Crowning a hill on the southern edge of Hyderabad, the Falaknuma Palace is one of India's most opulent aristocratic residences — a European-styled palace filled with the treasures of the fabulously wealthy Nizams. Its name, Falak-numa, means "like the sky" or "Mirror of the Sky," and from its terraces the city really does seem to lie at one's feet.
Long closed to the public, the palace has been restored to its former splendour and now operates as a landmark luxury hotel, giving travellers a rare chance to step inside the world of Hyderabad's princely rulers.