Walking through the bright and cheerful streets of Chennai would make you fall in love with this city. Its serene natural beauty and reflective architecture never fail to amaze you! To help you relish some of these gems, we have come up with a 1 day walking tour of Chennai. And if you are a wanderer who is also a true historian, you would revel in every bit of this tour. So without further ado, let’s take you over some of the best places to cover in Chennai.
Places To Visit On A 1-Day Walking Tour of Chennai
Route: Fort St. George – Victory War Memorial – Vivekananda House – Arulmigu Sri Parthasarathy Temple – Government Museum.
Chennai Walking Tour Distance: 8.5 km.
Tour Duration: 1 hour 50 minutes.
1. Fort St.George
Let’s start your walking tour of Chennai with the first fortress of India, Fort St. George. What better way to start exploring Chennai than knowing about one of its historical monuments! Fort St. George was built by the British in 1640 to safeguard their trade interests in spice and other items. And, as this piece of land was closer to the famous Marina beach, it was an ideal location for trade.
Also known as the White House, the fort houses the popular St. Mary’s Church, Wellesley House, a 150-feet tall flagstaff, a museum, and many government offices. Admiring the many British Raj artifacts displayed here would help you gain some insight into the lifestyle of the British era. Visiting this place would be a real treat to the historian in you!
You can visit Fort St. George anytime between 9 am to 5 pm from Saturday to Thursday. The fee to enter the premises is INR 5 for Indians and INR 100 for foreigners. It’s always a good time to visit the Fort; however, since you wish to finish the tour in a day, it’s better to avoid visiting on Sundays, as it’s always crowded on Sundays.
Things to do here: Stroll through the fort, pay a visit to St. Mary’s Church, walk through the historic museum, and catch a glimpse of the bustling government offices.
How much time to spend: Around 1 to 1.5 hours.
2. Victory War Memorial
Once you start walking for about a kilometer from the fort, you can next pay a visit to the Victory War Memorial. Formerly known as Cupid’s bow, this circular rock and marble structure has the national flag towering over it. This memorial was initially built to celebrate the victory of the armed allies who represented the Madras presidency during World War I. After World War II, it was converted into a war memorial to pay homage to all the soldiers who lost their lives fighting.
At the memorial, you will find monumental inscriptions from various wars like the 1948 Kashmir aggression, the 1962 war with China, the Indo-Pak war, and the Kargil Operation. You can visit the Victory War Memorial at any time on any day, there are no fixed timings to visit, but Wednesdays are usually less busy. And, there are no entry fees to the memorial.
Things to do: Learn about the various historic wars fought and pay homage to the esteemed martyrs. Also, since the memorial marks the beginning of the Marina Beach road, you can head onto the beach later and grab a bite from a nearby restaurant if you feel like it.
How much time to spend: 30 minutes.
3. Vivekananda House
A breezy 3 km walk from the memorial along the Marina Beach Road will take you to another gem of Chennai. Your next stop is Vivekananda House or Illam (meaning house in Tamil). It is an important landmark in Chennai, where Swami Vivekananda lived for around 9 days. This was when he returned from the West in 1897.
When he stayed here he wished to set up a permanent center before he left. So one of his disciples carried out this promise for him and established a center by the name of ‘Vivekananda Cultural Centre’. You can visit this center and if you have the time and energy, you can also visit the Chennai Lighthouse which is extremely close from here.
To take a tour of this pilgrimage center, you need to pay an entrance fee of INR 20 per adult. Also, if you want to watch the 4D movie, you’ll have to pay an additional INR 20. The timings to visit are 10 am to 12:30 pm and 3 pm to 7:15 pm, on all days except Monday. Most people visit between 3 to 4 pm, so in case you want to avoid a crowd, you can pick a different time.
Things to do:
- Take a tour of the exhibition at Vivekananda House and glance through the picture gallery.
- Meditate in the peaceful room on the second floor where Swamiji stayed.
- Watch the 4D VR movie on Vivekananda to gain knowledge on his adventure in India and listen to his famous speech.
- Walk through the museum, ask questions from the list to the AR of Swami Vivekananda and get direct answers from him.
- Stroll in the park with exhibits displaying messages and teachings from Swami Vivekananda.
How much time to spend: 1 to 2 hours.
4. Arulmigu Sri Parthasarathy Temple
A 1 km walk under the shade of the trees by the pavement will ensure you reach yet another architectural wonder close to the Marina beach. This is the Parthasarathy temple from the 8th century. The intricate pyramid-shaped dome is the main feature of the temple. Dedicated to the manifestation of Lord Vishnu, the main deity presiding in the shrine is Lord Parthasarathy.
The name Parthasarathy comes from the word “Partha”, meaning Arjuna, and “Sarathy”, meaning charioteer. This is based on the legend of the Mahabharata, where Lord Krishna was the charioteer to Arjuna in the Kurukshetra war. Also, he didn’t carry any weapons but a conch to declare war. So, you’ll find the deity appearing with a mustache, a conch, and no weapons. If you visit this temple on Vaikunta Ekadashi (an auspicious day for Hindus), you will witness hundreds of devotees who come together and recite 4000 poems praising the Lord.
Visiting the Parthasarathy temple would be spiritually refreshing on your walking tour of Chennai. The timings to visit are between 5:30 am to 12 pm, and 4 pm to 9 pm. The ideal time to visit is from November to February, however, if you want to witness the floral festival you will have to plan your visit between mid of February to mid of March.
Things to do: You can take blessings from all the splendid shrines of various gods and goddesses, and walk around the temple admiring the grandeur of the sacred shine and the ancient architecture. You can also spend some time by the sacred temple tank with 5 holy wells, whose water is said to be more pious than Ganga.
How much time to spend: 1 to 2 hours.
5. Government Museum
After you’ve sought blessings from Lord Parthasarathy, you can walk a distance of about 3 km and arrive at the Chennai Government Museum. Being the second oldest museum in India and one of the oldest museums in the world, it is the richest museum with exhibits highlighting human history and culture. Studded with artifacts and sculptures from different South Indian dynasties, it also displays a variety of items from archaeology, geology, and many varied subjects. In fact, it is one of the only museums outside Europe which has the largest collection of Roman antiquities.
Established in 1851, the museum has been flourishing ever since and now has over 6 different buildings for various categories of artifacts. Delving into the unique exhibits here at the Government museum will truly please the historian in you. Post this, you can end your tour by having a sumptuous meal at a nearby restaurant.
The time to visit is from 9:30 am to 5 pm, on all days except Fridays and national holidays.
Entrance fees for Indians are INR 15 per adult. For foreigners, the entry fee is INR 250 per adult.
Things to do: Spend time exploring all 6 buildings. You can check out paintings and sculptures at the main building. Art pieces can be found at the front building while chemically preserved artifacts are at the bronze gallery.
How much time to spend: 2 to 3 hours.
Here Are A Few Tips For Your Walking Tour Of Chennai
- Make sure you carry a water bottle and some snacks to munch on during your walking tour.
- You can also take a guide to these attractions so that you can dig deep into the history of these attractions.
- Wear a cap or carry an umbrella to save yourself from the scorching sun.
- Make sure to wear comfortable shoes, so that your feet don’t get tired quickly. When you visit temples, make sure you deposit your shoes at the temple so that they don’t go missing.
- If you’re carrying a camera, make sure that you follow the rules related to photography at each of these places.
Summing Up
These are some of the best places you can cover on a 1 day walking tour of Chennai. Now that we have tickled that inquisitive side of you, put on your shoes and hit the roads of Chennai to walk the streets and see these sights.
FAQs
Which Is Best For a Day Trip?
Some of the best places to visit on your one-day trip to Chennai are Fort St. George, Victory War Memorial, Marina Beach, Vivekananda House, Chennai Lighthouse, Parthasarathy Temple, and the Chennai Government Museum.
How Many Days Are Sufficient For Chennai?
Chennai is filled with temples, beaches, museums, and many other places of interest. And, to cover all the popular attractions, you will need at least 3 to 4 days. However, the dramatic skies over the heads of the gorgeous architecture would make you want to stay back forever.
Is Yelagiri Worth Visiting?
Yelagiri might not be as famous as Ooty, but it is still one of the best hill stations in Tamil Nadu. It is a new place added to tourist maps, and hence it is only gaining popularity. But, yes, Yelagiri is worth visiting for its breathtaking views.
Which Is The Coolest Place In Tamil Nadu?
Ooty is the coolest place in Tamil Nadu. The foggy valleys and mountains are quite a mesmerizing view. Other cool places in Tamil Nadu are Kodaikanal, Coonoor, Kotagiri, Valparai, Kolli Hills, Yelagiri Hills, and Yercaud.
How Far Is Yelagiri From Chennai?
Yelagiri is 230 km from Chennai. It takes about 4 and a half hours to reach Yelagiri by road.
Is Chennai Safe?
Yes, Chennai as a city to travel to is absolutely for backpackers and solo female travelers.
What Is Famous Sweet In Chennai?
The famous sweet in Chennai is Payasam.
Which Is The Biggest Area In Chennai?
The biggest area in Chennai is Adyar, located in Southern Chennai.
