Guide details
Best time to visit
Late afternoon into the evening
How to get there
Metro and autos link the main areas
Highlights
Mylapore, T. Nagar, Besant Nagar and Nungambakkam
Good for
Explorers who like to wander
Price range
Free to wander
Chennai is really a collection of neighbourhoods, each with its own character. Get to know a few of them and the city starts to feel a lot smaller and a lot friendlier. Here is a quick guide to where to go and why.
Mylapore
The historic and spiritual heart of the city, built around the Kapaleeshwarar Temple. Its lanes are full of flower sellers, tiffin shops and music, and there is no better place to feel old Chennai. For more on what to see here, our guide to the best things to do in Chennai is a good start.
T. Nagar
If you want to shop, this is the place. T. Nagar is one of the busiest retail districts in the country, famous for silk sarees, gold and everything in between. Go with patience and comfortable shoes.
Besant Nagar and Adyar
Leafy, relaxed and coastal, this is where Chennai comes to unwind. Elliot’s Beach and the cafes around it make Besant Nagar a favourite for evenings, while neighbouring Adyar is green and quietly upmarket.
Nungambakkam
Chennai’s smart set gravitates here, to tree-lined streets, boutiques and some of the city’s best restaurants. It is a lovely area for a long lunch or an evening out.
George Town and the coast
For history and bustle, George Town’s old wholesale markets are a sensory overload in the best way. And for a change of pace, the East Coast Road heads south past beaches and seafood shacks towards Mahabalipuram.
Pick a neighbourhood, spend an unhurried afternoon there, and let Chennai reveal itself one street at a time.