Andhra Pradesh Sightseeing, Quick Facts, History, Packages, Tours & Excursions

Andhra Pradesh is situated on the southeast coast of India, bounded on the east by the Bay of Bengal. Inland, Andhra Pradesh shares its boundaries with Orissa in the northeast, Chattisgarh in the north, Maharashtra in the northwest, Karnataka in the west and Tamil Nadu in the south. The state can be broadly divided into three regions: Coastal Andhra in the east, Telangana in the north, and Rayalseema in the south. Its two biggest rivers, Godavari and Krishna, both flow across the state from west to east into the Bay of Bengal.

Hyderabad is the capital of the state and also the largest city. The newer areas of Hyderabad and the adjacent city of Secundrabad are the thriving centres of software revolution, giving the twin cities their new popular name Cyber-abad. Hyderabad has over 400 years of history and its Islamic rulers, called Nizams, ruled until India gained freedom and became a sovereign republic. The Charminar (1591), a four-towered symbol of the city, is located at the centre of the old quarters of Hyderabad. A walk around the area gives one a feel of the architecture of the old city and its Islamic heritage. Outside the city is the famous citadel of Golconda, the 16th century capital of the Qutb Shahi dynasty.

In central Andhra Pradesh lie Amravati and Nagarjunasagar, both ancient cities where Hindu and Buddhist kingdoms flourished in the 2nd and 3rd centuries BC. Nagarjunasagar is now the site of a huge dam on the Krishna River and the antiquities are saved on an island in the Nagarjunasagar Lake. In the south is Tirumala the temple of Lord Venkateshwara, also called Balaji one of the most visited pilgrimage destinations in the world. The town of Puttaparthi not far away hosts the ashram of contemporary guru, Sri Sathya Sai Baba another busy place of pilgrimage. Visakhapatnam, on the coast is an industrial and shipping centre but also famous for the beaches in and around the city.