Important places to visit in Chennai

1. Chennai

Formerly known by the name Madras,Chennai is the Capital City of Tamil Nadu. The city has been surrounded by the South Indian Kingdoms since ages, thus it has always been the forefront of all cultural, economical, social, commercial and industrial development in the south of India. Chennai is the short form of the actual name Chennapatnam. It’s often nicknamed as the Detroit of India, due to Chennai housing the majority of India’s Automobile industries. Not only industries, the city is famous for its distinctive culture and heritage as well and you might need to take around 2-3 days to properly explore this city alone.

The city houses more than 20 heritage structures including railway stations, Museums, Book Shops, Cinema halls and many more. Chennai is also famous for its clean sandy beaches, parks, temples and cultural centers. There are various shopping attractions here and most sorts for Modern Day Activities one can name. With a big list of tourist attractions, Chennai is aptly the 3rd most visited City by tourists after Delhi and Mumbai.

2. Mahabalipuram

Also known as Mamallapuram, the city of Mahabalipuram is famous for its ancient and cultural heritage. The city of Mahabalipuram was a prominent sea port dating back to 7th century AD and was ruled by the Pallava Dynasty. The place is famous for its monuments and is classified among the UNESCO world heritage sites. Almost all of the monuments are carved out of Granite and display the brilliance of Dravidian style architecture.

The town is otherwise a small one and the best way to get around it either by foot or bike rental. The attractions in the whole town can be covered in a day or two. The city is bustling with tourists most times of the year except monsoons. The amazing location of this place adds to the charm of the monuments and the intricate carvings. The temples here are a marvel to behold and with the aid of a knowledgeable tour guide one can totally get lost in the ancient stories behind each of the monuments.

3. Kanyakumari

The southernmost tip of mainland India, Kanyakumari was formerly known by the name Cape Comorin. The ancient town of Kanyakumari was an important site during the Reign of the Chola, Chera and Pandya dynasty. The town is famous for its beautiful beaches, temples, monuments and cultural centers. The town is also famous for its distinctive culture and hospitable people.

The place due to its unique location witnesses a marvel like only a few places in the world has seen i.e. the sunrise and the sunset can be viewed at the same beach. The town lays at the confluence of three bodies of water namely the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal and is thus considered an important pilgrimage site in the south of India. The temples here are built in Dravidian style of architecture. The various south Indian delicacies served here are great and light on the stomach and include some of the south Indian classics like Sambhar, Idli and Dosa etc. a trip to this town is sure to refresh your senses.