South India is really a great place to be during the vacations with family and friends. In order to get maximum satisfaction and value worth the money, it will be useful to book the package much in advance. The fact is there are many historic cities located here and this place does boast of being among the great centres of temple architecture and cultural heritage. Entire South India is said to showcase a wonderful blend of Dravidian, Dutch and Portuguese traditions and culture.
Top places to visit in South India during the trip
The itinerary should cover the following places.
- Chennai: Taking the help of a guide, the interesting spots of this city can be checked out in just under half day. Some of the interesting places here are St. George Fort, established by the British during 1640 AD, Fort Museum (showcasing old uniforms, padlocks, coins, palanquins and old prints), St. Mary’s Church and the famous Marina Beach. It is indeed a great place for history buffs and art lovers to be at.
- Mahabalipuram: This place is close to Chennai, just about 70 kilometres away. This city is named after Mammala, the popular Pallava King. Some of its historic monuments are said to date back to the 7th and 9th century AD and have been listed among the UNESCO heritage sites. Mahabalipuram is simply incomparable, when the finest Dravidian architecture is taken into account. Some of the well-known monolithic temples located here are the Pandava Rathas, Arjuna’s Penance, Shore Temple, etc.
- Kanchipuram: The next stop is Kanchipuram, popular among women for its silk sarees and temples. It is close to Mahabalipuram at just about 65 km. This city takes just about half a day to explore it fully. Some of the ancient temples here are Kamakshi Amman Temple, Ekambaranatha, Kailasanatha Temple, etc.
- Tanjore: This city is known to have flourished under Mahrattas and Nayaks kings. It is indeed a haven for those who are religious in nature. It also tends to serve for centuries as “Treasure Art House”. Although small, this beautiful and interesting city does display exquisite handicrafts that is exported the world over like pith work, art plate, Thanjavur paintings, bronze icons, classical musical instruments of the south, etc. Brihadeshwara temple is another important place to be. Art lovers will get to view numerous art examples belonging to the Dravidian culture and also come across the Chola Fresco paintings.
- Madurai: Well known for its Meenakshi Amman Temple, it boasts of having a rich legacy and cultural heritage that dates back to more than 2500 years. As a matter of fact, it is considered to be the state’s oldest city and offers the tourists with numerous attractions such as Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, etc.
From Tamil Nadu, the traveller can then move on to Kerala, where he can spend some quality time at some of the exotic cities located here like Periyar, Kumarakom, Allepey, Cochin, Trivandrum and others. South India temple tour can prove to be fruitful, if the tour package is well selected.
