Best of Chennai in 2 days: What to Do and Where to Go?

What are the things that tick your holiday boxes? Is it a great accommodation? Good food? Shopping? Or is it something devotional, cultural or adventurous? Well, you can have all these and beyond on your 2 Day trip in Chennai. Formerly known as Madras, this capital city of the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu is an enormously vibrant city where it blends cosmopolitan entertainment and leisure attractions with its own distinctive charm and characteristics. So if you’re planning for a mini getaway or a stopover at Chennai, this guide would prove helpful to spend your 48 hours in Chennai.

We’ve put together this travel program assuming that you’re armed with full two days for your Chennai exploration. So lets us get started the Places to Visit In Chennai for Two Days which gives the best part in your Plan.

DAY 1 – Itinerary

• Marina Beach
• Historical Attractions
• Temple & Museum Visits
• Kalakshetra Foundation Performance
• Shopping

Early Morning:

Start it off right by catching up with the sunrise views at Marina Beach. If you don’t know, Marina Beach is the world’s second-longest urban beach. Capture some swoon-worthy clicks, take a walk along the shore, look around for the important monuments and statues that dot the place, and mostly, don’t miss the Lighthouse from whose a top you can treat yourself with the exquisite views of the city, the Bay of Bengal and of course, the beach itself. Without any doubt, it could be the Best of Chennai in 2 days while you are in Chennai.

There is no shortage of restaurants or food stalls in the region. So before you continue your sightseeing, energize yourself for the day with a healthy South Indian breakfast (such as super fluffy idli sambar, delicious ghee dosa, crispy medhu vada, delicious Pongal, Paniyaram etc) and complement it with an aromatic cup of filter coffee which is traditionally served in a dabarah and tumbler (believe us; this piping hot drink is a must-taste in Chennai).

Must Read: List of Best Places for One Day Outing in Chennai

Mid-Morning:

Following the filling breakfast and depending on your available time set out to experience 2 Day trip in Chennai with some of the top attractions in the vicinity such as:

1. Vivekananda House

It’s one of the region’s most significant historical attractions with exhibits that shed light on the life of Swami Vivekananda.

Timing: It’s open on all days (barring Mondays) from 10:00 hrs to 12:30 and 15:00 hrs to 19:15 hrs

Address: Kamaraj Salai, Marina Beach Road, Triplicane, Chennai

Entry fee: INR 10 per adult and INR 5 per kid

2. Sri Parthasarathy Temple

Built by the Pallavas, it’s one of the city’s most revered and oldest shrines, dating back to 8^th It’s devoted to Lord Vishnu and is worth visiting for its classic and intricate temple architecture. You’ll find it in Triplicane region.

Timing: It’s open on all days from 06:00 hrs to 12:30 and 16:00 hrs to 21:00 hrs

Address: Narayana Krishnaraja Puram, Triplicane, Chennai

Entry fee: Free

3. Fort St. George

Built-in the 1640s, this is unmissable as it holds the incredible distinction of being the country’s first English fort.

Timing: It’s open on all days (except for Fridays) from 09:00 hrs to 17:00 hrs

Address: Rajaji Rd, near Legislature and Secretariat, Fort St George, Chennai

Entry fee: INR 5 for Indians & INR 100 for foreigners

4. Santhome Cathedral Basilica

This is one of the most breathtaking age-old structures in Chennai. It traces its origin back to 16^thcentury when Portuguese explorers erected it over the sacred tomb of St. Thomas.

Timing: It’s open on all days from 06:00 hrs to 21:00 hrs

Address: 38, Santhome High Rd, Dummingkuppam, Mylapore, Chennai

Entry fee: Free

5. MGR Memorial

MG Ramachandran, or more fondly called MGR, is one of the most influential personalities of both Tamil cinema and politics. And no trip to Chennai is complete without catching a glimpse of this memorial at Marina Beach.

Suggested Read: 16 Places to Visit in Chennai at Night

Afternoon:

After lunch at one of the restaurants in the region, you can 48 Hours in Chennai while away the time till evening by visiting some of the city’s museums and other main attractions by way of:

1. The Government Museum: Also known as Egmore Museum, it’s a must-visit for anyone who wants to revisit the Indian past. You’ll find here a vast selection of bronze items, collected from 9^th Equally fascinating are the Archaeological, Anthropology, and Numismatic galleries, among others. The museum also has to its credit the world’s biggest repertoire of Roman antiquities, outside of Europe.
2. Adyar Library and Research Centre: Housed inside the 19^thcentury structure and located within the Theosophical Society campus, it’s a treasure trove of knowledge with over 200,000 books plus thousands of ancient palm-leaf manuscripts brought from different parts of South Asia.
3. Regional Railway Museum: This is one of the city’s most significant museums where you’ll get a great slice of the history of railways in the country.

Evening:

Chennai is acknowledged as the Cultural Capital of South India and for all perfect reasons. The city recently got into the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for its longstanding and rich musical heritage. So why not dedicate this evening to immerse yourself in a soothing musical or dance performance. For this, you can visit the renowned *Kalakshetra Foundation. Apart from these, you can skip it or combine it with a shopping spree at T Nagar / Burma Bazaar (ideal for bargain shopping) or watch a massively popular Rajnikanth movie at a single screen movie theatre.

*Kalakshetra Foundation (Address): Kalakshetra Rd, Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai

Suggested Read: Top 16 Great Things To Do In Chennai

DAY 2 – Itinerary

• Attractions Of Mahabalipuram
• Sunset At Elliot’s Beach

Today, add some unforgettable and Best of Chennai in 2 days holiday moments with a visit to some of its interesting places nearby. And one of our top suggestions in this category is Mahabalipuram.

Morning:

Located just 50 kilometers away from Chennai, the main highlight of your Mahabalipuram trip is undoubtedly the scenic shore temple. You can start in the early morning and further choose to stop at the aptly named Crocodile Park which is conveniently located on the way to Mahabalipuram. Once you arrive here, head straight to take in the Shore Temple, nestled along the Bay of Bengal’s coast. Dating back to the 8^th century, this breathtaking rock-cut shrine is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Mahabalipuram Shore Temple (timing): 06:00 hrs to 18:00 hrs

Mid-Morning:

Soak in the irresistible beauty of its beach and then make your way to some of the region’s must-sees. Don’t miss to include this Itinerary for 2 Day trip in Chennai.

1. Light House

Be sure to take to the top of this structure for the most unequaled views over the sea as well as the ancient rock structures that abound in the region.

Timing: 09:00 hrs to 17:30 hrs

2. Maritime Heritage Museum

True to its name, the art, and artifacts on view here enlightens you about the region’s fascinating maritime history and heritage.

Timing: 09:30 hrs to 17:30 hrs

3. Seashell Museum

This one-of-its-kind museum is sure to leave you awe-struck with its repertoire of more than 40,000 seashells brought from all over the world. With shells, fossils, corals, etc, they are arranged in four sections.

Timing: 08:00 hrs to 20:00 hrs

4. Panch Ratas

Literally meaning Five Chariots, Panch Ratas is one of the greatest illustrations of monolithic rock-cut architecture in India. It’s believed to have been built in the 7^thcentury and is sure to take your breath away with its complex, attention to detail carvings.

Timing: 06:00 hrs to 18:00 hrs

Afternoon:

Walk into one of the seaside cafés or restaurants to enjoy your lunch accompanied by the most stunning views of the sea and other attractions in the surrounding. This is an amazing Itinerary for 2 Day trip in Chennai. After this, you’ll travel back to Chennai.

Evening:

Once in the city, you can head off to Elliot Beach in the Southern Chennai’s Besant Nagar. Also known as Besant Nagar Beach, it’s is one of the city’s most pristine beach attractions. Unwind in its tranquil ambiance, feel the cool breeze, absorb the ocean views, and marvel at the mind-blowing sunset views. Before you wind up Best of Chennai in 2 days for your holiday, you can further choose to visit some of the region’s main sights such as the Ashtalakshmi Temple, featuring the eight manifestations of the Goddess Lakshmi, and Karl Schmidt Memorial.

Additionally specified the most other important places in this list:

• Cholamandal Artist Village
• Covelong Beach
• Vailankanni Shrine
• Thousand Light Mosque
• Arignar Anna Zoological Park
• Semmozhi Poonga
• MGM Dizzee World
• Dakshinachitra
• Muttukadu

With its exuberant ambiance, welcoming locals, scrumptious gastronomic scene, exciting leisure choices, and the right dose of modernity and artistic ingenuity, we’re sure that this wonderful city is definite to make quite an impression on you. This is the one the Best Places to Visit In Chennai for Two Days. So go ahead and take ideas from our proposed travel program to plan your memorable Chennai break.

Author Bio: Aanchal lives in Mumbai with her husband, two cute kids, and a medium-sized dog. She writes Corporate Brochures, Proof Reading & Copy Writing, SEO articles for businesses. Her articles have appeared in a number of sites, including EzineArticles, ArticlesBase, raynatours.com.