Tirupati to Boston Flights

  About Tirupati

Tirupati or Tirumala as a lot of people call it, is one of the most visited temples in India. It's also one of the richest shrines in the country. Tirupati is the place of worship for Lord Balaji or Sri Venkateshwara, an avatar of Lord Vishnu. Hundreds and thousands of devotees visit Tirupati daily to offer their prayers. It is a tradition among a lot of people to shave their heads and offer their hair at his feet to seek his blessings. It is believed that Lord Vishnu incarnated on earth as Balaji to save mankind from all the troubles in Kali Yug. People wait for hours in a queue to get a glimpse of God and offer their prayers. The temple is located on seven hills in Andhra Pradesh, which is yet another speciality about the temple. Though Tirupati is majorly known for its religious significance, there is a lot more than you can do here.

You can visit the Sri Venkateswara National Park after your darshan. The beautiful landscape and view of the valleys will take your breath away. The Sri Venkateswara National Park was built in 1989 and was declared a National Park in 1998. The national park is home to a lot of exotic animals like the Nilgai, Flying Lizard, Hyena and Golden Gecko. You have to pay a certain price for tickets to enter the park and spending some time here will definitely be a treat to the eyes and the mind. If you are in Tirupati with your family and kids, the little ones will definitely be delighted to spot the animals. In addition to this, the holy place also boasts of a Deer Park. You'll find different species of deer and might even get to feed them. You'll find solace from the crowd and spend some time with nature and nature's best here.

You can also immerse in the holy waters of Papavinasam Theertham. It is believed that taking a dip in this holy water will rid you of your sins. Just being here calms your mind and takes you to your happy place. You will also find a lot of waterfalls like the Talakona waterfall, Vaikuntha theertham and so on. There will be several places in the complex where you can sit and meditate. The early morning aarti is one of the most overwhelming and divine feelings. The chants and devotional mantras echo through the hills early in the morning. Swami Pushkarini lake is also a highly recommended place to visit in Tirupati.

Though you will have to adhere to certain decorum and rules when visiting the temple. A strict dress code to wear something traditional must be followed in the temple vicinity. You are also not allowed to consume alcohol or non-vegetarian food while you are in the temple premises. Not to mention, the queue can tend to get on your nerves, so avoid getting into any fights or heated arguments. You will not be allowed to bring any of your gadgets like the camera or phone. While a lot of people believe that shaving their head off and donating their hair is essential, it entirely depends on you and whether you want to do it. It will be fairly easier for you to find and book a hotel in Tirupati.

Best Time to Visit Tirupati

September to February is an ideal time to visit Tirupati. This is when the city experiences winter and the weather is quite pleasant during the day. It can get quite nippy in the night and early mornings can be quite chilly though. The summer will be pretty unpleasant to handle since the southern part of India does experience scorching heat during April and May. It rains in Tirupati from July to September, and while monsoon does make the weather quite pleasant, it won't be the best time to climb the hill even by a car or bus.

Places to Visit in Tirupati

Apart from the main temple of Tirumala Balaji, it is also mandatory to offer your prayers at Sri Padmavathi Ammavari temple. It is believed that your prayers will not be complete unless you pray to the Goddess, and according to scriptures, it is important that you pay respects to the Goddess first before heading to Tirumala. Sri Padmavathi Ammavari temple is not very close to Lord Balaji's temple. After offering your prayers at the Sri Venkateswara Temple, you can visit the Srivari Museum to know more about Tirupati's inception and how it became one of the most popular temples in the country.

Head over to Papavinasam Theertham to take a dip in the holy water. It is believed that it will wash away your sins, and it also calms your mind instantly. It's the sheer sanctity of the place that makes you embrace your spiritual side. Tirupati is also home to many exotic animals. The Sri Venkateswara National Park houses animals like Hyenas, Nilgai, Golden Gecko and more. You can visit the National Park with your family or alone. You must also visit the Deer Park that has deers of different species, and they're quite friendly, too. If you're lucky, you might get to feed the deers.

Take a tour of the Srivara Museum. You'll get to read more stories about the inception of the temple and the Gods and Goddesses. Since the temple is located on seven hills, each hill has been named after a God or devotee of mythological importance. There is Vrushabhadri, which is also called as the Hill of Nandi, the biggest devotee of Lord Shiva and also an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Anjanadri is the Hill of Hanuman, Neeladri is the Hill of Neela Devi, Garudachalam is the Hill of Garuda, Seshadri is the Hill of Sesha, Narayanadri is the Hill of Narayana and Venkatadri is the Hill of Venkateswara.

There are also a lot of sub-temples and shrines that you can visit along with the Sri Padmavathi Ammavari and Sri Venkateswara temples.

Things to do in Tirupati

Find a spot in the temple after your darshan and just sit in peace to meditate for a while before you make your itinerary. Do not forget to take the famous Tirupati laddoo that is served as the prasad. The temple also serves puliogare, a savoury rice, that is also served as the prasad. The temple city can get noisy, so get away from the hubbub of the crowded places and visit one of the famous waterfalls. You can quietly sit and admire the nature around you. The serene aura of the place and the breathtakingly beautiful scenario makes for the perfect place to take pictures, too.

The National Park and the Deer Park make for the perfect locations to put your wildlife photography skills to the test. While a lot of people rent a car or take a bus to get up to the hill, some even walk or climb all the way up. Though some do it because they love a nice trek, a lot of people do it out of pure devotion to the Gods. Don't just go to Tirupati to offer your prayers to God but also make the most of it by getting to know more about the place and visiting all of the other places mentioned here. Being close to nature is also one of the best places and moments to introspect or to just leave all your worries behind and live in the moment. You will surely be able to leave all your worries behind and be optimistic effortlessly once you visit Tirumala.

Food and Restaurants in Tirupati

While there will be no non-vegetarian food served within the temple premises or on the hilltop, you will find restaurants serving non-veg food a little away from Tirumala. Andhra Spice and Hyderabad House are some of the popular restaurants that serve non-vegetarian food. It goes without saying that it will be quite easy to find South Indian food in the area, and the food will not disappoint you one bit.

How to reach Tirupati (Transportation)

By Air

While there is no international connectivity of flights directly, the domestic flights frequently run to and from Tirupati Airport. You will get pretty good flight deals and cheap flight tickets, too, if you book at the right time. Don't forget to look for offers on flights online. You can also land at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad and take a bus or hire a cab from the airport to Tirumala.

By Rail

Tirupati Railway station is connected to domestic routes like Bangalore, Chennai, Vishakapatnam and Madurai. Renigunta station is also quite close to Tirupati and an easier way to get to Tirupati.

By Road

You will find multiple bus services that run from cities like Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai and every part of Andhra Pradesh to Tirupati. It is advisable to carry a few medicines or chocolates with you if you suffer from motion sickness because the way to go up the hill is going to be full of twists and turns.

  About Boston

Boston might not fall under your 'ideal vacation destination' category, but it is certainly a place you must visit. The city houses a lot of America's firsts like their first subway system, public school, park and a free municipal public library. Boston is quite a modern city, but it is backed by a rich history. Boston is majorly known for its universities and academic brilliance. The city is also where several revolutionary heroes lived, and it does everything in its stride to flaunt them. There are quite a lot of museums, parks and restaurants that you can head to if you are on holiday in Boston. The city does not move at a slow pace since it has so many universities, colleges and students. But it will not affect your holiday in any way. If you have nothing planned for the day, you can always head to the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway. You can either take a stroll here at the park or indulge in activities/ events that happen here quite frequently.

Best Time to Visit Boston

Boston's peak tourist season is from June to October when it is summer followed by fall. Summer begins from June and lasts till August. The temperature ranges from 15 to 27 degree Celsius in summer and from 8 to 22 degree Celsius in fall. These are the most expensive months to visit Boston. You must book your hotel in Boston way in advance to avoid the high prices at the last moment. Make sure you also book your flight tickets to Boston in advance if you are visiting during these months. The best part about Boston is that no matter when you plan to visit the city, they will always have one event or the other taking place. If you are going to Boston in June, make sure you are a part of Boston Pride and the Cambridge Arts River Festival. You will also see a rise in the number of tourists in August, thanks to Boston Comic-Con. You can also attend the Boston Film Festival and the Phantom Gourmet Food Festival in September. Since there are so many important events taking place in the city during these months, it is one of the reasons why this is considered a peak season.

November to February is winter in Boston, and it can get really cold. The temperature drops to as low as -5 degree Celsius and as high as 5 degree Celsius. Make sure you pack all of your warm clothes and more if you are not used to chilly weather. Hotel prices and flight fares drop considerably during winter since the city sees fewer tourists. If you are going to visit Boston anytime between January to March, you can attend the Boston Wine Festival. Meet wine connoisseurs, learn the right way to drink wine, you can learn more about the different types of wine and even go on a wine tasting tour. This is also the best time for you to get cheap flight tickets to Boston since it is offseason.

March to May is the spring season in Boston, and this is a pleasant time to visit the city. The flight fares and accommodation rates are low during Spring. The temperature ranges from 0 degree Celsius to 19 degree Celsius. You can be a part of the St Patrick's Day Parade or Dine Out Boston in March. You can also attend the Boston Marathon and the Boston International Film Festival in April. The city is sprucing up to welcome the high tourist season but also makes it a point to ensure that the off-season tourists are also making the most of their stay in Boston.

Places to Visit in Boston

The Freedom Trail is an important and historic landmark in Boston. It is also a great way to learn more about the city's history. North End, Faneuil Hall Marketplace, Charlestown, there are at least 16 landmarks in Freedom Trail alone that you cannot miss. If you are an art lover, you can head to the Museum of Fine Arts. It is the fourth-largest museum in the US and houses at least 500,000 pieces of artwork from all over the world. North End is one of the oldest places in Boston, and you will find quite a few Italian restaurants here. Faneuil Hall is not just a shopping arena that also has a lot of restaurants, but it has also served as a meeting hall for hundreds of years. Boston Waterfront is another popular tourist attraction in the city. It offers you a magnificent view of the skylines, and it is open to the public. You can also visit Charles River Esplanade if you miss the water baby in you. You can either take a stroll here or bike along the trails. The locals also offer kayaks and paddleboats to enjoy the river.

You cannot leave Boston without visiting the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum. It will be quite a refreshing brush up that will make you miss your history lessons at school. You can also visit the Boston Library, which is one of the most important attractions in the city, courtesy of its architecture. Samuel Adams Boston Brewery is another popular place in Boston. You will get to see the whole brewery process first-hand, and you can also sample some of it.

Things to do in Boston

Boston is anything but boring. It is a very busy city even if it is in the off-season. You can either hire a cab for a day to go sightseeing around the city or just walk to the popular tourist attractions. Head over to Freedom Trail that was built in 1742 if you want to go on a shopping spree or just walk around, admiring the city. The Faneuil Hall Marketplace that is located here is a popular destination for tourists. You can grab a quick bite at the restaurants in Quincy Market or shop at the multiple stores here. However, the items might be a tad overpriced. It is best to visit the place on weekdays since it gets crowded on weekends. You can also sign up for food tours in the city. North End is one of Boston's oldest neighbourhoods and one of the important places in Freedom Trail. Its rich Italian culture is what draws people to it. You will find quite a few tour packages that are tailored to your interests. You can either opt for a historical tour or a guided walking tour of the city. There are a lot of events that happen in the city constantly. You can pick one that suits your interest and attend it. Even if you are not into classical music a lot, do attend a concert at Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Food and Restaurants in Boston

Boston's dining scene is quite eclectic, and so is its nightlife. From Italian cuisines to Thai and Ethiopian food, you will have a lot of options to treat your taste buds. Mike's Pastry and Modern Pastry on Hanover Street at North End are popular bakeries in the city. You can buy desserts from both of the bakeries since they are quite close to each other. You can head over to Toro at the South End neighbourhood for Spanish dishes like potato empanadas and mussels with chorizo and chicken. The Butcher Shop is also highly recommended. O Ya is a very popular Japanese restaurant, and you must try the scarlet sea scallops and fried Kumamoto oysters here. Quincy Market in Freedom Trail is where you will find a lot of different restaurants that offer a variety of cuisines. It is highly recommended that you sign up for a food tour if you want to explore the dining scenes here. Mario's Restaurant is another popular restaurant that specialises in Italian cuisine. Saltie Girl is famous for its seafood and other American cuisines, so is The Capital Grille. Head over to Mistral for authentic French and European cuisine.

How to reach Boston (Transportation)

The Boston Logan International Airport is the nearest in the city. The flight connectivity to Boston from India is excellent. There are frequent flights to Boston from India, though the duration exceeds 20 hours. Cathay Pacific Airways, Air Canada and Lufthansa are some of the airlines that fly to Boston frequently with layovers at Hong Kong, Frankfurt, Munich and Montreal. If you book at the right time, it is easier to get cheap flight tickets to Boston. It is one of the busiest airports in the US and has a lot of facilities for the convenience of its passengers. You can stay at one of the hotels at Logan, and you'll get a shuttle that will take you to the hotel directly from your terminal. You will be given several choices of hotels that are closest to the airport. The airport also has WiFi, restaurants, cafes, shopping areas and lounges for its passengers. It is also quite easy to book a taxi to your hotel from the airport.