– view of Hyderabad from Faluknama Palace at dusk –
Hyderabad is much more than a place to visit, for me – it’s my second home. Â I’ve been coming here since I was a baby, and love everything about this city – the food (oooh, the food), the shopping (pretty incredible), and of course my family. Â Here’s a 24-hour glimpse in a particularly full day in Hyderabad from last week:
5:30 a.m – I may be the only person, but I love jet lag.  It instantly makes me a morning person.  I throw on my workout clothes and head to the gym.  The metric-system treadmills make me feel infinitely better about my morning run, and there’s nothing like watching the sun rise over the city while you run intervals.
7:30 a.m – Breakfast! Â It’s a feast – a masala omelet, an idly served with sambar, and fresh fruit. Â I take full advantage of the Marriott’s breakfast buffet, as my morning meal at home is not nearly as exciting.
8:00 a.m-1:00 p.m – Work meetings.  I’ll spare you the details.  It was long, technical, and required multiple cups of chai.
1:00 p.m – Ahhhh, lunch. Â Chicken curry and rice, fresh lime soda, and more fruit. Â Again – the meals awaiting me at the apartment are far more simple (and vegetarian), so I take advantage of this food while I can.
2:00 p.m – Sightseeing! Â We went to Faluknama Palace yesterday (stunning, more details later), and are heading to the Salar Jung museum. Â Though I haven’t been in 20 years, I visited my favorite pieces in Jung’s personal collection – he veiled Rebecca statue, Mephistocoles and Margietta. Â I like to think of Salar Jung as the original hoarder, but I suppose when you’re wealthy “hoarder” becomes “collector.”
5:00 p.m – My co-workers are the adventurous sort – so we decide to stop by Charminar, Hyderabad’s most famous monument nestled in the middle of Old City.  We jump off our tour bus in the middle of a street market to take pictures as the bus loops around to come pick us up.  We jump back on minutes later, and head back to the hotel.
6:30 p.m – My favorite indulgence in India has to be getting an oil head massage and a blow-out.  It’s beyond relaxing, soothing, and leaves my hair glossy and shining.  And it’s only $15 US at the Marriott.  Score!
7:30 p.m – Team dinner, this time at Altitude in the Marriott. Â We have the private room and the wine everyone purchased in duty free (Indian wines are something less than desirable). Â We drink, eat (I indulge in the local specialty dum biryani) and chat. Â I have a lengthy conversation about wine and concerts with our chief medical officer, chat about family and business ideas with my cousin, and force everyone to try the dessert – kubani kameeta (photographed above).
11:30 p.m – Time to head home to the apartment.  I have a 3:00 a.m wake-up for the big day – the inauguration of the new building in our Indian facility.
Other sights, tastes, and experiences in Hyderabad that are not to be missed:
Dum biryani should only be eaten at one place – Paradise in Secunderabad.  Go there – all the drivers know where it is.
For the best jewelry shopping in Hyderabad, visit Kundan Jewelers. Â Tell Satish that Hitha sent you, and try the Irani chai when they ask what you’d like to drink.
While I highly recommend the Marriott as a place to stay (I got married there!), Ista Hotel is stunning. Â A bit out of the way, but it’s serene and completely lovely.
For a truly incredible dining experience, head to Faluknama Palace (recently renovated by the Taj Hotel group). Â Absolutely stunning and with excellent food, it boasts the best views in Hyderabad. Â Head early for a free tour of the palace and to watch the sunset – you will not regret it. Â And try the Jasmine Sour while you’re there – it is fantastic.
