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Founded as Madras around Fort St. George, the East India Company's first fortress in India, Chennai grew into the great city of the south and the capital of Tamil Nadu. It took its current name in 1996 and is now a major centre for car manufacturing, software and Tamil cinema, yet its traditional heart still beats to Carnatic music, Bharatanatyam dance and strong filter coffee.
Ancient temples sit within the modern city. In Mylapore the towering gopuram of Kapaleeshwarar Temple rises over its tank and market lanes, while Triplicane's Parthasarathy Temple dates back to the Pallava era. San Thome Basilica marks the traditional tomb of St Thomas the Apostle, and colonial landmarks such as the High Court and the Government Museum show off the Indo-Saracenic style.
The long sweep of Marina Beach fills with families at sunset, and the December Music Season brings hundreds of concerts across the city. South along the coast lie the rock-cut monuments of Mamallapuram, an easy day trip. Heavy rain usually arrives with the northeast monsoon, from about October to December.
Marina Beach runs for kilometres along the Bay of Bengal and is one of the longest urban beaches in the world, the place Chennai comes to unwind each evening. Stalls sell roasted corn, sundal and fried fish while kites fly overhead. Strong currents make swimming dangerous, so stay on the sand.
Elliot's Beach in Chennai's Besant Nagar is smaller, cleaner and quieter than the Marina, drawing joggers at dawn and young crowds in the evening. Cafes, ice cream parlours and street food carts line the roads behind it, near the Ashtalakshmi Temple. As elsewhere on this coast, avoid swimming.
Guindy National Park is one of the few national parks inside an Indian city, protecting scrub forest in south Chennai where blackbuck, spotted deer, jackals and many birds live. The Chennai Snake Park next door shows reptiles and runs talks. Mornings give the best chance of spotting wildlife.
The Theosophical Society in Adyar has its international headquarters on wooded grounds by the Adyar River in Chennai, a rare green refuge in the city. Paths wind past gardens and shrines of several faiths to the Adyar Banyan, a vast old tree with spreading roots. Check visiting hours first.
Kapaleeshwarar Temple in Chennai's Mylapore is a Shiva temple in classic Dravidian style, its tall gopuram covered in brightly painted gods and legends. A large temple tank beside it hosts float festivals, with flower stalls in the lanes around. Visit at dusk for the evening rituals.
Parthasarathy Temple in Chennai's old Triplicane quarter honours Vishnu as Krishna, charioteer of the Mahabharata, and has origins in the Pallava period, among the city's oldest shrines. Carved pillars and gopurams draw steady worshippers. End with a meal at a nearby vegetarian mess.
San Thome Cathedral Basilica stands on the Santhome shore in Chennai, rebuilt in neo-Gothic style in the 1890s over what tradition holds is the tomb of St Thomas the Apostle. A museum and the tomb chapel lie beneath the church. Its spire and stained glass make it a peaceful stop near Mylapore.
Ashtalakshmi Temple stands by the sea at Elliot's Beach in Chennai's Besant Nagar and honours the goddess Lakshmi in her eight forms. Shrines rise over several tiers, and worshippers climb from level to level to visit each one, catching sea breezes on the way. Evenings are busiest; dress modestly.
Fort St. George was completed by the East India Company in the 1640s as the first English fort in India, the seed of Chennai. It still houses the Tamil Nadu legislature, the Fort Museum of arms and uniforms, and St Mary's Church, among Asia's oldest Anglican churches. Carry photo ID.
Government Museum Chennai, founded in the mid-nineteenth century on a historic Egmore campus, is among the oldest museums in India. Its bronze gallery holds superb Chola statues, including Shiva as Nataraja, while other halls cover archaeology, coins and art. Allow at least two hours.
Valluvar Kottam in Chennai's Nungambakkam honours Thiruvalluvar, the ancient author of the Tirukkural, with a huge carved stone chariot modelled on temple cars. Its large hall is inscribed with the poet's couplets, a tribute to Tamil literature. It has been under renovation, so check first.
Madras High Court near the harbour in Chennai's George Town was completed in 1892 and is one of India's grandest Indo-Saracenic buildings, a mass of red domes, minarets and arches. It is a working court with restricted access, so admire the exterior from the street, including its old lighthouse.
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