Guide details
Best time to visit
Year-round
How to get there
Direct flights link Chennai and London in under 11 hours
Highlights
Southall and Tooting for food, Diwali in Trafalgar Square
Good for
The Indian community and homesick Chennaiites
Price range
Varies
Chennai and London can feel worlds apart, yet the two cities are more closely linked than you might think. Generations of South Indians have made their home in the UK capital, and London today offers a genuine taste of India for anyone missing the flavours, festivals and warmth of home. If you are travelling between the two, here is what to look forward to.
The flavours of home
London does Indian food properly. Neighbourhoods like Tooting, Southall and East Ham are packed with restaurants serving everything from crisp dosas and filter coffee to rich biryanis and Chettinad spice. You can find a proper South Indian thali on a banana leaf without leaving the city, and the sweet shops and grocers make it easy to cook a taste of Chennai in your own kitchen.
Festivals and culture
The Indian calendar is alive in London. Diwali is celebrated in Trafalgar Square, temples across the city mark the major festivals, and there is a steady stream of classical music, dance and Bollywood events year round. For a homesick Chennaiite, it is a comfort to know the traditions travel so well.
London’s social scene
London is one of the world’s great cosmopolitan cities, and its nightlife and social scene reflect that. Alongside the Bollywood club nights and cultural evenings, the city has a refined, discreet companionship scene, including agencies offering elite Indian companions in London for those who value familiar culture and good conversation while they are in town. It is all part of London’s remarkably diverse social fabric.
Staying connected to home
Direct flights link Chennai and London in under eleven hours, which makes staying in touch with family and tradition easier than ever. Whether you are visiting, studying or settling in, you will find pieces of Chennai scattered right across the capital. And when you are back home, our guides to the best of Chennai will be waiting.
Two cities, one shared culture. However far Chennai feels, a little bit of it is always close by in London.