Tirupati

Located close to Hyderabad at a distance of 525km, Tirupati is surrounded by seven hills, cascading waterfalls, thick evergreen forests and offers superb view of the valley. Though many tourists flock here to pay obeisance at the world famous Tirupati temple, the city has much more to offer. Situated amidst lush green hills, Tirupati offers plenty of options for a quick getaway. Horsley Hills, close to Tirupati (150 km) is a scenic hill-station which is visited by tourists from across the country. The Sri Venkateswara Zoological Park and wildlife sanctuary nearby is another attraction for both children and adults.

Eating Out!

Tirumala strictly serves only vegetarian fare across all its restaurants. Try an authentic south Indian meal at Guestline Days on the Karakambadi Road.

SpiceJet Recommendations!

Pay a holy visit to Lord Venkateswara; visit the historic Chandragiri Fort; trekking at Mamanduru.

Shopping

Tirupati offers a variety of souvenirs and traditional ware at affordable prices. The shopping outlets in Tirupati sells the beautiful and traditional Tanjore style Gold Leaf paintings. Statutes of Gods in various types of material, toys made of soft whitewood, Kalamkari articles and carved wooden handicrafts abound here.

For the devoted and religious minded, a variety of devotional CDs, DVDs, Cassettes, Books, Calendars and other materials are available here.

Sri Venkateswara Temple
On the southern banks of Sri Swami Pushkarini, this ancient temple located on the seventh peak of the Tirupati Hills, is a major attraction. Hindu texts make allusions to the benefits recieved by a pilgrimage undertaken to this temple. It is a masterpiece of Dravidian architecture and dates back to the 12th-century. Besides the awe-inspiring structure,we have the idol of Lord Venkateswara, supposedly a form of Vishnu.
Govindaraja Swami Temple
Located in the heart of Tirupati is Sri Govindaraja Swami Temple, which was consecrated by Saint Ramanujacharya in 1130 AD. It is built by the Nayakas, the successors to the Vijayanagar empire. The temple has an impressive outer gopuram. The inner most gopuram is the earliest dating from the 14th-15th centuries. The main shrines are dedicated to Vishnu and Krishna.
Sri Padmavathi Ammavari Temple
This is the temple of Goddess Padmavathi, the consort of Lord Venkateswara. It is located, at Almelumanga Puram also known as Tiruchanoor, about 5 km from Tirupati. People believe that a trip to Tirupati is complete only after visiting this temple.
Chandragiri Palaces and Fort
Located 11 km from Tirupati, in Chittoor district, Chandragiri was the former capital of the mighty Vijayanagar Empire. The fort here was built on a 180m high rock. The fortifications, 'Raja Mahal' with its romantic lily pond and the 'Rani mahal' are well preserved. The Museum in Raja Mahal contains Chola and Vijayanagara bronzes.
Horsley Hills
Originally known as Eenugu Mallma Konda, it later became Horseley Hills named after an erstwhile Collector of Cuddaph, W.D.Horsley. This hill resort that is about 150 km from Tirupati, is located at a height of 1.265 meters above sea level. Environmental park, Lake Gangotri and the Horsley Hills museum are some of the well known tourist spots. The excellent cool weather makes it a favourite destination during the hot summers.
Regional Science Centre
The Regionl Science Centre at Tirupati is affiliated to Sri Venkateswara University and National Council of Science Museums. Located at Alipiri which is 3 km from Tirupati, this institution is dedicated to excellence in scientific studies. The centre also has a planetarium which draws huge crowds.