Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu is one of the popular metros of India. It remains one of the most visited cities in India despite its hot climate. One can visit Chennai for its music, cuisine, and dance forms and to witness its unique culture completely. Tamil is the language spoken in Chennai and the people are a happy and unassuming lot. Chennai ranked first in the country’s safest metros a few years back in a survey conducted by India Today, The city is most visited by people from the USA and UK. The city was formerly called ‘Madras’ and is 369 years old. What people love about the city is that it is both traditional and modern. Let’s look at the different places you just have to visit during your stay.
Kapaleeshwar Kovil
This is a Shiva temple located in Mylapore, Chennai. Mylapore is an area in the city which is known for its cultural brilliance. It is also one of the best examples you can witness of Pallava architecture. There are about 6 poojas done on a daily basis for worshippers. The main highlight of the temple is the Gopuram which is 37 meters. You can also find inscriptions that date back to the 1250 AD.
Dakshin Chitra
It is a museum that has been built as an effort to reproduce the south Indian culture of India. It was open to the public from the year 1996. What makes this place interesting is that the owners have taken a lot of effort to showcase not only the cultures of south India but also the exact lifestyle lead by the different cultures in south India. They also have exhibitions, seminars and folk plays conducted on a regular basis to retain the Indian culture. This place was also established to bring southern Indian culture to the forefront and showcase the works of the artisans.
Marina Beach
Marina beach is one of the most visited beaches in Chennai. You find people from all walks of life in the beach. It is ideally suited for people who love walking. Since the beach is frequented by many people, it is surrounded by statues of historical importance to India. Some of the prominent statues include those of Barathidasan and Sivaji Ganesan.
Santhome church
It is one of the best Roman Catholic churches. Built in the sixteenth century in the Neo-Gothic style by the Portuguese, it remains as the most popular church in the city visited by localities and tourists. A walk through the church gives you a small understanding of how Portugal periods would have looked like. Santhome is the Tamil version of the name ‘St Thomas’ who was a representative of Jesus and the church was built to recall his good deeds. . You can also find a theatre there where the life of ‘St Thomas’ is depicted clearly.
Guindy National Park
Home to a large number of animals, the park is in a very accessible place in Chennai. The government has taken many steps to preserve the flora and fauna of this place. The place is more suitable for children as visiting this place can be a way of introducing wildlife to them. Though it is one of the smallest national parks of India, you can go there to see the different animals there i.e. snakes, deers, mongoose, monkeys, grasshoppers, scorpions and many other animals.
Vandalur Zoo
Located near Tambaram, this zoo is also popular in the city. Since it is a large zoo, you need to spend some time there to see all the animals. Established in 1985 and home to a large variety of flora and fauna, this is the favoured picnic spot for school children in the city.
Golden beach
Golden beach is just a short drive from Marina beach. The advantage of going to this place is that one can rest in the VGP resort which owns the beach. The VGP resort is an awesome resort filled with luxury to fulfill your holiday experience in Chennai.
Kanchipuram
This holy city is 75 kms from Chennai. It is worth the drive as it has a large number of religious centers and is a place where you can get the best silk saris from country. People go there also to witness the temple festivals that happen regularly.
ECR – East Coast Road
There is a lot of exciting things to do on the East Coast of Chennai. The place is filled with fun places like amusement parks, malls, beaches, cafes and tourist spots. It is also ideal for people around the city to visit during their holidays with their families as it will be a break from routine life.
Kovalam Beach
It is a beach located on the ECR (East Coast road).This is a classy place meant to be spent with your friends or family. People like this place for its soothing effect and is famous for fishing activities. You must have this in your travel agenda if you want a calm and pleasant experience, and don’t mind driving one hour from the city of Chennai.
