HYDERABAD

BARS & NIGHTCLUBS
●Carbon – 22 Raj Bhawan Road (Somajiguda, at Park Hyderabad); 011-91-40-2345-6789; theparkhotels.com; more retro of 2 nightclubs.
●Kismet – 22 Raj Bhawan Road (Somajiguda, at Park Hyderabad); 011-91-40-2345-6789; theparkhotels.com; attracts city’s “glitterati.”
●Sicca Bar – 22 Raj Bhawan Road (Somajiguda, at Park Hyderabad); 011-91-40-2345-6789; theparkhotels.com; reminiscent of old gentlemen’s club; over 20 kinds of Scotch.



HOTELS
●ITC Kakatiya Hotel – 6-3-1187 Begumpet; 011-91-40-2340-0132; itchotels.in.
●Taj Falaknuma Palace – Engine Bowli; 011-91-40-6629-8585; tajhotels.com; restored palace displaying mix of Italian & Tudor architecture; beautiful; immaculate garden.
●Park Hyderabad – 22 Raj Bhawan Road (Somajiguda); 011-91-40-2345-6789; theparkhotels.com; modern, aluminum & glass structure.



RESTAURANTS
●Angeethi Restaurant – #8-2-592, 5^th Floor, City Center, Road #1 & #10 (Banjara Hills); 011-90-40-6625-5550; facebook.com/Angeethi.Hyd; chicken & lamb kebabs, Murgh Rada Masala, Sarson Da Saag & roti breads.
●Dakshin – 6-3-1187 Begumpet (at ITC Kakatiya Hotel); 011-91-40-2340-0132; itchotels.in; regional classics from southern India.
●Hotel Shadab – 21-1-140-144 (Charminar, Ghansi Bazaar, Near High Court Road & opposite Madina Circle); 011-91-40-2456-1648; facebook.com/HOTEL-Shadab-658680170859151; no-frills restaurant considered to have best biryani in city; timewarp decor looks like 1970s disco but food is great; very solo-male; head upstairs to AC room for more of family (female friendly) vibe.
●Indian Art Cafe – Lumbini Avenue (Madhapur, F-29, 1^st Floor Inorbit Mall APIIC Software Layout (opposite Durgam Cheruvu); 011-91-40-4011-7445; facebook.com/pages/Indian-Art-Cafe/213503152028092; modern twists on traditional southern Indian food.
●Jade Room – Engine Bowli (at Taj Falaknuma Palace); 011-91-40-6629-8585; tajhotels.com; especially for decadent, English tea (afternoons); must make reservations 2 days in advance.
●Southern Spice – Road #3 (Banjara Hills, near Nagarjuna Circle); 011-91-40-6610-3434; facebook.com/pages/Southern-Spice/409500369095544; very spicy food; try chepala pulusu (fish stew with tamarind sauce).



SERVICES
●Detours India – Somajiguda; 011-91-90-0085-0505; detoursindia.com; for drivers & guides.



SHOPPING
●Irfan Bangles & Jewelry – 20-4-1205 Laad Bazaar (Old City); 011-91-40-6535-7411; sparkly jewelry that is Hyderabadi trademark; call (or have hotel call) ahead to check on area construction status.
●Krishna Pearls – M.C.H. #6-883/3 (Panjagutta, near Topaz Building); 011-91-40-6625-0033; krishnapearls.com; among city’s finest jewelry collections.
●Mangatrai Pearls & Jewelry – 5-9-46 Basheer Bagh (Adarsh Nagar, at New MLA Quarters); 011-91-40-2323-3305; mangatraipearls.com.



SIGHTS & SITES
●Charminar (“Four Towers”) – Telephone Exchange, Pathergatti Road; 011-91-22-2452-1290; culturalindia.net/monuments/char-minar.html; built in 1591; on Musi River’s east bank; eponymous towers are ornate minarets attached & supported by 4 grand arches; surrounded by Old City.
●Chowmahalla Palace – 20-4-236 Khilwat (Motigalli); 011-91-40-2425-2032; chowmahalla.com; 4 palaces spanning Nizan rule.
●Golconda Fort – opposite Army Quarters (3.75 miles west of city); 011-91-40-2351-3984, 011-91-40-2351-2401 and 011-91-40-2345-0444; hyderabadtourism.travel/golconda-fort-hyderabad; 16^th Century fortress dating from Qutb Shah kings, with origins, as mud fort, trace to earlier Kakatiyas’ & Yadavas’ reigns; light show not necessarily worth seeing.
●Laad Bazaar – Charminar (between Kali Kaman Road & Rathkhana Street, under construction); laadbazaar.net; massive bazaar in Old City; known for jewelry.
●Mecca Masjid – Kishan Prasad Road (150 meters southwest of Charminar); 011-91-40-6674-5986; hyderabadtourism.travel/mecca-masjid-hyderabad; India’s 2^nd largest mosque was constructed in 1694; designed after Mecca’s Grand Mosque.
●Moula Ali Dargah – north of city (10 km from Secunderabad); hyderabadtourism.travel/maula-ali-dargah-hyderabad; named after Hazrat Ali, Prophet’s son-in-law; tremendous city views; make sure to see Urdu poet Mah Laqa Bai’s tomb; recently restored.
●Pathergatti Road – Old City (near Charminar); antique shops.
●Salar Jung Museum – Salar Jung Road (Jubilee Post, Afzal Gunj, on River Musi’s south bank); 011-91-40-2452-3211; salarjungmuseum.in; unrivaled art collection, ranging from jade to ancient Persian manuscripts.
●Taramati Baradari – Gandipet Road (Ibrahimbagh); 011-91-40-7750-3200; hyd.co.in/taramati-baradari; beautiful pavilion not far from Golconda Fort; supposedly built for 17^th Century Golconda king’s mistress; good place to watch sunset.