The major places of interest in the state of Andhra Pradesh

The state of Andhra houses a large number of pilgrimage hubs. The top-rated tourist destinations include the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple (Tirupati), Warangal, Nagarjuna Konda, Amaravati, Hyderabad, Vishakhapatnam, and Srisailam (home to one of the 12 Jyothirlingas in the country). The state features the most extensive shoreline in India, which stretches for 604 miles or 972 km. The Godavari and Krishna are two important rivers of the state that also draw considerable visitors. The state manifests a blend of Muslim traditions and Dravidian customs and legacy. The most popular tourist attractions in the state of Andhra Pradesh are as follows:

Hyderabad:

Hyderabad, the biggest city and capital of Andhra Pradesh, is known in different names such as Cyberabad and the second Silicon Valley of India. The city is architecturally affluent and you will find Muslim, Hindu, Jain and Buddhist shrines, imposing forts, magnificent mansions in and around Hyderabad. The city of Nizam is famous for its handicrafts, delicate ornaments, Mughlai cuisines, pearl and valuable stones. With a history of more than 400 years, Hyderabad houses some of the finest tourist draws in the state including Charminar, Purani Haveli, Salar Jung Museum, Chow Mahalla Palace, Osmania University, Asifia Library, Jubilee Hall, Birla Temple, Mecca Masjid, Golconda Fort, Nehru Zoological Park, Hussain Sagar Lake, Mahavir Harina Vanasthali National Park, Qutub Shahi Tombs, Indira Park, and Race Course. Hyderabad and Secunderabad make a twin city.

Warangal:

Warangal ranks among the finest heritage cities in India. The Kakatiya monarchs set up their capital in this region. People come here to visit the temple with thousand pillars and Chalukyan architecture. This place of worship is devoted to three deities – Vishnu, Shiva, and Surya. Don’t forget to visit the Pakhal Lake. People also come to see the fort built by the Kakatiya monarchs. Other tourist attractions include the wildlife reserve, planetarium, and Bhadrakali Temple.

Vijayawada:

Vijayawada is the third biggest city in the state. Also known as the City of Victory, Vijayawada lies on the banks of Krishna. Forming a part of the seaward delta of the state, the city is famous for its varied and tasty local cuisines. There are certain Buddhist archeological sites at Amaravati, lying at approximately 70 km from Vijayawada. It is well known for handicrafts, Kuchipudi dance and culture. Worth watching are Gandhi Hill, Kanakadurga Temple, Hazratbal Mosque, Mogalrajapuram Caves, Akkana and Madanna Caves, and Victoria Jubilee Regional Museum.

Tirupati:

Tirupati is one of the most popular religious hubs in India. The principal deity of this place is Lord Venkateswara (an avatar of Lord Vishnu), and there is a temple devoted to him at Tirumala, which is also known as the temple of the seven hills. The Balaji (another name of Venkateswara) temple is an outstanding work of art. The Gopuram faces the east and was constructed in Dravidian style. Also see Govindarajaswamy Temple, Padmavati Temple, and Kodandaraswamy Temple.

Vizag / Vishakhapatnam:

Vishakhapatnam, also named as Vizag, is the second largest city in the state. People also visit Araku Valley, a famous and picturesque hill station in the Vizag district. It forms a part of the Eastern Ghats mountain range. It houses a number of tourist draws including coffee plantations, Borra caves, Tribal Museum, and Anantagiri and Sunkarimetta Reserve Forest. The biodiversity and picturesque aspects of this place are amazing, making it a preferred location for film shoots.

Places of tourist interest in Vizag include Dolphin’s Nose, Andhra University Campus, Hindustan Shipyard, Zoo, The Three Hillocks, Vizag Port and Simhachalam Temple.

Nagarjuna Konda (Nagarjuna Sagar):

Lying at a distance of around 150 km from Hyderabad, Nagarjunasagar features the highest and largest stonework dam in the world. The lake ranks as the third largest man-made water body in the world. You can visit Nagarjunakonda for watching the relics of the Buddhist monasteries. The place bears testimony to the amity between Hinduism and Buddhism which was present here hundreds of years back. Don’t miss to see the island museum. The canals and tunnels are worth visiting, too.

Srisailam:

Srisailam is another top-notch tourist destination in the state of AP. It is famous for the tiger reserve and the Jyothirlinga mandir. It is devoted to Lord Shiva and is one of the 12 jyothirlingas. The place has been cited in the famous Hindu epic Mahabharata as Sriparvata. Situated in Kurnool district, popular travel destinations in and around Srisailam are Pathalaganga, Hatekeswaram, Rishabgiri Hills, and Mallikarjunaswamy Temple.