ferry plaza san francisco Hyderabad owes its existence to a water shortage at Golconda in the late 16th century. The reigning

Once the Andhran capital and a significant Buddhist centre, Amaravathi is India s biggest stupa (Indian/foreigner 5/100; h8am6pm), measuring 27m high and constructed in the 3rd century BC, when Emperor Ashoka sent monks south to spread the Buddha s teaching. Located 60km west of Vijayawada, all that remains are a mound and some stones, but the nearby museum (admission 5; h8am-5pm) has a small replica of the stupa, ferry plaza san francisco with its intricately carved pillars, marble- surfaced dome and carvings of scenes from the Buddha s life (no photography ferry plaza san francisco allowed in the museum). In the courtyard is a reconstruction of part of the surrounding gateway, which gives you an idea of the stupa s massive scale. It s worth the trip, but many of Amaravathi s best sculptures ferry plaza san francisco are in London s British Museum and Chennai s Government Museum in Tamil Nadu.

904 ANDHRA PRADESH KITSCHABAD Mixed in with Hyderabad s world-class ferry plaza san francisco sights, you ll find some attractions that err on the more quirky side; which can provide some good relief from the proper sightseeing. Ramoji Film City FILM STUDIO (www.ramojifi lmcity.com; adult/child 500/450; h9.30am-5.30pm) The home of South India s burgeoning film industry, known as Tollywood, Ramoji Film City is undoubtedly the premier kitsch sight of Hyderabad. Set on more than 670 hectares, this is the world s largest movie-making complex, ferry plaza san francisco producing Telugu, Tamil, Hindi and the occasional foreign film. Though you won t actually get to see any being made, the four-hour bus tour will take you through fl imsy film sets and gaudy fountains, stopping for dance routines and stunt shows. Located ferry plaza san francisco in the outskirts of town, around 20km from Abids, you can jump on bus 205 or 206 from Koti Women s College, northeast of Koti station, which take an hour to get here. Health Museum MUSEUM (Map p898; Public Gardens Rd, Nampally; admission free; h10.30am-5pm Sat-Thu) A throwback to a 1950s classroom, this museum ferry plaza san francisco houses a bizarre collection of medical and public-health paraphernalia. It features a rather terrifying giant model of a crab louse. Snow World AMUSEMENT ferry plaza san francisco PARK (Map p898; Lower Tankbund; admission 300; h11am-8pm) The perfect place to escape the heat, Snow World is, hands down, the coolest attraction in town (in a literal sense, of course ). It s a bizarre experience to suddenly find yourself in heavy-duty waterproof clothing amid people hurling snowballs, riding toboggans and playing snow volleyball. There s a snowfall on the hour, accompanied by cheers, a snow disco and lightshow. ferry plaza san francisco Suddha Car Museum MUSEUM (www.sudhacars.net; Bahadurpura; Indian/foreigner 30/150; h9.30am-6.30pm) Featuring the genius work of Sudhakar, here you ll find working cars in the shape of a toilet, computer, cricket bat, hamburger or condom, among other wacky designs. He holds the Guinness world record for the largest tricycle, standing a whopping 12.8m tall. You can poke your head into the workshop to see his latest project (at the time of research it was a stiletto shoe car). It s located east of the Nehru Zoological Park. NTR Park PARK (Map p898; child/adult 10/20; h2.30-8.30pm) Making for a nice stroll about, with pleasant gardens, theme park rides and a games arcade, taking the cake in the kitsch stakes is the gaudy restaurant shaped like a giant fruit bowl. Amurutha Castle HOTEL (www.bestwesternamruthacastle.com; Saifabad; d from 4800) Always dreamt ferry plaza san francisco of staying in a Bavarian castle while in Hyderabad? Probably not, but in case you did, this massive castle- hotel, based on the Schloss ferry plaza san francisco Neuschwanstein, is the place to do it. It ain t cheap though. 6 Drinking & Entertainment ferry plaza san francisco

B E N G A L B A Y O F N A D U T A M I L KARNATAKA M A H A R A S H T R A P R A D E S H M A D H Y A O D I S H A (Masulipatnam) Machilipatnam (Madras) Hanamkonda Bhongir Bengaluru Ramatirtham Guntupalli Bhattiprolu Chandavaram Chandragiri Vellore Kazhipet Nagarjunakonda Palampet Jagdalpur Kondagaon Medak Khamman Srisailam Kondapalli Penukonda Hindupur Sri Kalahasti Chennai Bidar Nanded Kakanida (Bangalore) Bheemunipatnam Anantapur Puttaparthi Dharmavaram Mahbubnagar Amaravathi Macherla Anakapalle Vizianagaram Nellore Kurnool Adoni Guntakal Gooty Cuddapah ferry plaza san francisco Rajahmundry Eluru Vijayawada Tenali ferry plaza san francisco Ongole Guntur Tirupathi Chittoor Secunderabad Warangal ferry plaza san francisco Nizamabad Wildlife Sanctuary Pakhal RiverPenneri Sagar Nagarjuna River Godavari Araku Valley CoastCoromandel Borra RiverKrishna Kirandul 4 7 4 18 18 5 9 9 7 Bavikonda Thotlakonda Sankaram Araku Lepakshi Visakhapatnam Tirumala Hyderabad ferry plaza san francisco 0 200 km 0 100 miles B E N G A L B A Y O F N A D U T A M I L KARNATAKA M A H A R A S H T R A P R A D E S H M A D H Y A O D I S H A (Masulipatnam) Machilipatnam (Madras) Hanamkonda Bhongir Bengaluru Ramatirtham Guntupalli Bhattiprolu Chandavaram Chandragiri Vellore Kazhipet Nagarjunakonda Palampet Jagdalpur ferry plaza san francisco Kondagaon Medak Khamman Srisailam Kondapalli Penukonda Hindupur Sri Kalahasti Chennai Bidar Nanded Kakanida (Bangalore) Bheemunipatnam Anantapur Puttaparthi Dharmavaram Mahbubnagar Amaravathi Macherla Anakapalle Vizianagaram Nellore ferry plaza san francisco Kurnool Adoni Guntakal Gooty Cuddapah Rajahmundry Eluru Vijayawada Tenali Ongole Guntur Tirupathi Chittoor Secunderabad Warangal Nizamabad Wildlife Sanctuary Pakhal RiverPenneri Sagar Nagarjuna River Godavari Araku Valley CoastCoromandel Borra RiverKrishna Kirandul 4 7 4 18 18 5 9 9 7 Bavikonda Thotlakonda Sankaram Araku Lepakshi Visakhapatnam Tirumala Hyderabad 0 200 km 0 100 miles

Hyderabad owes its existence to a water shortage at Golconda in the late 16th century. ferry plaza san francisco The reigning Qutb Shahis were forced to relocate, and so Mohammed Quli and the royal family abandoned Golconda Fort for the banks of the Musi River. The new city of Hyderabad was established, with the brand- new Charminar as its centrepiece.