Places to Visit in Chennai

There are many fascinating tourist attractions in Chennai. The city has some beautiful beach resorts and spiritual centres. Marina Beach is the pride of Chennai. Visit the historical Fort St. George and travel back into time. The Parthsarthy Temple and Kapaleeshwar Temple constructed in the 13th century are examples of Dravidians architectural skills.

Places to See in Chennai




Government Museum

Government Museum Category : History & Culture
Established in 1851, Government Museum of Chennai is popular as the Madras Museum. Factually being the second oldest museum in India (after Kolkata's Indian Museum), this museum is a treasure in itself. As a rich repository of finest masterpieces of art, archeology, anthropology, numismatics and much more, the Madras Museum assures to lure one and all.More...


Vivekananda House

Vivekananda House Category : History & Culture
Vivekananda house or Vivekananda Illam is a museum in Chennai which is looked upon as an important landmark by the followers of Swami Vivekananda. It is treated as a place of pilgrimage as this is where Swami Vivekananda stayed after returning from his visit to the West in 1897. More...


Victory War Memorial

Victory War Memorial Category : History & Culture
Chennai or Madras (as most of us call it), is considered as the gateway to south India. The iconic Marina Beach, which is counted among the longest beaches in the world, is part of this city. Victory War Memorial is one of the two war memorials located here, Madras War Cemetery being the other one. More...


Kattubava Mosque

Kattubava Mosque Category : Religious
Almost 500 years old in its construction, the Kattubava Mosque or Kattubava Pallivasal is a popular mosque in the state of Tamil Nadu. Located on the Padukkottai-Madurai Highways, it is among the notable Islamic Pilgrim Centres in India. More...


The Big Mosque

Category : Religious
The Big Mosque is located in the Janbazar area of Triplicane along Wallajah Road. It is one of the most beautiful mosques in this capital city. The mosque is located a short distance away from the Queiad-e-Milleth High Road. More...

kandaswamy Temple

Category : Religious
The Kandaswamy Temple is in Cheyyur, 29 kilometers from Madurantakam. You can reach the temple from Chennai either by bus, rail or road. The nearest railway station to Cheyyur is the Chenglepattu. Taxis are available from there. Private cabs and frequent buses can be availed from Madurantakam. More...

Kapaleeswarar Temple

Category : Religious
The Kapaleeswarar Temple is a very old and revered temple of Mylapore in Chennai. The 'gopuram' (tower) of this edifice is peculiar to all representative specimens of Dravidian architecture. Consecrated to Lord Shiva, this temple contains some beautiful sculptures, among which the bronze idols of 63 Saivite Saints (Nayanmars) decorating the outer courtyard are rare examples. More...

Covelong Beach

The enchanting Covelong Beach is located at a distance of 40 kilometers from Chennai. Covelong Beach is one of the most popular beaches in Chennai marked for its serene beauty and various other beach activities. It was built by the Nawab of Carnatic and was once the hub of the French in India. More...

Arignar Anna Zoological Park

Arignar Anna Zoological Park of Chennai was established in 1855. But it was shifted to the southern metropolitan area called Vandalur reserved forests in 1979. The Arignar Anna Zoological Park was officially opened to public in 1985. It covers 510 hectares of land and is one of the biggest in southeast Asia. More...

St. Thomas Mount

Historically speaking, the commencement of Christianity in India is credited to St. Thomas. Saint Thomas spread the 'Good Word' among the South Indians. However, some critical circumstances led him to take refuge in the fabled Little Mount. Later, while he was on his way to Little Mount, about 3 km away, he was martyred and that place is still remembered for him and aptly called St. Thomas Mount. People on a holy pilgrimage to India include the other churches along with St. Thomas Mount on their itinerary.

Ayyappan temple

The Ayyappan temple in Anna Nagar was constructed when a group of people living together decided to build a temple to worship the God they were devoted to. This temple started out as a simple and humble establishment, but later on proceeded to become something enormous which is now a well-known landmark in Chennai. It has the Panchaloka idol of Ayyappan and also of other deities such as Ganesha, Anjaneyar, Durga and Muruga. More...

St. George's Fort

This masterpiece by the British speaks volumes about the Neo-Classical construction style the British had adopted earlier. It is open on all days except on Friday. It can be visited from 9:00 a.m. in the morning to 4.30 p.m. Photography is strictly prohibited in this fort. It has managed to retain its beauty over the years, thanks to the excellent maintenance efforts by the Government. It serves as a library of information, particularly about matters related to the colonial rule in India and ancient Chennai.

Mahalingapuram Sree Ayyappa Temple

Mahalingapuram Sree Ayyappa Temple is located in the busy Nungambakkam area of Chennai. This temple is beautifully decorated with lamps and flowers on all major festive occasions.

Velankanni Church

The Annai Velankanni Church is located in Besant Nagar and remains open throughout the week. There are masses in English, Tamil and Malayalam everyday. Annual events and festivals including Christmas and Ascension Day are celebrated with great joy and feasts.

Marina Beach

Marina Beach is the longest urban beach in India and second longest in the world running along the Bay of Bengal. It offers best scenic views of sunset and sunrise and is famous for its shops and food stalls where you can relish best of delicacies.

Parthasarathy temple

The Parthasarathy Temple, also known as Arulmigu Parthasarathyswamy, is a Vaishanavite temple dedicated to Lord Krishna. The temple is most renowned as one of the 108 sacred places where Lord Vishnu is worshipped. The temple is said to be unique as it has four different incarnations or forms of Lord Vishnu, namely, Lord Krishna, Lord Rama, Lord Narasimha and Lord Varaha. More...

Vadapalani Temple

The Vadapalani temple, also called as 'Arulmigu Vadapalani Andavar Thirukoil', is a temple dedicated to Lord Muruga and is known for its powers in blessing those who pray to him. This temple was built during the 17th century and houses other gods besides the main deity, Palani Andavar, and hence, is a place where one can worship many gods under a single roof. More...

Tourist Destinations Near Chennai



Yelagiri Hills

Yelagiri Hills is one of the most frequented nearby gateways from Chennai. Yelagiri is a 3-4 hours drive from Chennai. A hill station engulfed in tranquility, Yelagiri is actually a cluster of small villages, spread around hills. Untouched by the evils of pollution and globalization, Yelagiri Hills is home to several green valleys, orchards and rose gardens set amidst the serenity of nature. Some of the famous sightseeing options in Yelagiri include Velvan Temple, Punganoor Lake, Swamimalai Hills and the Jalagamparai Waterfalls.

Tirupati


If you want to club your vacation along with a pilgrimage, then Tirupati is the ultimate destination. Tirupati is located at a distance of 152 km from Chennai and falls in Andhra Pradesh. It is regarded as one of the eight most important places of worship of Hindus.

Sadras

Another popular tourist spot near Chennai is the beautiful little city of Sadras. Situated along the Coromandel Coast, Sadras lies at a distance of 69 km from Chennai. Steeped in history, this fort city was declared a Dutch colony in the 17th century. Sadras offers a number of sightseeing options. Apart from its various forts and naval battlefields, the city boasts some of the most beautiful monuments of the bygone eras of the country.

Mahabalipuram

An ancient port city lying on the Coromandel Coast of Tamil Nadu, Mahabalipuram is located at a distance of 60 km from Chennai. This city is among the popular nearby getaways from Chennai. Having a strong historical backdrop, Mahabalipuram is home to some of the rarest historical monuments that were built during the Pallava Dynasty. Most of the temples are in the form of rock cut caves. One of the city's prime attractions is its beautiful and unspoilt beaches which offer a host of activities like fishing and boating.

Last Updated on : November 7, 2016