Rajahmundry is a spectacular city in the state of Andhra Pradesh. You will also hear people calling this place officially – Rajamahendravaram. And why is that? When the Britishers invaded our country, they couldn’t pronounce most of our cities’ names correctly. They’ve changed Rajamahendravaram to Rajahmundry for their convenience! If you are planning to visit the place soon, then we have the perfect list of the best places to visit in Rajahmundry.
Rajahmundry city is also the cultural capital of Andhra Pradesh. It is a peaceful settlement on the banks of the river Godavari. Early morning, you get to hear the chirping of the birds, the fishermen going about their business, and calming hymns and shlokas from the ancient temples. The atmosphere is pleasing and suitable for tourist visits throughout the year.
People who are travelling to Rajahmundry from a very long distance can make a pit stop in Vijayawada. This is about 160 km away from the heart of the Rajamahendravaram city. While you are here, book your stay at Hotels in Vijayawada so that you can relax for a few hours, have food, and set out on the journey to reach your tourist destination again.
Let us dive into the blog and learn about the best places to visit in Rajahmundry this vacation season!
Also Read: Hill Stations in Andhra Pradesh: Explore These 8 Awe-Inspiring Nature’s Bounties in South India
9 Splendid Places to Visit in Rajahmundry
1 – Godavari Bridge
The Godavari Bridge is one of the main tourist places to visit in Rajahmundry. It is also popular as the Kovvur-Rajahmundry bridge, seeing how it connects these two places. It is the third-longest bridge in India and is famous for its mesmerising architecture. It has a rail track on the lower level and a road track above it. Both of these tracks are on a single lane. Also, the Godavari bridge connects the east Godavari district with the west Godavari district and spans the entire length of the Godavari River. This is about 1465 kilometres long and the Godavari River is the widest ( 5 km in width) where the bridge is constructed.
When you visit here, you can witness the bustling local business on either side of the bridge and enjoy the view of the rippling waters. The early mornings are captivating with hues of orange and yellow reflecting off of the river’s surface. This bridge is also considered to be the main symbol of Rajahmundry’s art and culture. The Godavari Bridge is also called the Havelock Bridge or the Godavari Arch Bridge.
Location – Godavari Arch Bridge, Railway Bridge, Andhra Pradesh 533101
Timings – Open 24 Hours
2 – Kotilingeshwara Temple
The Kotilingeshwara Swamy temple in Rajahmundry is famous for housing the biggest Shivalingam in the country. It also has specific ghats where devotees take a dip to rid themselves of their sins. This temple is one of the most important places to visit in Rajahmundry owing to its religious significance. There was a sage named Gautama who was cursed by Lord Indra. To save himself from the ill omens, he paid penance to Lord Shiva in the same spot where this temple was constructed.
Also, there is a story about Manjunatha. Once upon a time, there was a poor man named Manjunatha who hailed from a family of Shaivites. However, he never believed in God and often spoke ill about Lord Shiva. Slowly, he started realising the importance of spirituality and the presence of God in one’s life. When he visited the Kotilingeshwara temple, all the diyas and lights were extinguished. He realised his mistake and sang hymns and songs to apologise to Lord Shiva. When he uttered the last word of his devotional song, the diyas and lights came to life on their own! People from across the world come to visit this temple and seek blessings from the Shiva Linga. Do not miss out on spending at least a morning or evening in this temple.
Location – 13-15-61/20b, Kotilingala Veedhi, Kothapeta, Seethampet, Rajamahendravaram, Andhra Pradesh 533104
Timings – 5:00 AM to 12:00 PM; 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM
3 – Dowleswaram Bridge
The Dowaleswaram Bridge or the Dowaleswaram Barrage is built on the lower stretch of river Godavari where it finally empties into the Bay of Bengal. It was built in 1970 and initially named the Arthur Cotton Barrage. However, the Indian Government later changed the name to Godavari Barrage or the Dowaleswaram Barrage. The Rajamundry city is present on the left side of this barrage. Godavari River flows through the entire stretch of this bridge before emptying into the Bay of Bengal. The Dowleswaram bridge passes through both the East and West Godavari districts. It is the main source of water for crops in 65 different mandals in both regions. Upstream, before entering the stretch of the Dowaleshwaram Bridge, the Godavari River splits into two parts – Gautami to the right and Vashishta to the left. These two streams of water form the joining points between East and West Godavari districts.
Initially, when this bridge did not exist in the past, a large amount of the river water flooded the surrounding regions and aimlessly flew into the Bay of Bengal. That was when Sir Arthur Thomas Cotton started the construction of this bridge. The Barrage helped people to utilise rainwater efficiently for agriculture and daily activities.
Location – Dowleswaram, Rajamahendravaram, Andhra Pradesh
Timings – Open 24 Hours
4 – Kadiyapulanka
Kadiyapulanka is a very beautiful locality within Rajahmundry district. It is one of the best places to visit near Rajahmundry if you love flowers and horticulture. Kadiyapulanka is known across Andhra Pradesh for being home to some of the rarest flowers in the world. The people here are well-versed in diverse techniques of floriculture, and horticulture, and tourists can visit the wide-spread acres of lands that are filled with colourful flowers. The nurseries here grow flowers with distinct fragrances and you can always buy a pot to take home with you. These nurseries also sell seeds that you can sow and the instructions about how to take care of the plant will also be provided to you. If possible, you can also coincide your trip with the annual flower show and exhibition that happens in the region.
You will be surprised to know that Kadiyapulanka is the second-largest producer of flowers in the country after West Bengal.
Location – Kadiyapulanka, East Godavari, Andhra Pradesh, 533126
Timings – Flower Market – 6:30 AM to 8:30 PM ( can open early on festive occasions).
5 – Papi Kondalu
Papi Kondalu is not just a famous Rajahmundry place to visit but also finds its place in the top 10 places to visit in Andhra Pradesh. This is a natural complex of three hills that are present on the River Godavari belt. The hills are surrounded by dense tropical forests and the government has also declared this region as a protected National Park. Papi Kondalu is roughly 60 km from Rajahmundry and cannot be reached directly from the region. But trust us, the experience of travelling toward those mystical hills is worth your time and energy. You will have to reach Pattisam first and take a boat trip toward Papi Kondalu. You can engage in activities like trekking and camping near Papi Kondalu. You will also find several indigenous tribal people here who make their living by agriculture, fishing, and making handicrafts. Papi Kondalu also has religious significance. It is believed that Lord Rama and Goddess Sita visited these hills during their exile.
Location – Papi Hills, Eluru District, Near Rajamahendravaram, Andhra Pradesh.
Timings – The Boat trips start from 6:00 AM to 9:00 AM and usually involve overnight stays.
6 – Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Dasavatar Mandir
The Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Dasavatar Mandir is also popular as the ISKCON Mandir or Rajahmundry. For all those people who love Lord Krishna, this is one of the best places to visit in Rajahmundry. Among all other devotional Rajahmundry tourist places, this temple is most famous because this is the second biggest ISKCON temple after the one that is present in Bangalore. It is built on the serene banks of River Godavari and has a small section where people can dip in the water and seek blessings from the River Goddess. This Mandir is also called Ramananda Raya Gaudiya Math because it is believed that Lord Chaitanya and Ramananda Raya spoke to each other and exchanged pleasantries here. The temple has commendable architecture and is spread across 2 acres of land. The evenings spent in this ISKCON temple are too surreal to forget.
Location – Gowthami Ghat Road, Beside, Godavari Bund Rd, Gowthami Ghat, Rajamahendravaram, Andhra Pradesh 533101
Timings – 7:30 AM to 1:00 PM; 4:30 PM to 8:30 PM
7 – Markandeya Swamy Temple
The Markandeya Swamy temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is believed to be one of the most powerful Hindu temples in the Godavari region. Devotees usually take a dip in the waters of Godavari before entering the temple premises. Inside, you will find priests performing prayers all day long and it is believed that seeking blessings in this temple can bring you a lot of riches, prosperity and good health. Along with Lord Shiva, you will find the shrines of several other Gods like Lord Ganesha, and Karthikeya within the temple premises. For people who are interested in religious history, Markandeya Temple is one of the crucial places to visit in Rajahmundry. You will be surprised to know that this temple was first confused to be a mosque! Later, in 1818, it was rebuilt after the authorities concluded it was indeed a Hindu religious site of Lord Shiva.
Location – 2Q38+4XJ, Godavari Bund road, near Pushkarghat, Rajamahendravaram, Andhra Pradesh 533105
Timings – 6:00 AM to 12:30 PM; 5:30 PM to 9:00 PM ( Special prayers on Monday)
8 – Subba Rao Archeological Museum
The Subba Rao Archeological Museum is one of the best places to visit in Rajahmundry if you want to know about the history of the place. Once you step inside, you will see why Rajahmundry is famous as the cultural capital of Andhra Pradesh. The museum houses several artefacts from the olden days, coins and currencies that the ancient kings issued, terracotta handicrafts from several decades ago, and even paintings that are visual treats! There are archaeological findings that were dug up in the region along with sculptures that are carved out of single stone. Kids can learn a lot from this museum. Once you are done exploring Rajahmundry sightseeing places, head toward this museum and spend an hour or two.
Location – XQXC+238, Mangalavaripeta, Rajamahendravaram, Andhra Pradesh 533101
Timings – 10:30 AM to 5:00 PM
9 – Cotton Museum
The Cottom Museum in Rajahmundry was built in memory of Sir Arthur Thomas Cotton. Remember? We discussed him when we were talking about Dowaleshwaram Barrage. He is the man behind several architectural wonders in Rajahmundry and waterworks that tamed the heavy flow of River Godavari. The museum houses several models of architectural projects that Air Arthur took up in India. It is an effort to educate the people of today about the great contributions made by Sir Arthur who was known as the ‘Delta Architect of India’.
Location – WQQM+JPH, Dowlaiswaram – Vijjeswaram Rd, Cotton Peta, Dhavaleswaram, Rajamahendravaram, Andhra Pradesh 533125
Timings – 10:30 AM to 6:30 PM
There are several note-worthy tourist places to visit in Rajahmundry and most of them have historic or cultural significance. If you have a week in hand, you can explore the glamour of Rajamahendravaram and take back home a load of cherishable memories! Have you visited Rajahmundry before? Tell us all about it in the comments section!
