Top 30 Best Places to See in Chennai You Shouldn't Miss

Published On : 04 Sep 2024

With a vibrant business and commercial hub, Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu, is multicultural and boasts a colorful past. From historic temples to contemporary towers, great local food to retail locations, there are many amazing sites Chennai visitors should not miss. These are Chennai's top thirty must-see sites and attractions: From historic temples to contemporary skyscrapers, and great local food to shopping venues, Chennai tourists should not miss many amazing sites. These are Chennai's top thirty must-see sites and attractions:

1. Popular Beach – The most sought-after tourist destination in Chennai, Marina Beach is 13 km long and on the Bay of Bengal. In this place, one may stroll or enjoy a sunset vista. Along the seaside boulevard, there are also many restaurants, food stands, and sights.

2. Temples: Built in the Dravidian architectural style, the 7th-century CE Lord Shiva temple is known as Kapaleeshwarar Temple. Especially those in black granite, the intricate carvings seen on the gopurams are worth appreciating.

3. San Thome Basilica – Built atop the graves of St. Thomas, one of Jesus Christ's apostles, a Christian basilica constructed by the Portuguese in the sixteenth century The church is Gothic in design, and particularly the stained glass windows here are very beautiful.

4. Government Museum – Located in a building constructed during British rule, it boasts of a fine art gallery of South Indian sculpture, archaeological findings, geological specimens, and zoological and anthropological displays.

5. Fort St. George – The initial British structure built around 1644 CE and the initial British fortress in India. Take a stroll through history around the Fort, which now houses the secretariat and the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly.

6. Valluvar Kottam – Constructed in 1976, this structurally different building is in memoriam of the Tamil poet-saint Thiruvalluvar. The statue is built in the form of a temple car with a 33-meter-high statue of the poet.

7. Theosophical Society - Established in 1886 to have an organization that would foster philosophy and religion. The large gardens and the banyan trees give it a peaceful feel, in the middle of the urban setup.

8. Vivekanandar Illam – A valuable house museum of the 19th century equipped with various mementos and exhibits of the life and teachings of Swami Vivekananda.

9. Guindy National Park – A dense forest in the heart of Chennai!!! Observe elegant-looking animals such as spotted deer, monkeys, and snakes, there are more than a hundred types of birds here.

10. Dakshinachitra is not simply a sanitized grammercy, it is a village brimming with living arts and crafts, tradition, and heritage, brought to life in actual settings.

11. This is Cholamandal Artists’ Village – the largest artist’s commune in India established in 1966. Watch artists at work in their studios with the art pieces located within the natural setting of gigantic palm trees and beautiful gardens.

12. Birla Planetarium - A visit to the planetarium with Modern Cosmic Vision Theatre helps you to watch awe-inspiring shows regarding stars, galaxies, and astronomy.

13. Kalakshetra Foundation - Founded in 1936 to propagate Indian cultural heritage through arts, primarily dance under the form of Bharatnatyam. Musical performances and a museum without charge are available at this place on the territory of the educational establishment.

14. Phoenix Market City – It’s one of the largest malls in India with 300 plus stores and a wide range of dining, entertainment, and leisure facilities on a total floor area exceeding 2 million sq ft.

15. Express Avenue Mall – The largest and the most luxurious of Central Chennai’s Malls, it covers one million square feet of retail space including the branded retail, hypermarket, and a sixteen multiplex.

16. Forum Vijaya Mall – Perfect for shopping, dining, and entertainment with a fully air-conditioned and classy mall located at Inner Ring Road, Vadapalani.

17. Spencer Plaza – the very first mall in Chennai still very much alive with numerous shops selling apparel cosmetics jewelry and electronics.

18. Pondy Bazaar – popular crowded street market of T.Nagar where one can enjoy shopping for apparel, accessories, handicrafts, and food items.

19. Edward Elliot’s Beach – Popular for its less crowded, clean environment and strategically located urban beach ideal for leisure, the Café serves Continental dishes.

20. It is called Mahabalipuram which is located only 55 km from Chennai and is a UNESCO World Heritage site with the rich monuments of the Pallava dynasty including the 7th-century stone temples carved on the rocks.

21. Pulicat Lake – Second biggest saltwater lagoon of India located near the border of Tamilnadu and Andhra Pradesh which is Sixty Km. Away from Chennai. A picture takes boats and some watersports where flamingoes may be sighted.

22. Covelong Beach - A less frequented sandy beach ideal for surfers because of the strong and regular waves and the presence of schools for surfing in the fishing village transformed into a resort.

23. Madras Crocodile Bank – This was founded in 1976 with a specific mission of conserving reptiles. Visit crocodiles, snakes, tortoises, etc counting Thousands of reptile zoos in India.

24. Armenian Church – constructed in 1712 and has some architectural touches from the Armenian styles. It is part of the oldest church that has a raised bell tower over the roof of the main building.

25. Marina Beach Road – A wide six-lane beachfront road that you can just drive up and down to enjoy picturesque ocean views, sculptures, gardens, the University of Madras building, and the Gandhi Statue Memorial.

26. Semmozhi Poonga – An aesthetic twenty-acre garden located in the bustling commercial city of Chennai that captures the essence of the Tamil culture with formal lawns, plants and shrubs, and granite artworks.

27. Thousand Lights Mosque – Among the oldest cultural spots of Chennai constructed in the 19th century the Thousand Lights mosque constructed by the last Nawabs is a beauty from the outside as well as inside.

28. St. Mary’s Church – There is a historical edifice of an Anglican church built in 1680 CE by Britishers and also it is the oldest of its kind in Chennai with a Neo-Gothic architectural style.

29. North Chennai harbor area with colonial architecture structures, crowded bazaars, monumental St. Mary’s church, and repulsive Hotel Raj Park.

30. Ashtalakshmi Temple – One of the old temples located in Besant Nagar that is dedicated to Ashtalakshmi, the goddess of wealth, prosperity, and fortune.

Therefore should you be in Chennai, ensure that you get to view the best parts of the city by incorporating the above attractions. From the shores of Marina and the stone carving of Mahabalipuram, you’ll be amazed at what this city offers any visitor.