Bobbili is a municipal town in Vizianagaram district with a population of about fifty-seven thousand, set at roughly 100 metres above sea level in the north of coastal Andhra. It was founded in the 17th century by Pedda Rayudu and grew into a zamindari estate, and the Rajas of Bobbili are still part of the town's identity.
Its reputation rests on a single day. In 1757 the Bobbili chief refused to leave his mud fort when French general Bussy and the forces of Vizianagaram attacked, and the defenders were overwhelmed. Three days later Tandra Paparayudu raided the Vizianagaram camp at night and killed its raja. The story is still told in the town and in Telugu folklore, and it explains the memorial and the fort that visitors come to see.
The present Bobbili Fort is a later, mid-19th-century compound with palaces, a durbar hall, a museum and the Venugopala Swamy temple, built by the family after the old fort was destroyed. A short drive away at Gollapalli, hereditary artisans carve the GI-tagged Bobbili veena, each instrument from a single block of jackwood.
Bobbili is a compact stop, best treated as a half or full day with the fort, the temple and a veena workshop, then combined with Vizianagaram and the Buddhist hills at Ramatheertham. Facilities for visitors are modest, so plan meals and rooms with that in mind.
Before you plan
Bobbili at a glance
- Best months
- November to February is the most…November to February is the most comfortable, with highs around 27 to 29 degrees; May to October is hot or very wet
- Ideal trip length
- Half a day to one dayHalf a day to one day, longer if you add Vizianagaram and Ramatheertham
- Airport
- Visakhapatnam AirportVisakhapatnam Airport (VTZ), about 110 km away by road according to local guides; allow roughly three hours
- Railway station
- Bobbili JunctionBobbili Junction, in the Visakhapatnam division of East Coast Railway, with a broad-gauge line to Salur; Vizianagaram Junction (VZM) is the larger railhead
- Getting around
- The town is smallThe town is small; autos serve local trips, but a hired car is useful for Gollapalli, Vizianagaram and Ramatheertham
- Daily budget
- Roughly ₹1,200 to ₹3,000 per person…Roughly ₹1,200 to ₹3,000 per person per day, excluding the room, with a shared car and simple meals
- Senior comfort
- Good for a small town: the fort…Good for a small town: the fort grounds and temple are largely level, but visitor facilities are basic
- Language
- TeluguTelugu; English is limited outside hotels and colleges
Prices, opening hours and weather change. Recheck live details before booking.
Best time to visit Bobbili: January, February, December. Month-by-month weather →
How many days do you have?
Bobbili itinerary
One good day
1 day in Bobbili
Reach Bobbili Fort in the morning, walk the grounds and see the palaces from outside, and ask about the museum on the upper floor of the durbar building. Visit the Venugopala Swamy temple nearby, then drive to Gollapalli to see how a Bobbili veena is carved. Have lunch in town and rest in the afternoon.
Day-by-day plan →Two days
2 days in Bobbili
Spend the morning at the fort and museum, then the Venugopala Swamy temple and its lakeside mandapa. In the afternoon visit the veena artisans at Gollapalli.
Day-by-day plan →Three unhurried days
3 days in Bobbili
A slow morning at Bobbili Fort and the temple, with rest after lunch.
Day-by-day plan →
