Location	Krishna District (on the banks of the Krishna River), Andhra Pradesh
Significance	Best for a temple journey
Must Visit	Kanaka Durga Temple, Marakata Rajarajeswari Temple, Subramanya Swamy Temple, Sri Nagarala Sri Maha Lakshmi Ammavaru Temple, Kondapalli Fort
Best Time To Go	September To February
Temperature	Summer: Max 45°C, Min 28°C; Winter: Max 32°C, Min 18°C

Plan a holiday alongside the Budameru River amidst the Indrakiladri hills in Andhra Pradesh, and you will certainly get the spiritual calmness that you have been searching for years. Located 257 km from Hyderabad, the city of Vijaywada is popularly known as 'the City of Victory'. As the legend goes, this is the place where Arjuna, the Pandava Prince, won the blessings of Lord Shiva for his penance.

Religious Importance
Kanaka Durga, the goddess of power, riches and benevolence, is the presiding deity of the city. Apart from that, Vijayawada serves as the gateway to Amaravati, Gudivada, and Ghantasala, which are popular Buddhist sites.

Fascinating Features

Kanaka Durga Temple
Dedicated to Goddess Kanaka Durga, the temple is perched over the Indrakiladri hill. The deity of the temple is regarded as Swayambhu or self-manifested. The Sri Chakra of the temple is believed to be installed by Adi Guru Sankaracharya.

Kondapalli Fort
This popular picnic spot is situated about 16 km from Vijayawada. Built by King Krishna Deva Raya in the 7th century, this fort was a business center, which later converted into a military training base by the British. You can see various handmade wooden toys in the fort.

Prakasam Barrage
This 1223.5 m long impressive structure was completed in 1957. It stretches across the river Krishna.

Victoria Jubilee Regional Museum
The museum, exhibiting beautiful sculptures and attractive paintings, belongs to the Archaeological Department. 'Buddha' Alluru inscriptions of first and second centuries, and Mahishasura Mardhani are some of the major attractions.

Bhavani Island
This is a wonderful picnic spot located upstream the river Krishna, close to Prakasam Barrage.

Gundala Church
Situated on a hillock on the eastern side of the town, this church hosts a fair annually in the month of February.

For excursionists, Vijayawada offers short trips to Kuchipudi (famous for its dance and other cultural forms), Mangalagiri (the land of temples), and Kondapalli (the hub of handicrafts).

Shopping
Vijayawada, a colourful and varied land, is popular for the unique Kondapalli Toys. These hand made beautiful toys have the characteristic Indian mythological figures, birds, fruits, vegetables and houses. Apart from that, Vijayawada grows the most luscious mangoes, and is renowned for its tradition of pickle making.

People here are quite enthusiastic, and they celebrate the festival of Krishna Pushkaram after every twelve years.

Accommodation
Being a highly frequented place, Vijayawada offers a wide range of accommodation options from our star hotels to budget / economy hotels. You can also find Andhra Pradesh Tourism Guest Houses here.

How To Get There

By Air: The nearest domestic airport is at Gannavaram, about 20 km, which is well connected to the cities like Hyderabad, Vishakhapatnam etc.
By Rail: The city is located along the Chennai – Howrah and Chennai – Delhi rail route, which is the largest railway junction of the South Central Railway.
By Road: Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) buses connect Vijayawada to all the major cities of south India.