Cabs
Chennai sightseeing by cab

Places to visit in Chennai in 1 day, in order

Leave at 08:00 for the Parthasarathy temple and Kapaleeshwarar, then San Thome Basilica and Fort St. George, and lunch. In the afternoon, the Government Museum in Egmore and Marina Beach at about 15:30. It is about 31 km by cab, back by about 16:45. Not on a Friday, when the two museums are closed.

6 places31 km by cabtimed against opening hours
How long do you have?
Day 1

Temples, Fort St. George and Marina Beach

Parthasarathy temple at about 08:10 and Kapaleeshwarar at about 09:05, before the temples close at noon, then San Thome Basilica. Fort St. George and its museum from about 10:55, and lunch. The Government Museum in Egmore from about 13:45 for the Chola bronzes, then Marina Beach at about 15:30. About 31 km by cab, back by about 16:45. Not on a Friday, when the Fort Museum and the Government Museum are closed.

08:00 to 16:436 places31 km by cab
  1. 1Parthasarathy Temple
  2. 2Kapaleeshwarar Temple
  3. 3San Thome Basilica
  4. 4Fort St. George
  5. Lunch
  6. 5Government Museum, Egmore
  7. 6Marina Beach
  8. Back
  1. Leave central Chennai
  2. 1

    Parthasarathy Temple

    45 min here
    Parthasarathy Temple
    Photo: Destination8infinity, CC BY-SA 3.0

    A Vishnu temple in Triplicane, first built in the 8th century, where Krishna is worshipped as Arjuna's charioteer, with a moustache and scars from the battle. It is one of the oldest temples in Chennai, with carved halls and a big tank in front.

    Temples & churchesOpen 06:00 to 12:00 and 16:00 to 21:00 every day (some listings say it closes at 12:30). Free entry

    Tip: Dress with shoulders and knees covered. Phones must stay switched off inside, and photos are not allowed. The temple is about 1 km from Marina Beach.

  3. 2

    Kapaleeshwarar Temple

    1 h here
    Kapaleeshwarar Temple
    Photo: G V Balasubramanian, CC BY-SA 2.0

    The big Shiva temple of Mylapore, with a tall gopuram covered in painted figures and a large temple tank beside it. The temple as it stands was built in the 16th century, after the older one by the sea was lost. The streets round it are full of flower sellers, brass shops and small cafes serving filter coffee.

    Temples & churchesAbout 05:00 to 12:30 and 16:00 to 21:00 every day; times change on festival days. Free entry

    Tip: Dress with shoulders and knees covered, and leave your shoes outside. Phones must stay switched off inside, and photos are not allowed. The streets round the temple are busy, so the cab drops you a short walk away.

  4. 3

    San Thome Basilica

    30 min here
    San Thome Basilica
    Photo: w:user:PlaneMad, CC BY-SA 2.5

    A tall white neo-Gothic church by the sea, rebuilt in 1896 over what is believed to be the tomb of St Thomas the Apostle. A small museum and the tomb chapel are underneath the church. It is about 1 km from the Kapaleeshwarar temple.

    Temples & churchesAbout 06:00 to 21:00 every day, with masses through the day; the museum under the church keeps shorter hours. Free entry?

    Tip: Keep quiet during mass. The tomb chapel is reached from behind the church.

  5. 4

    Fort St. George

    1 h 30 min here
    Closed on Fridays
    Fort St. George
    Photo: Pinakpani, CC BY 4.0

    The British East India Company built this fort in 1644, and the city of Madras grew up round it. Today it holds the Tamil Nadu Assembly and offices, but the Fort Museum is open: East India Company coins, uniforms, weapons and portraits, in a 1795 building. A few minutes away inside the walls is St Mary's Church, the oldest Anglican church east of Suez (1680).

    Forts, museums & monumentsOpen 09:00 to 17:00, closed on Fridays. Museum ticket about ₹15 for Indians and ₹200 for foreigners. St Mary's Church is open about 10:00 to 17:00, for services only on Sundays

    Tip: Carry photo ID: there are security checks, and much of the fort is government offices you cannot enter. The museum and St Mary's Church are the parts to see.

  6. Lunch, about 1 h. Your driver will know a place nearby. The times after this include it.
  7. 5

    Government Museum, Egmore

    1 h 30 min here
    Closed on Fridays
    Government Museum, Egmore
    Photo: $nowPearl, CC BY 3.0

    One of the oldest museums in India, opened in 1851 in red Indo-Saracenic buildings in Egmore. The bronze gallery is the reason to come: Chola bronzes of Shiva as Nataraja, Parvati and the saints, some a thousand years old. The National Art Gallery building next door and the round museum theatre are worth a look from outside too.

    Forts, museums & monumentsOpen 10:30 to 18:30, tickets sold until 17:00. Closed on Fridays and on Pongal, Deepavali, 26 January, 15 August and 2 October. About ₹50 for Indians and ₹250 for foreigners. The bronze, archaeology, coin and National Art Gallery halls are open; several other galleries are shut for renovation

    Tip: Buy the ticket by 17:00. Start with the bronze gallery. Some galleries are closed for renovation, so ask at the counter which are open.

  8. 6

    Marina Beach

    1 h here
    Marina Beach
    Photo: This Image was created by User:PlaneMad. If you are using the image under the creative commons share alike license please credit the photo CC-by-sa PlaneMad/Wikimedia and include a link to this page. No explicit permission is needed from me, but id appreciate an email if my work has been of help to you. If you dont want to release your work under a creative commons license, please mail me at [email protected] or catch me at my Website to negotiate a custom license as per your needs., CC BY-SA 2.5

    A wide sandy beach that runs about 6 km along the city, one of the longest town beaches in the world. In the evening the whole city comes out: families on the sand, kites, horse rides, and stalls frying sundal and bajji. Kamarajar Salai along the top has statues, memorials and old buildings such as the university and Presidency College.

    BeachesOpen all day, every day. Busiest in the evening. Swimming is not allowed?

    Tip: The sea here has strong currents, and swimming is not allowed. Your cab drops you on Kamarajar Salai and waits nearby.

  9. Back at central Chennai

Drive times come from road routing without traffic. Chennai traffic is heavy, worst from about 08:00 to 11:00 and 17:00 to 21:00 on weekdays, so allow extra time in town. For Mahabalipuram and Kanchipuram, leave early: the drive out of the city is much quicker before 08:00. The streets round the big temples are crowded, so the cab drops you a short walk away. Opening hours marked ? are not yet confirmed, so check them before you go.

Book a cab for this day

Call or message a local Chennai operator with this plan. Tell them your hotel and dates, and they send a price for the car and driver.

1 × full day, 8 h / 80 kmSedan, SUV or InnovaPrice from the operator

Opening times for this plan

The hours we planned around. Check before you go on a public holiday.

PlaceOpenBest timeVisit
Parthasarathy Temple06:00 to 12:00 and 16:00 to 21:00 every day (some listings say it closes at 12:30). Free entryEarly morning, as the first stop of the day.45 min
Kapaleeshwarar TempleAbout 05:00 to 12:30 and 16:00 to 21:00 every day; times change on festival days. Free entryEarly morning, before about 10:00.1 h
San Thome BasilicaAbout 06:00 to 21:00 every day, with masses through the day; the museum under the church keeps shorter hours. Free entry?Mid-morning, after Kapaleeshwarar.30 min
Fort St. George09:00 to 17:00, closed on Fridays. Museum ticket about ₹15 for Indians and ₹200 for foreigners. St Mary's Church is open about 10:00 to 17:00, for services only on SundaysLate morning on any day but Friday.1 h 30 min
Government Museum, Egmore10:30 to 18:30, tickets sold until 17:00. Closed on Fridays and on Pongal, Deepavali, 26 January, 15 August and 2 October. About ₹50 for Indians and ₹250 for foreigners. The bronze, archaeology, coin and National Art Gallery halls are open; several other galleries are shut for renovationAfter lunch, when it is too hot to be outside.1 h 30 min
Marina BeachOpen all day, every day. Busiest in the evening. Swimming is not allowed?Late afternoon and evening, when the heat goes and the food stalls open.1 h

More or less time in Chennai?

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Chennai in 2 days

Temples, Fort St. George and Marina Beach · Mahabalipuram and the East Coast Road

See the 2-day plan →
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Chennai in 3 days

Temples, Fort St. George and Marina Beach · Mahabalipuram and the East Coast Road · Kanchipuram temples and silk

See the 3-day plan →

All 24 places in Chennai

Every sight with what to see, opening times and how long to stay.

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Questions people ask

Why the temples first?

Chennai's temples close from about 12:00 to 16:00. Seeing Parthasarathy and Kapaleeshwarar before 10:00 also beats the crowds and the heat.

What if my day is a Friday?

The Fort Museum and the Government Museum are closed. Keep the temples and San Thome in the morning, then go to Vivekananda House on the Marina (after 15:00), or Elliot's Beach and the Ashtalakshmi temple (after 16:00), and finish at Marina Beach. Or do Mahabalipuram instead, which is open every day.

Can I fit Mahabalipuram into one day in Chennai?

Not with the city sights too: Mahabalipuram is about 55 km south, up to 2 hours each way in traffic. With one day, choose either the city or Mahabalipuram. The 2-day plan does both.

Can I stay at Marina Beach for the evening?

Yes. The plan reaches the beach at about 15:30 and you are back by about 16:45; stay on and the beach gets livelier as the sun goes down. Tell your cab driver how long you want to stay.