Looking for the best tourist places to visit in Chennai? Look no further! In this video, we’ll be taking you on a virtual tour of the top 10 must-visit tourist destinations in Chennai, the capital city of Tamil Nadu in South India.
From beautiful beaches to historical monuments, from spiritual landmarks to cultural hotspots, Chennai has it all. We’ve done the research and curated a list of the most popular and fascinating places to explore in this vibrant city.
Starting with the famous Marina Beach, the second-longest urban beach in the world, we’ll take you to the iconic Kapaleeswarar Temple, a Dravidian-style temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. We’ll also visit the ancient Fort St. George, home to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly and the oldest British-built fort in India.
Other destinations on our list include the bustling Mahabalipuram, known for its stunning rock-cut temples and ancient sculptures, and the serene Elliot’s Beach, a lesser-known gem with picturesque views and calm waters.
We’ll also take you to the magnificent Government Museum, housing some of the most precious artifacts and exhibits showcasing the rich cultural heritage of South India. And don’t miss out on the vibrant and colorful Mylapore neighborhood, where you can find some of the best street food and traditional markets in Chennai.
Whether you’re a history buff, a nature lover, or a foodie, Chennai has something for everyone. So join us on this exciting journey as we discover the top 10 best tourist places in Chennai!
Chennai, on the Bay of Bengal in eastern India, is the capital of the state of Tamil Nadu. The city is home to Fort St. George, built in 1644 and now a museum showcasing the city’s roots as a British military garrison and East India Company trading outpost, when it was called Madras. Religious sites include Kapaleeshwarar Temple, adorned with carved and painted gods, and St. Mary’s, a 17th-century Anglican church.
1. Marina Beach :
Marina Beach is a natural urban beach in the city of Chennai (Madras), India, along the Bay of Bengal. The beach runs from near Fort St. George in the north to Foreshore Estate in the south, a distance of 6.0 km (3.7 mi), making it the longest natural urban beach in the country and one of the world’s longest beach ranking with 1.
2. Kapaleeshwarar Temple :
Kapaleeshwarar Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva located in Mylapore, Chennai in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The form of Shiva’s consort Parvati worshipped at this temple is called Karpagambal is from Tamil. The temple was built around the 7th century CE in Dravidian architecture.
3. Government Museum :
The Government Museum or Madras Museum is a museum of human history and culture located in the neighbourhood of Egmore in Chennai, India. Started in 1851, it is the second oldest museum in India after the Indian Museum in Kolkata. It is particularly rich in archaeological and numismatic collections. It has the largest collection of Roman antiquities outside Europe.
4. Edward Elliot’s Beach :
Elliot’s Beach is located in Besant Nagar, Chennai, India. It forms the end-point of the Marina Beach shore, and is named after Edward Elliot, onetime chief magistrate and superintendent of police, Madras.
5. Valluvar Kottam :
Valluvar Kottam is a popular monument in Chennai, dedicated to the classical Tamil poet, philosopher, and saint, Thiruvalluvar. It is located at the intersection of the Kodambakkam High road and the Village road. The monument now stands at what was once the deepest point of a local lake.
6. Semmozhi Poonga :
Semmozhi Poonga is a botanical garden in Chennai set up by the horticulture department of the Government of Tamil Nadu. The garden was opened on 24 November 2010 by then chief Minister Dr.M. Karunanidhi and is the first botanical garden in the city.
7. The National Art Gallery :
The National Art Gallery situated in Egmore, Chennai, is one of the oldest art galleries in India. Constructed with red stones sourced from Satyavedu in Andhra Pradesh, the Gallery was built in 1906 in Indo-Sarsenic architecture and houses paintings from Thanjavur, Rajasthan, Kangra and Deccan areas, as well as sandalwood sculptures.
8. Vivekanandar Illam :
Vivekanandar Illam or Vivekananda House, earlier known as Ice House or Castle Kernan at Chennai, India is an important place for the Ramakrishna Movement in South India. It is remembered as the place where Swami Vivekananda stayed for nine days when he visited Chennai in 1897. Vivekananda House now houses a Permanent Exhibition on Indian Culture and Swamiji’s Life, maintained by the Chennai branch of the Ramakrishna Math and is a source of inspiration to thousands of people who visit it every year.
9. Guindy National Park & Chennai Snake Park :
Guindy National Park is a 2.70 km² Protected area of Tamil Nadu, located in Chennai, South India, is the 8th smallest National Park of India and one of the very few national parks situated inside a city.
The Chennai Snake Park Trust is a not-for-profit NGO constituted in 1972 by herpetologist Romulus Whitaker and is India’s first reptile park. Also known as the Guindy Snake Park, it is located next to the Children’s Park in the Guindy National Park campus.
10. St. Thomas Cathedral Basilica :
San Thome Basilica is a Roman Catholic minor basilica in Santhome, in the city of Chennai, India. It was built in the 16th century by Portuguese explorers, over the tomb of Saint Thomas, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus.
