake constructed during the time of Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah Wali in 1562 A.D.

The city is nearly 400 years old and is noted for its natural beauty, mosques and minarets, bazaars and bridges, hills and lakes. It is perched on the top of the Deccan Plateau, 1776ft., above sea level, and sprawls over an area of 100 Sq. miles.

 A multitude of influences have shaped the character of the city. Its palaces and buildings, houses and tenements, gardens and streets have a history and an architectural individuality of their own, which makes Hyderabad a city of enchantment.

 Hyderabad was founded on the River Musi five miles east of Golconda, in 1591-92 by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah. In the 16th century the city grew spontaneously to accommodate the surplus population of Golconda, which was the capital of the Qutb Shahi rulers. Many buildings sprang up along the River Musi. Gradually the city grew.

 The Qutb Shahi dynasty founded the Kingdom of Golconda, one of the five kingdoms that emerged after the breakup of the Bahamani Kingdom. The Qutb Shahis ruled the Deccan for almost 171 years. All the seven rulers were patrons of learning and were great builders. They contributed to the growth and development of Indo-Persian and Indo-Islamic literature and culture in Hyderabad. During the Qutb Shahi reign Golconda became one of the leading markets in the world of diamonds, pearls, steel for arms, and also printed fabric.

The glory of the Golconda kingdom ended in 1687, after a valiant struggle. Aurangzeb, the last great Mughal ruler, captured Golconda after a siege that lasted eight months. Abul Hasan Tana Shah, the last king of Golconda, was imprisoned at Daulatabad, where he died after twelve years in captivity.

With the conquest of the Deccan and the South, Aurangzeb succeeded in expanding the Mughal Empire to cover the entire sub-continent. However, after his death in 1707, the Empire rapidly declined.

 At that time, the Deccan was administered by a Subedar or viceroy of the Mughal Emperor. Mir Quamaruddin, the Governor of the Deccan, who bore the title of Nizam-ul-Mulk Feroze Jung Asif Jah, declared his independence from Mughal rule in 1724. He thus became the first Nizam and the founder of the Asif Jahi dynasty.

 Asif Jah I continued to maintain Aruangabad, which had been founded by the Mughal rulers as the capital of his new state. In 1769, Nizam Ali Khan Asif Jah II, shifted the capital to Hyderabad. The seven Nizam's of the Asif Jahi dynasty ruled the Deccan for nearly 224 years, right up to 1948.

During the Asif Jahi period, Persian, Urdu, Telgu and Marathi developed simultaneously. The highest official positions were given to deserving persons irrespective of their religion. Persian was the official language up to 1893 and then Urdu up to 1948.

 When the British and the French spread their hold over the country, the Nizam soon won their friendship without bequeathing his power. The title "Faithful. Ally of the British Government" was bestowed on Nizam VII. The British stationed a Resident at Hyderabad, but the state continued to be ruled by the Nizam.

The rule of the seven Nizam's saw the growth of Hyderabad both culturally and economically. Huge reservoirs, like the Nizam Sagar, Tungabadra, Osman Sagar, Himayath Sagar, and others were built. Survey work on Nagarjuna Sagar had also begun during this time.

 Hyderabad, under the Nizam's, was the largest princely state in India. Area wise it was as big as England and Scotland put together. The State had its own currency, mint, railways, and postal system. There was no income tax.

Soon after India gained independence, Hyderabad State merged with the Union of India. On November 1, 1956 the map of India was redrawn into linguistic states, and Hyderabad became the capital of Andhra Pradesh.

Extracted from "Hyderabad, A City in History" by Raza Alikhan

Source: http://www.hyderabad.co.uk/introduction.htm

Getting there and around

 By plane 

Hyderabad's new Rajiv Gandhi International Airport is located 22 km from the city. Note that the old airport at Begumpet is now closed. The sleek and well-organized airport is one of the best aviation facilities in India. The elevated expressway to the airport is now open and takes 20 minutes. Direct international connectivity from Hyderabad is available for many countries.

Domestic connectivity is excellent with Indian airlines operating from here including Air India, Air India Express, Indian Airlines, Indigo Airlines, Jet Airways, JetLite, Kingfisher Airlines, Paramount Airlines and SpiceJet.

Once you arrive at Hyderabad airport, one option is to take the air-conditioned buses run by the airport (Aero Express) to three designated points in the city (1) Begumpet (Paryatak Bhavan) (2) Secunderabad (Keyes High School) (3) Hi-Tec City (Opposite Shilparamam) at a fixed price of Rs 150, and two designated points in the city (4) Charminar (City College) (5) Mehdipatnam (Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital) at Rs 120 (travel time runs from 45 to 100 minutes depending on time of day and traffic conditions). The buses have a frequency of a bus every 30 minutes between 03:30 am and 23:00 pm and every hour at midnight, 1:00 am, 2:00 am and 3:00 am. You can reach the designated points and then take an auto or metered cab from there.

Alternatively, you can hire metered air-conditioned radio cabs starting from Rs 10 per km. Easy and Meru are approved by the Airport and are available just after exiting the terminal building. For the rest, you need to call and book with a lead time of 15 minutes to 1 hour. These cabs charge 25 % surcharge in the night (ie, Rs. 18.75 per km). Beware of taxi soliciting touts at the airport greeting area; they will try to scam you into exorbitant rates.

Hired cars are also available from a booth just before walking outside of the airport. This gives you the advantage of paying in advance, thereby avoiding any disagreements over price.

The airport can be contacted on their (toll free for BSNL/MTNL subscribers) number 1-800-419-2008 for all services and enquiries including arrivals / departure information, facilities, transport availability, etc.

 By train

Train is one of the most economical means to travel in India. here are three major railway stations serving the twin cities: Secunderabad, Nampally (Hyderabad Deccan), and Kachiguda and a minor station at Begumpet.

Check the http://www.irctc.co.in for schedules and rates.

By bus

Hyderabad is well-connected to all parts of the Andhra Pradesh and some parts of South India. CBS / Imliban is the biggest station run by APSRTC (state-run) situated in Hyderabad and JBS / Jubilee Bus station is in Secunderabad.  Imliban is said to be the largest bus station in the world. APSRTC has pickup and drop points from various points in the city. In addition, government-run bus services of neighbouring states also run buses to Hyderabad, as do various private companies such as Kesineni Travels.  It may be difficult to find direct buses from North India.

By car

It's possible to drive to Hyderabad from Bangalore (via NH7) at a distance of about 560 km. The city is 752 km from Chennai (using highways NH9 and NH5) and 800 km from Mumbai (NH9 till Pune and the expressway to Mumbai.) The Bangalore Hyderabad section is part of the North South corridor which is being updated, and is a four-lane divided highway. The quality of the road is inconsistent.

Get around Hyderabad

By Rickshaws

Autorickshaws are cheap and dependable means of transportation. The open-air sides are ideal for sightseeing. They are mainly used for short distances. Most rickshaw stands are located near bus stops. It is advised to agree on the fee before leaving.

By taxi

Taxis are popular in transportation due to the comfort and air conditioning systems, although both non-air conditioning and air conditioning are available. The prices should be negotiated before hand. The drivers are knowledgeable and useful. Metered taxis are available, but they cannot be hailed off the street. One needs to call their centralised call centre and book the service. Service is very good, especially if you are booking for longer distances. It can be next to impossible to be able to get a cab without prior booking since demand far outstrips the supply. All metered cabs have digital meters that show the distance and fare.

By car

Hyderabad lacks an expressway system, leading to traffic jams during rush hours. However, an 160 km Ring Road Expressway is currently under construction.

Driving is exciting in Hyderabad not unlike in the rest of India. You find Cycles,motor cycles, Rikshaws, Hand Carts, Autos, Share Autos,Mini Trucks, Buses, Vestibule Buses, Double deckers, Volvos jostling along. There are long stretches of roads passing through thickly populated areas that have no median breaks, so vehicles, including motorbikes and cars, simply drive on the wrong side of the road. Several modern flyovers now link the arterial roads.

Several car rental agencies are available at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport

Sources:http://wikitravel.org/en/Hyderabad