Culturally Rich Chennai - a Private Day Tour

Chennai is a culturally rich city located in the Tamil Nadu region of Southeast India. On this private day tour, you will visit several religious sites including the Kapaleeshwarar Temple, colorfully adorned with carved painted gods and one of the most famous landmarks of Chennai. You will also visit the 17th-century St. Mary's Anglican church, the ornate Roman-Catholic San Thome Church, and the architecturally-magnificent and expansive Ripon Building. The tour also gives you a chance to see Marina Beach, one of the longest and most beautiful beaches in India.

Highlights
• Government Museum
• Fort St George and St Mary’s Church
• San Thome Basilica
• Kapaleeshwar Temple 
• Marina Beach

You will be picked up in your private vehicle & guide from your hotel in Chennai at 08:30 AM and proceed for your private full day trip of Chennai.

Your tour starts with Mount Road, the busiest road in Chennai. Here you will have a view of the city including malls and British colonial buildings. After that, you will go to the Pantheon complex built by the British. Today, this complex houses the Government Museum, the Connemara Library and the National Art Gallery. The Museum is the second oldest museum in India and contains exhibits ranging from contemporary artifacts to prehistoric findings, sculptures and bronzes of various periods. There are also sections for zoology, anthropology and geology.

After your museum stop, visit the Egmore & Central Railway Station. Its unique architecture is a mix of Mughal, Gothic and Renaissance styles.

Another pride of Chennai city is the Ripon Building. The building was named after Lord Ripon, Governor General and Viceroy of India (1880-1884). Next, you will go to Fort St.George, another legacy of the British. It is a well known historical monument in Chennai. The fort was constructed as a semicircular structure and is comprised of two sections: St Mary’s Church and the Fort Museum. St Mary’s Church is considered the oldest surviving Anglican church built by the British. It is known as the “Westminster Abbey of the East” Further south to Marina Beach is the San Thome Cathedral Basilica. According to the legends, one of the Apostles of Jesus Christ, St.Thomas in his mission to spread Christianity in Asia, came to Chennai soon after Jesus was crucified. He lived and preached at St.Thomas Mount. This Cathedral was built on his burial site.

You will then visit Kapaleeshwar Temple. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. There are a number of intricate designs and sculptures on the Gopuram.. The legend says that the Goddess Parvathi worshipped Lord Shiva in the form of a peacock.

A stop for a buffet lunch at a local restaurant will be made (lunch at own expense). After the lunch break, you will visit Marina Beach. Chennai has over 370 miles of natural urban beach along the Bay of Bengal.

The tour ends with a stop at one of the shopping areas, either T Nagar or Mylapore. As you drive here, you will see the busy street of George Town with their evening bazaars and flower markets. Your private tour will ends with your return to your hotel in Chennai around 5:30 PM.