- Best time
- November to February
- Nearest airport
- Chennai International Airport
- Main railway stations
- Chennai Central, Chennai Egmore
- Music season
- December (Margazhi)
Places to visit
Kapaleeswarar Temple is the landmark of Mylapore, dedicated to Shiva in lingam form. It is busiest on Mondays and Fridays, and its Brahmotsavam in March is a colourful street celebration.
Marina Beach is one of the longest urban beaches in the world, and its promenade is the city's favourite place for an evening walk. The Anna Centenary Library is a nine-storey building with a very large book collection. Cholamandal Artists' Village, a commune set up by artists themselves, displays paintings and sculpture. At Guindy, the snake park houses snakes and other reptiles and runs demonstrations.
- Besant Nagar Beach
- Santhome
- Vandalur Zoo
- Bharathiyar Illam
- Valluvar Kottam
- Government Museum, Egmore
- Fort St. George
Festivals and culture
The Margazhi music and dance season runs through December, with concerts in sabhas across the city. Pongal, the harvest festival in January, spans three days, one of them devoted to cattle. Tamil Nadu Tourism also holds a yearly tourism fair at Island Grounds.
Within driving distance are the Natyanjali dance festival at Chidambaram in February and the Mamallapuram Dance Festival, while Navaratri is celebrated at home with kolu displays.
Weather
Chennai is warm all year. March to June is hot, with temperatures often near 40°C. The northeast monsoon brings most of the rain in October and November, and the cooler months from December to February are the most comfortable for sightseeing.
How to reach
Chennai International Airport has flights across India and abroad. The two main railway terminals are Chennai Central and Chennai Egmore, and national highways link the city to Bangalore, Tiruchirappalli, Puducherry and beyond. From Virudhachalam and the Cuddalore region, Chennai is an easy road trip, and we can arrange cars for city tours and airport transfers.
Places to see in Chennai
SightChennaiChennaiArignar Anna Zoological Park (Vandalur Zoo)Vandalur Zoo on Chennai's southern edge is one of India's largest zoos, with a lion safari, walk-through aviary and reptile house; closed on Tuesdays.
Tamil NaduRead guide →
SightChennaiChennaiGovernment MuseumGovernment Museum, Egmore: India's second-oldest museum, with Chola bronzes, Amaravati sculptures, Roman antiquities and the Connemara Library.
Tamil NaduRead guide →
SightChennaiChennaiKalakshetra FoundationKalakshetra in Adyar, Chennai, founded by Rukmini Devi Arundale in 1936, teaches Bharatanatyam, Carnatic music and visual arts in gurukulam style.
Tamil NaduRead guide →
SightChennaiChennaiKapaleeswarar TempleKapaleeswarar Temple in Mylapore, Chennai: its legends, history, tall gopuram, the Arupathimoovar festival, timings and how to reach.
Tamil NaduRead guide →
SightChennaiChennaiParthasarathy TempleParthasarathy Temple in Triplicane, Chennai: the Pallava-era Divya Desam where Krishna is Arjuna's charioteer, its shrines, festivals and timings.
Tamil NaduRead guide →
SightChennaiChennaiSt Mary's Church, Fort St GeorgeSt Mary's Church inside Fort St George, Chennai, consecrated in 1680: its history, famous weddings, what to see and how to visit.
Tamil NaduRead guide →
SightChennaiChennaiValluvar KottamValluvar Kottam, Chennai: a 1976 memorial to poet Thiruvalluvar, shaped like the Thiruvarur temple chariot, with all 1,330 Kural couplets carved in stone.
Tamil NaduRead guide →Also nearby
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