Karnataka State, of which Hampi belongs to, is on of the richest of the south Indian states in terms of its wide range of heritage attractions

‘Lady with mirror’: Belur in Karnataka has some of the finest sculptures in India.

Thanks to its many hundreds of years of history & heritage the state's tourist map includes old capitals, forts, palaces, monuments and more. Also Karnataka is home to many wildlife sanctuaries, waterfalls and mountains.

You can access these places directly or via transit towns from Hampi by road, rail or air.

In size Karnataka is a large south Indian state (a bit smaller in size than UK & a bit bigger than Washington state of USA) of diverse cultural heritage. The known history of this place dates back to 4th century BCE or even beyond. Over the many centuries various dynasties and empires ruled the state. And the legacy of it all essentially forms the rich heritage of Karnataka.

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ndhra has a very rich heritage and an ideal place to survey the Deccani Muslim monuments, Hindu architecture and early Buddhist settlements.

Of all the places Hyderabad steals the show.

Golconda Fort:

Golconda fort was the citadel of the erstwhile Telungana country till 1590 AD. Sultan Quali Qutab Shah abandoned it and moved his capital to the new city Hyderabad.

The fort was the epicenter of the showdown between the sultan’s army and the Mughal army of Aurangzeb.

Golconda fort is built around a large granite hill. The perimeter of the outer fortification is about 11 kilometers ( about 7 miles), that gives you an idea about the citadels’ size.

Golconda fort , located near Hyderabad , is a major tourist attraction. The light and sound shows in the evenings ( in Telugu, Hindi and English) are a bonus.

Ramoji Film City.

Where is this Bollywood by the way ? Well, if your answer is Ramoji Film City , you are not way off the mark. The Bollywood glitterati may be located in Mumbai, but a visit to this film city can give you a good idea of how Indian movies are made.

There is a saying that those who like sausage and law should not see how both of them are being made. No so at least in the case of the Indian movies. Ramoji is where you can see in close quarters the Indian movie making studios. This movie factory that has all the settings to manufacture dreams, illusions and the melodrama - the essence of a typical Indian cinema.

Ramoji film city is about 30 kilometers south of Hyderabad.

Charminar:

This majestic landmark monument of Hyderabad was commissioned by its erstwhile sultan Mohammed Quli Qutab Shah. Charminar was made to commemorate an unusual event - the end of a devastating epidemic that gripped the capital.

Four minarets - hence the name Char (four)minar - are located on top of the four columned towers of the main structure.

A bustling bazaar is located at the foot of the Charminar.

Adilabad

Anantapur

Belum Caves

Bhadrachalam

Bhongir

Chittoor

Guntur

Horsley Hills

Hyderabad

Kadapa

Kakinada

Karimnagar

Kesoraam

Kurnool

Machilipatnam

Mantralayam

Manyam Konda

Pakhal Lake

Pedavadlapudi

Pulicat lake

Puttaparthi

Rajahmundry

Secuderabad

Sri Kalahasti

Sriharikota

Srisailam

Tirupati

Vijayawada

Visakhapatnam

Warangal

Zuvvaladinne

Kerala is a long thin strip of land located at the southwest cost of India. This state is known for its greenery and the backwaters.

Bekkal in Kerala with its quiet beaches is a historical place.

Though one of the thickly populated states in India, Kerala is rivaled by few other states for its earthen charm, splendid natural beauty and modernity.

The people are welcoming and your tour it seems take a slow motion once you are in Kerala. Sandwiched between the 'Western Ghats' mountain ranges at its east and the Arabian Sea on its west, Kerala has a unique climate pattern. Historically the state had strong trade relations with the Arab and European traders. The first European sailors to India landed in Karala.

Elephants are part and parcel of celebrations in Kerala

This multicultural state has many to offer, let it be the Ayurveda (the ancient Indian medical system), martial/performing arts or its spicy cuisine. Onam celebrated during August is the state festival attracts tourist crowds. The state boasts of many attractions like forts, temples, churches, mosques, synagogue apart from its wildlife sanctuaries and backwater tourism.

It's very difficult to say if the whole state is a gigantic metro village or a never-ending chain of small towns.

The state is well connected from its north tip to south by a highway and a railway line. Numerous other branch roads can give access to any of its towns and villages. Three international airports - Trivandrum, Cochin & Calicut - located at the south, central and north of the state respectively can give direct access to the state from abroad. They are well connected to the other major airports in India.

Much more of Kerala attractions

This southern Indian state is the cradle of the Dravidian culture, a civilization as old as the better known Indus valley civilization.

Throughout this Tamil speaking state is sprinkled with its characteristic temples. Tamilnadu is by and large a vegetarian with its exquisite cuisine

Ooty ( Udhagamandalam ):

Ooty is home to some of the indigenous tribes of India. Todas of Nilgiri are distinct with their culture and traditions.

This small town hidden among the rolling hills stands in stark contrast with the rest of Tamilnadu’s towns and cities. Ooty is known for its cooler weather, natural beauty and its colonial legacy. The town saddles two major forest ranges, the Eastern Ghats and the Western Ghats. The Nilgiri Mountain train is one of the star attractions of this hill station. The narrow gauge train covers a distance of 46 km (28 miles) from Mettupalayam to Ooty is a about 5 hours! That is it passes through 208 curves, 16 tunnels, and 250 bridges.

Chennai

Chettinad

Chidambaram

Coimbatore

Cuddalore

Dharmapuri

Erode

Kancheepuram

Kanniyakumari

Kodaikanal

Krishnagiri

Madurai

Mamallapuram

Nagapattinam

Namakkal

Poompuhar

Puddukottai

Rameswaram

Salem

Sivagangai

Thanjavur

Theni

Thiruchirappalli

Thirunelveli

Thiruvannamalai

Thuthukudi

Tiruvarur

Trichy

Udhagamandalam

Velankanni

Vellore

Virudhunagar

Yelagiri

Yercaud

Pondicherry

Buildings in the old french style

Puducherry (formerly Pondicherry is a Union Territory of India. The It is a former French colony, consisting of four non-contiguous enclaves, or districts, and named for the largest, Pondicherry.

The remnants of the French colonial era still hang in the air of Pondicherry. Even the police uniform looks a more French like than the typical Indian. By the way French is an official language of the state, though spoken only by small population.

These clusters of tiny islands are located about 300 kilometers off the Kerala cost in the Arabian Sea.