This sprawling complex of mid-19th-century Neo-Classical buildings was the main residence of the sixth Nizam, Mahbub Ali Pasha. A glimpse of his lavish lifestyle can be seen in the eastern wing of the main building, in the Massarat Mahal. This has the Nizam’s gigantic wooden wardrobe, a 73-sq m (786-sq ft) room with closets on two levels, and a mechanical elevator affording access to the upper tier. Its contents once included 75 identical tweed suits – the Nizam liked the pattern so much that he bought the Scottish factory’s entire stock of it.

Purani Haveli also houses the Nizam’s Museum, which displays china, silver objets d’art, and several fascinating photographs that capture the legendary opulence of the Nizam and his court.

This eclectic collection of over 40,000 objects once belonged to Salarjung III, Prime Minister of Hyderabad between 1899 and 1949. Salarjung’s highly individual taste ranged from objects of sublime beauty to some bordering on kitsch, which is what makes this museum so fascinating.

The pride of the museum is the outstanding Mughal jade collection, which includes an exquisite, translucent leaf-shaped cup. Miniature paintings are also well-represented, including those of the local Deccani School, as are Indian stone and bronze sculpture, inlaid ivory objects and medieval Islamic manuscripts. A prized 13th-century Koran has the signatures of three Mughal emperors.

Salarjung’s rather florid taste in European art is represented by some 19th-century statuary, while the collection of oil paintings include a Canaletto, a Guardi and a Landseer.

A spectacular stone building with soaring domes, Osmania General Hospital was built in 1925 as part of the seventh Nizam’s modernization plan after a catastrophic flood in 1908. Opposite it, across the river, are the Boys’ High School  and the High Court , built in pink granite and red sandstone. An imaginative blend of Islamic decorative detail and Western interior layouts, all three buildings, as well as the city’s Railway Station, were constructed between 1914 and 1936, and are the work of the British architect Vincent Esch.

This historic building, the Ashurkhana or “Royal House of Mourning”, was built in 1595 by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, the fifth Qutb Shahi ruler, as a congregation hall for Shias during the month of Muharram. It houses beautiful silver and gold alams  (ceremonial standards) studded with precious stones, which are carried in procession during Muharram, and are on display here through the year, on Thursdays.

Exquisite enamel-tiled mosaics adorn the central niche and the western wall, in glowing yellow, orange and turquoise. The outer hall with wooden colonnades was added later.

The most opulent of the Nizams’ many palaces, Falaknuma Palace was built in 1872. The front façade is in Palladian style, while the rear is a jumble of Indo-Saracenic domes and cupolas, added on to house the zenana. A huge amount of money was lavished on the interior, with tooled leather ceilings created by Florentine craftsmen, furniture and tapestries ordered from France, and marble imported from Italy.

The Nizams’ most important guests, including King George V, stayed at Falaknuma, but after the death of the sixth Nizam here in 1911 (after a heavy bout of drinking), it as rarely used again. The palace is now being converted into a luxurious hotel.

Located in the 19th-century hunting lodge of the sixth Nizam, Asmangarh Palace is the Birla Archaeological Museum. Its exhibits include sculptures and metal artifacts found at excavation sites in Andhra Pradesh, among them some beautiful bronzes of Shiva and Vishnu.

A short distance to the south is an obelisk which marks the Tomb of Michel Raymond. A French mercenary who fought in the Nizam’s army from 1785 till his death in 1798, Raymond became a local hero, revered by both Muslims and Hindus.

This elegant Palladian mansion, now the University College for Women, was built in 1805 by the third Nizam as a gift for the British Resident at his court, James Kirkpatrick. It was decorated in style, with a painted ceiling, and mirrors and chandeliers from Brighton Pavilion in England. The pediment above the portico still bears the East India Company’s lion-and-unicorn coat of arms.

In the grounds is a small replica of the main building, which Kirkpatrick built for his aristocratic Hyderabadi wife, Khairunissa Begum – a liaison that created a great scandal at the time. There is a small British cemetery in a corner of the grounds.

Two large Norman-style gateways mark the entrance to the Nampally Public Gardens, which contain the State Archaeological Museum. It has a large collection of Buddhist art, some fine Chola bronzes, Roman coins, and even an Egyptian mummy. There are also replicas of murals and sculptures from the Ajanta and Ellora caves. Nearby is the State Legislative Assembly  (built in 1913), a domed complex modelled on a Rajasthani palace.

This huge lake, created in the 17th century, lies off Mahatma Gandhi Road, which bisects Hyderabad and Secunderabad. The 3-km (2-mile) stretch of road along its southern boundary is Hyderabad’s most popular promenade; it is lined with statues of eminent figures from Andhra Pradesh’s history. At the centre of the lake is a rock, on which stands a 17-m (56-ft) high monolithic statue of the Buddha, weighing 350 tonnes. Completed in 1986, it sank to the bottom of the lake when the ferry carrying it capsized. It was finally salvaged (intact) seven years later and installed on the rock in 1994.

Northeast of Hussain Sagar along the Tank Bund Road, Secunderabad was established in 1806 as a cantonment to house British troops. It has since grown into a teeming city which is an extension of Hyderabad. At its centre is the Parade Ground , overlooked by St Andrew’s Church  and the imposing colonial-style Secunderabad Club . The Neo-Gothic Holy Trinity Church  (built in 1848) is 6 km (4 miles) north of the Parade Ground, and has beautiful stained-glass windows, elegant steeples on its square tower and a British cemetery.

The walled compound of the Paigah Palaces , where the Hyderabadi aristocracy lived, is 2 km (1.3 miles) west of the Parade Ground, opposite Begumpet Airport. The most imposing palace is Vicar Manzil, built by the leading nobleman at the sixth Nizam’s court, Sir Vicar-ul-Umra; he had built the magnificent Falaknuma Palace for himself but had to move out when the Nizam decided to acquire it. At its entrance is the Spanish Mosque  (built in 1906), with Moorish arches and octagonal spires.