The "Port City" of "Vishakapatnam" attracts many tourists. Amidst the picturesque landscape of the place, Vishakapatnam is blessed with many attractive tourist spots that capture the imagination of the poet.
An important religious place for the Hindus, the holy land of "Tirupathi" draws several devotees through out the year to seek divine blessings of the Lord Venkateswara.
Like these, there are many more things that will attract you to this state. If you are actually giving it a thought, then here are some attractions for you to pay a visit to.
Tourist Places in Andhra Pradesh
Discerning traveler finds a wide range of tourist attractions in Andhra Pradesh. The history of the region dates back to some 300 B.C. The numerous monuments, located all over the region, bear the legacy of the Mauryas, the Pallavas, the Cholas, the Satavahanas, the Chalukyas and the Vijayanagar - the several dynasties that ruled.
Monuments in Andhra Pradesh
Charminar
Category : History & Culture
The Charminar is one of the biggest tourist attractions in Andhra Pradesh. The legend says Mohammed Quli Qutb Shah, the founder of the city built this magnificent square shaped edifice to ward of the break out of an epidemic at the center of the original city in his time. Four 48.7 metre high minarets built of Granite flanking, four grand arches explain the name Char (four) minar. A lotus leaf structure, which was a special recurrent motif in Qutub Shahi buildings, supports the base of each minar. The arches support two floors and gallery of archways. The first floor housed a madarasa (college) during the Qutub Shahi period. The second floor houses a mosque on the western side.
It requires a special permission from the Archaeological Survey of India to go to the top of the minarets, which offers a spectacular view of the city. The monument is open all the days.
Falaknuma Palace
Category: History & Culture
At a proximity of 5km from Charminar, Falaknuma Palace is located. The beauty of this attraction are the unmatched architecture and the Venetian chandeliers. There are 40 Venetian chandeliers in the Palace. The Palace is 2000 feet tall and referred as the mirror of the sky. The Palace was built by the Prime Minister of Hyderabad, Nawab Vikar-ul Ulmara in seven years. It was then gifted to Nizam of Hyderabad, Mehboob Ali Khan.
Golconda Fort
Category : History & Culture
It is one of the famous forts of India and has derived its name from the Telugu words "Golla Konda" meaning "Shepherd's Hill". Golconda was originally a mud fort and the origin dates back to the Kakatiya period. Later in course of history, it passed to the Qutb Shahis (1518 to 1687 A.D). First three Qutb Shahi kings rebuilt Golconda, over a span of 62 years. The fort is famous for its acoustics, palaces, factories, ingenious water supply system and the famous Fateh Rahben gun, one of the cannons used in the last siege of Golconda by Aurangzeb, to whom the fort ultimately fell. An evening light and sound show brings alive the history of the Golconda Fort.
Qutb Shahi Tombs
Category : History & Culture
The tombs of the Qutb Shahi kings are the oldest historical monuments in Hyderabad. The uniqueness lies in the fact that this is a graveyard where an entire dynasty has been buried at one place. Located close to the Golconda Fort, the tombs, built of gray Granite with stucco ornamentation, reflect a unique blending of Persian, Pathan and Hindu architectural styles.
Ramoji Film City
Category: History & Culture
Located at the outskirts of Hyderabad, sprawling over nearly 1000 acres, Ramoji Film City is the largest, most comprehensive and professionally planned film production centre in the world. It is open everyday from 09:00 AM - 05:30 PM and the visitors can take a conducted tour organized by the authority.
Museums of Andhra Pradesh
The Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad
Category: History & Culture
This one-man collection of antiques by Mir Yousuf Ali Khan Salar Jung III is the biggest in the world. The museum houses a superb collection of:
- Persian carpets, Moghal miniatures, Chinese porcelain, Japanese lacquer ware
- Sculptures including the Veiled Rebecca and Marguerite and Mephistopheles
- Daggers belonging to Queen Noor Jahan and the Emperors Jahangir and Shah Jahan, the Sword of Aurangzeb and many other antiques
Category: History & Culture
The stately palace of Purani Haveli, which was acquired by the second Nizam in the year 1750, is now converted to a museum. The museum showcases the gifts & mementos presented to the last Nizam on the occasion of Silver Jubilee Celebration in 1937. The fabulous collection includes a 1930 Rolls Royce, Packard & a Mark V Jaguar are among the vintage cars displayed. There is an interesting collection of models made in silver of all the prominent buildings of the city & citations in Urdu about H.E.H Mir Osman Ali Khan, gold burnished wooden throne used for the Silver Jubilee Celebrations, Gold Tiffin box inlaid with diamonds, gold model of Jubilee Pavilion and a silver filigree elephant with mahout, to name only a few.
The museum is open on all days, except Friday from 10.30 am to 05.00 pm.
Caves and Valleys in Andhra Pradesh
Araku Valley and Borra Caves, Vishakhapatnam
Category: Nature
Perched at an altitude of 3,100 feet on the Eastern Ghats at a distance of 112 km from Visakhapatnam, the picturesque Araku Valley is popularly known as the Ooty of Andhra.
A visitor to the valley will be greeted by smooth flowing silvery streams and 46 tunnels & bridges by a train journey.
Traditional folk dances like the Dhimsa and Mayuri are still performed here by the native Adivasis.
The biggest attraction of Araku valley is the Borra Caves.
Located at 90 km away from Visakhapatnam, these one-million-year-old natural caves sprawl over an area of 2 square kilometers at a height 1400 feet above the sea level. The Gosthani River once upon a time flew over the limestone area. Due to the water pressure on the mineral deposits the limestone dissolved and gradually the caves were formed giving rise to interesting forms like a mushroom, a temple, a mosque, a church and many more.
Belum Caves
Category: Nature
A team of European speleologists led by Mr Gebaner in 1982 discovered Belum caves, which are the second largest natural caves in Indian Sub-continent after Meghalaya caves. Lying underground a flat agriculture field, these caves have 3 well-like cavities with the central one being the main entrance to the caves. The central one leads to the main entrance to the caves after a descent of 20 meters at the entrance. The 3229 meters long horizontal caves have long passages, spacious chambers, fresh water galleries and siphons inside, which make it a geological & archeological attraction across the globe.
Religious Centres in Andhra Pradesh
Category: Religious
It is located at a distance of about 150 kms to the southeast of Hyderabad. Once upon a time, this area was one of India's richest Buddhist sites. Now it lies almost entirely under the Nagarjunasagar Dam. Statues, friezes, coins and jewellery were found during the excavation for the constructions of the dam, which are now housed in a museum on the island and give a fascinating insight into the daily lives of this ancient Buddhist centre. The monasteries and chaityas were reconstructed on top of a hill called Nagarjunakonda (konda is the Telegu word for hill), which rises from the middle of the lake. The area takes its name from the Buddhist monk, Nagarjuna, who lived around the turn of the 2nd century AD and was the exponent of the philosophy of sunyata (void).
Amaravati, Vijaywada
Category: Religious
An envouy of Emperor Ashoka, who went to propagate Buddhism in the region, laid the foundation of the Great Stupa at Amaravati, the ancient Dhanyakataka. It has a brick-built circular vedica (drum) and platforms projecting in the four cardinal directions.
There is also a small Archaeological Museum on the site containing archaeological findings from the site.
The Statue of Lord Buddha, Hyderabad
Category: Religious
In the placid waters of the Hussain Sagar Lake, stands the tallest monolithic statue of Lord Buddha (72 feet tall and weighing 450 tons). 200 sculptors took 2 years to chisel it out of a white granite rock. The statue was erected on 12th April 1992 on a pedestal. There is beautifully landscaped Lumbini Park attached to it. A visit to Buddha statue by boat from the park is a memorable experience.
Since ancient times Andhra Pradesh has been a rich site of Buddhism in India. From the ports of Andhra Pradesh, Buddhism crossed the Bay of Bengal to spread in Sri Lanka and Burma.
Lord Venkateswara Temple, Tirupati
Category: Religious
- This temple is one of the richest and most renowned temples in India.
- Tirumala can be approached only after crossing a range of hills of the Eastern Ghats.
- Almost all the kings from great dynasties of the southern peninsula - Pallavas, Pandyas, Cholas, Vijayanagar kings have revered and worshipped the presiding deity The Lord Venkateswara, also referred to as Lord of the Seven Hills.
- The temple, which is a magnificent example of Indian temple architecture, was developed mainly by the contributions made by kings during their rule.
- Some of the kings have their statues installed within the temple.
- There are a number of temples in and around Tirupati. Some of them are: Padmavati Devi Temple, Sri Govindarajaswami Temple, Kodandaramaswami Temple, Sri Kapileswaraswami Temple.
Beaches and Waterfalls in Andhra Pradesh
Category: Nature
There are quite a few beaches and spectacular waterfalls among the tourist attractions in Andhra Pradesh.
- Beaches: Bapatla Beach (Suryalanka), Ramakrishna Beach Rishikonda Beach
- Waterfalls: Ethipothala Waterfalls, Kuntala Waterfalls, Pochera Waterfalls, Rampachodavaram
Travel to Andhra Pradesh
Places to visit in Andhra-pradesh