Hyderabad is popular for the beautiful palaces that you can visit here. And one such popular palace here is the Taj Falaknuma Palace. The Taj Falaknuma Palace is an ancient palace and currently it is one of the luxurious 5 star hotels in the city. However in spite of that it is a popular location for sightseeing as well. So if you are in Hyderabad you definitely need to plan a visit to the Taj Falaknuma. Keep on reading as here I will mention everything that you need to know about the Falaknuma Palace. This will be a helpful read for you if you are planning a trip to the palace.
Taj Falaknuma Palace
Location: Engine Bowli, Falaknuma, Hyderabad, Telangana
Entry Fee: There is no separate entry fee to the palace and it is also not open to the general public. For an entry to the palace the only way is to book a tour via Telangana Tourism- Nizam Palaces Tour. This is a weekend special half day tour that includes other locations as well.
Tour A: Rs. 3100 per person for adults and Rs. 2480 per person for a child. This includes the entry fee, tea and snacks, AC transport and a tour guide.
Tour B: Rs. 2000 per person for adults and Rs. 1600 per person for a child. This tour includes AC transport and a tour guide.
Tour route:
The tour starts at 1 pm from the Tourism Plaza in Begumpet. It starts from Hotel Taj Krishna at Banjara Hills at 1:20 pm and from Hotel Golconda in Masab Tank at 1:45 pm. At 2:30 the visitors will arrive at the Chowmahalla Palace and there will be a 30 minutes guided tour. Then at 4 pm the visitors will arrive at the Falaknuma Palace and it is a 90 minute tour here that includes the High Tea. From there the visitors would arrive at the Golconda Fort and it would be a 75 minute tour including the Light and Sound Show there. And finally the tour ends at 9 pm and will drop off the visitors at their designated pick up points.
Timings: The timings for the Telangana Tourism Nizam Palaces Tour start at 1 pm till 9 pm. However the timing of visiting the Falaknuma Palace is from 4 pm to 5:30 pm. The tour is moreover only available on weekends on Saturdays and Sundays. And there is no tour available on the weekdays.
How to reach
By air
If you are travelling by air then the nearest airport to reach the location is the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad. From the airport the distance of the palace is 18 km away and you can reach there in about 35 minutes. You can take a cab or hire a car to reach the palace easily. Or else you can take the city buses as well to reach the location from the airport.
By train
While travelling in a train the nearest railway station to reach the Taj Falaknuma Palace is the Falaknuma railway station. From there the palace is located at a distance of 2.5 km. It would take you around 9 minutes to travel from the railway station to the palace.
By road
The city buses are available that you can opt for to reach the palace. Or else if you are travelling from any major city or town nearby then also you will get buses to reach the location in Hyderabad. Or else you can take a car or hire a cab as well to reach the palace conveniently.
Overview of Taj Falaknuma Palace
The Falaknuma Palace in Hyderabad is one of the most popular spots in Hyderabad. And through the Telangana Tourism Nizam Palace Tour visitors can get to explore this beautiful palace. Located about 5 km away from Charminar, the Falaknuma Palace stands on a hill at a height of 2000 feet. The glamourous setup of the palace and the majestic architecture is enough to take you back to the royal Nizam Era. After a visit to this beautiful palace in Hyderabad you would be transported to the days long gone. The visit to this place will further give you an idea about the opulent lifestyle of the Nizams back in the days. The Taj Group took over this palace in 2010 and from there turned this beautiful palace into a 5 star hotel. At present however the location is more popular as the Taj Falaknuma Palace Hyderabad.
Even though the Falaknuma Palace is a popular sightseeing spot in Hyderabad, it is not open for general public visit. For a stay here you will have to book rooms here and then you can enjoy the lavish property. Or else for a one day tour you can book the Nizam Palaces Tour of the Telangana Tourism. This tour includes visiting various locations and finally reaches the Falaknuma Palace around the evening for a High Tea. You won’t have to think about the entry time or fees as all of that would be covered within the tour. And the tour operators would further take care of the timings and other things.
History and Architecture of Taj Falaknuma Palace
Vikar Ul Umra, a Nawab built this beautiful palace in Hyderabad. The construction started in 1884 and it took over 9 years to finally complete the construction here. However in 1897 Nizam VI purchased this palace. This palace served as a royal guest house for him for a long time. However in 2010 the palace was leased out and the Taj Group took over the magnificent palace. The Taj Group is currently the Taj Falaknuma Palace owner and they run a lavish 5 star hotel here.
The area of the palace is huge and spreads across an area of 32 acres. Located at a height of 2000 feet the palace is splendid in its appearance. The construction of the palace is done in Italian marble. Moreover an Italian architect constructed this palace. Because of the splendid construction the palace is considered as one of the wonders of the 19th century. Furthermore, for the location of the palace, people refer to it as the Mirror of the Sky.
Read More : Snow World Hyderabad Entry Fee, Ticket Price, Timings
The interior of the palace is equally magnificent here and is one of the major attractions as well. There are around 220 rooms here along with 22 halls. And each of the rooms and the halls are decorated artistically. From every corner you would get a royal feel which is worth exploring. Another major attraction and a captivating feature of the palace are the chandeliers here. You will spot multiple Venetian chandeliers here which are exquisite in their beauty. The chandeliers are huge and the intricate designs and the beauty attract the attention of the visitors.
What’s more?
The Nizam was an avid traveler and he also loved collecting souvenirs from various locations around the world. That is the reason why the palace is so rich when it comes to artefacts and exhibits here. Not just the chandeliers but there are a lot of other attractive exhibits here. You will find a beautiful marble staircase, huge library, and a unique collection of the Holy Quran here. Furthermore there is a rosewood dining table here which is another captivating attraction at the Taj Falaknuma Palace. This dining table has the capacity to accommodate about 100 guests at the same time.
There are some other attractions here as well that include a huge collection of rare paintings. You will also find beautiful statues, furniture, books and manuscripts here as well. So once you are in Hyderabad make sure you are visiting the Falaknuma Palace here. You can book a stay at the Falaknuma Palace as well as it would be a cherishing and exciting experience. There are 60 spacious and luxurious rooms here for the royal experience of staying. Along with that they have a Tea Room, a Hookah Lounge as well as 2 restaurants here as well. It would truly be a very exciting experience for the visitors to visit this splendid royal palace.
Restaurants at Taj Falaknuma Palace
Other than the location and its opulent architecture and décor the palace it is also popular for the restaurants here. There are some restaurants here where you can enjoy lunch and dinner.
Adaa
This is a restaurant at the palace that serves delicious Hyderabadi cuisine. The lunch timings here are from 12:30 pm to 2:45 pm and the dinner timings are from 7 pm to 10:45 pm. They have a dress code of smart casual here and offers varied experiences for dining. Taj Falaknuma Palace dinner price starts from Rs. 3000. They have a cover charge here for a set meal and that is Rs. 3000 for indoor dining experience on weekdays and Rs. 4500 for weekend per person.
Along with that they have a 5 course and 7 course meals here as well. For the outdoor dining experience a 5 course meal costs Rs. 6000 per person. And for a 7 course meal the price is Rs. 7500 per person. You can enjoy a private dining experience here as well and that costs Rs. 10000 per person. However all the packages here also include a tour of the palace. Some of their best dishes are Haleem, Biriyani, Dahi Ke Kebab, Garlic Naan, Shorba etc.
Celeste
This is another restaurant at the Taj Falaknuma Palace that serves delicious Mediterranean, Thai and Italian cuisines. The ambiance of this restaurant is worth experiencing. They have live music here that further elevates the experience. For a luxurious dining experience you can definitely visit here. Taj Falaknuma Palace buffet price rates here are Rs. 3500 per person for an indoor dining and Rs. 4000 per person for an outdoor dining experience. The price includes set meals with starters, main course as well as deserts. And also it includes a tour of the palace as well. Some of the popular dishes here are Cold Mango Soup, Lobster Ravioli, Honey Glazed Prawns, Pizza Marinara, Grilled Sandwiches etc.
Jade Terrace
The Jade Terrace is the location where the visitors can enjoy the High Tea but not just that here you can enjoy a set meal as well that costs Rs. 6000. The restaurant serves delicious Continental, Indian and Chinese food. From 3:30 pm to 6:30 pm there is a High Tea here which is quite popular. You can enjoy the spread of cookies, biscuits, beverages and shakes here at that time. And this costs Rs. 2000 per person. Both the packages here also include the tour of the palace as well.
Wrapping Up!
So that was all you needed to know about the Taj Falaknuma and now just plan a visit there. Let me know if this article on the palace is helpful for you in planning a trip there.
