23 Exceptional Places to Visit in Chennai

Having quite a few buildings to boast of their architectural brilliance, Chennai has a perfect mix if places of historical significance and religious importance. Among these culturally rich places, there are a number of temples, forts, and even beaches. It is these places that the beauty of the place like Chennai is attributed too. Falling among the list of the best places to visit in Chennai these places have been compiled below in a comprehensive manner for your convenience. Find all that you need to know about these places in the article below.

23 of the Top Notch Places to Visit in Chennai for all Locals and Tourists

1. Kapaleeshwarar Temple

A famous religious spot, the Kapaleeshwarar Temple is among the most beautiful of the temples of Chennai. Among the top places to visit in Chennai, this temple exhibits that rich cultural history of the place. The temple has a gopuram which has a height of 37metres and is an ideal example of the Dravidian style of construction. This temple is devoted to Lord Shiva.

• Where: Mylapore, Chennai

2. Marina beach

This distinguished Marina Beach of Chennai is the largest beach in the Indian subcontinent and extends the great distance from Fort St. George to Besant Nagar. Most well-known for its astounding sun rises and fringing palms, this beach is the best place for sightseeing in Chennai.

The beach also has a lighthouse which sits on its southern tip. Further, the beach also contains an aquarium, a swimming pool, and a park.

• Where: Triplicane, Chennai
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3. Fort St. George

Currently, the home the Legislative Assembly and Secretariat of Tamil Nadu, Fort St. George is among the most astounding buildings of Chennai boasting fo the British architecture. Completed in the year 1653, this fort also houses a grand church that goes by the name Saint Mary’s Church and is one of the oldest churches in India built by the British. Also having a fort museum this place finds quite a ranking in the Chennai sightseeing places.

• Where: Rajaji Salai Road, Chennai

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4. Santhome Church

Sparkling white in structure and deeply rooted in faith, the San Thome Church of Chennai is among the best places to visit in Chennai. The architecture of the building instantly drifts you back to the colonial times with its stained glass windows.

Further, the statue of St. Thomas as marks the distinguishing feature of this church. Place of worship of the Christian community, this church also houses a library a museum and the shop for the prayer materials within its premises.

• Where: Mylapore, Chennai

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5. Elliot’s Beach

Nestled in the Besant Nagar area of the city, the Elliot’s Beach has now been renamed as the Besant Nagar beach. Thought it is a little less crowded when compared to the Marina Beach but the place is not less in terms of beauty when compared to the same.  This beach too has attractions which fall on the southern side of the shore and are called the Ashta Laxmi Temple, Velanganni Church, and the Schmidt Memorial.

• Where: Besant Nagar, Chennai

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6. Covelong Beach

Among the different beaches in and around Chennai, this is one beach which is most well-known for its beach activities. Falling off the way to Mahabalipuram from Chennai, this beach offers activities like windsurfing and swimming. Other attractions close to the beach like the forts, churches and the mosques make this place fall among the best places to visit in Chennai.

• Where: Covelong, Chennai

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7. Madras High Court

Another building that is known not just for architecture but also for the magnanimous size of the building is the Madras High Court. This exceptional building falls among the largest judicial buildings of the world. Completed in the year 1892, this building is known for its Indo Saracenic architecture which comprises the painted ceilings and stained glass doors.

• Where: George Town, Chennai

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8. George Town Markets

India is best known for its little street markets and the bazaars, and the area of Chennai that prides in being the part of this race is George Town. Filled with some fascinating stalls and markets, the streets of George Town make for a vivid walk and a distinguished shopping experience. Being the first area of settlement in Madras in the 1640s, this area now is all chaotic, and noisy, but it surely does display the true character of Chennai at best.

• Where: George Town, Chennai

9. T.Nagar

Coming down to another market area of Chennai, the T. Nagar is responsible for luring in quite a number of shopaholics visiting the town. The main highlight of this place is the extensive discounts that the shops here offer on almost everything from saris to gold. Ranganathan street of the area is the main attraction and lures in the maximum number of people.

• Where: T. Nagar, Chennai

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10. Vivekananda House

Swami Vivekananda is a revered Indian saint and this building is known to have housed him in his years after the return from the west. This spectacular building is now known for its architecture and for its collection of the great saint’s memoirs.  Now maintained by Sri Ramakrishna Math, this place is all in all an exhibition of Vivekananda ‘a life and Indian culture.

• Where: Neelam Basha Dagapuram, Chennai

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11. Thousand Lights Mosque

Another architectural masterpiece falling among the religious places of Chennai is the Thousand Lights Mosque. The unique name that this place prides in has been bestowed to it owing to the 1000 oil lamps that light up the hall of the mosque. Having multiple domes and the two minarets, this mosque is a famous spot for sightseeing in Chennai.

• Where: Peters Road, Chennai

12. Sri Parthasarathy Temple

Known to be the oldest temple in the city, Sri Parthasarathy Temple is a famous tourist place in Chennai too. The historical significance of this place is remarkable, but it is the architecture of this temple that steals the heart away. Being the house of Lord Krishna, this temple is thronged by devotees through the year.

• Where: Triplicane, Chennai

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13. Nettukappam

Another one of the famous beaches of the place, Nettukappam proves to be the ideal opportunity to spend some time in tranquillity and serenity of nature and nature alone.  Falling among the most sought-after places for people looking for some solitude, this beach is a complete delight when visited with friends and family too.

Festive seasons and the weekends at the beach witness thronging of quite a populace making the place fall quite in demand. The main highlight of this place is a popular broken old bridge which serves as the best viewpoint of the beach.

• Where: Ennore, Chennai

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14. Velankanni Shrine

Sitting right off Elliot’s beach, the Velankanni Shrine is also called the Annai Vailankanni Shrine and is quite a revered monument for Christians and non-Christians alike. Being a building right on the shore, this pristine white structure overlooks the Bay of Bengal. People in search of tranquillity find this famous place in Chennai to be their haven.

• Where: Besant Nagar, Chennai

15. Connemara Public Library

A library in form has a certain charm of its own, but when the library is as beautiful as the Connemara Library in Chennai it becomes a complete treasure. Being built in the late 19^th century, this library has a varied collection of centuries-old publication and books. Falling among the largest libraries of Asia, this place is a complete heaven for book lovers.

• Where: Egmore, Chennai

16. Royapuram Fishing Harbour

Another tourist place in Chennai, the Royapuram Fishing Harbour works perfectly for the people who love fishing. Being one of the busiest fishing harbors, this place can accommodate up to 575 fishing boats.  The charm of this place is such that even during the night the place is thronged with avid fishermen. Another feather in this place’s cap is the distinguished natural setup that it provides.

• Where: Royapuram, Chennai

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17. Besant Nagar

Named after the exceptional Annie Besant, this place is one of the quaintest and the most tranquil places that you will find in the city. It is this tranquillity that has accomplished quite a non-resident tourist footfall too. Being nestled in the Bay of Bengal, this little place is all about beauty and solitude. Elliott beach which is another one of the attractions of the place is situated by this place.

• Where: Besant Nagar, Chennai

18. Cholamandal Artist Village

Being blessed with quite a few artisans Chennai has a distinct commune dedicated to such artists which form the major chunk of the artists in the city. Nestled on the outskirts of the Chennai in Injambakkam Village, the Cholamandal Artists’ Village came into being in the year 1966.

The distinguishing feature of this place is that this little hub and everything about it has been created and the artists themselves and that too without any financial assistance from outside. The place currently has a theatre, studios, gallery, and workshops.

• Where: Palavakkam, Tamil Nadu

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19. Birla Planetarium

A planetarium is always a fun place to be. But when talking of the Birla Planetarium of Chennai, the mention is a little more distinct. This place proves to be one of the famous tourist attractions of Chennai. Showcasing a number of shows, the place is a delight for young adults. The solar system, cycle of stars, sky and seasons, comets and man on the moon are the common exhibits here.

• Where: Kotturpuram, Chennai
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20. DakshinaChitra Museum

Being a part of South India, Chennai has its own distinct culture that is clearly visible in the art forms, the architecture and the basic character of the place.  But if you are looking to delve deeper into the same, the DakshinaChitra museum proves to be the perfect place to land.  This vivid museum showcases some of the treasures of the south Indian history. For one, the display of the replicas of the south Indian houses of the 19^th and the 20^th century are quite intriguing.

• Where: Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu

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21. MGR Film City

Found in the loving memory of the splendid Tamil actor and Chief Minister MG Ramachandran, the MGR film city came into being in the year 1994. Currently, the film city covers a whopping stretch of 70 acres and is one of the best places to get a sight of the Tamil actors. The film city houses a film school, indoor and outdoor shooting locations, replicas of a village, a temple, a church, a post office, a mosque, a police station, prison, courtrooms and landscaped gardens.

• Where: Taramani, Chennai

22. Mylapore

The heritage capital of this city, the place that goes by the name Mylapore is distinct for its exceptional display of culture.  The place is mostly inhabited by Brahmins but that is not the only attraction of the region, rather the distinct collection of its monuments make for the best part of the trip to this area.

23. Arignar Anna Zoological Park

One of the best places to visit in the Chennai with kids, the Arignar Anna Zoological Park is quite a delight for the nature lovers. The place has more than 1500 species of animals, and that is not even all of it. In addition, to the same, the place has an aquarium and a splendid butterfly house too. Offering a number of the activities like the lion safari and elephant safari, the place is definitely among the top contenders for tourist places in Chennai.

• Where: Vandalur, Chennai

Chennai is quite a place for tourists and the same is proven from the comprehensive list of places to visit in Chennai mentioned above. A trip to Chennai with the inclusions of the tourist attractions mentioned above has to be a trip to remember. Experience the same when you venture on a trip to the place.

If you have already been to the places mentioned above or are in knowledge of the distinguished places to visit in Chennai, do share your experiences, suggestions, and recommendations with us in the comments section below.

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