Chennai, India

Chennai — formerly Madras, the name changed in 1996 to reflect the city's Tamil identity — is the gateway to South India, a metropolis of over eleven million people that combines ancient Dravidian temple culture, colonial-era architecture, and the creative energy of one of Asia's fastest-growing economies in a sensory experience of staggering intensity. This is the capital of Tamil Nadu, the heartland of one of the world's oldest continuously spoken languages, and a city where the classical dance form of Bharatanatyam, the carnatic music tradition, and the rituals of Hindu temple worship continue with an authenticity that northern India's more tourist-exposed cities have struggled to maintain.

The city's architectural landmarks span two millennia. The Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram — a UNESCO World Heritage site thirty minutes south of the city — dates to the eighth century and stands as one of the oldest structural stone temples in South India, its weathered granite silhouette rising from the beach against the crashing Bay of Bengal surf. In the city itself, the Kapaleeshwarar Temple in Mylapore, with its soaring gopuram (gateway tower) covered in hundreds of painted figures from Hindu mythology, provides an active, vibrant introduction to South Indian temple culture — this is not a museum but a living place of worship where devotees perform daily puja amidst the scent of jasmine and camphor.

The British colonial legacy is concentrated in the Fort St. George area, where the East India Company established its first significant settlement in 1644. The fort complex houses St. Mary's Church — the oldest Anglican church east of Suez — and the Fort Museum, which displays colonial-era artifacts including original letters from Clive of India and the corner-stone laid by the Company's agents. The Madras High Court, a magnificent Indo-Saracenic building with its red dome and elaborate facades, and the Central Railway Station, designed in a Gothic style that seems to have been imported from Victorian England wholesale, represent the architectural confidence of the Raj at its most ambitious.

Chennai's food is a revelation for anyone whose experience of Indian cuisine is limited to the tandoori-and-naan repertoire of the north. South Indian cuisine — built on rice, lentils, coconut, and the fresh curry leaves and mustard seeds that provide its distinctive flavour base — achieves its finest expression in the city's restaurants and street stalls. A masala dosa — a crisp, golden crepe of fermented rice and lentil batter filled with spiced potato, served with coconut chutney and sambar — at a traditional "meals" restaurant is one of the defining culinary experiences of India. Filter coffee, prepared with dark-roasted beans and chicory, is served in the distinctive stainless-steel tumbler-and-dabara set and consumed with reverent enthusiasm throughout the day.

Chennai's port handles cruise ships at its commercial harbour, with the city centre accessible by taxi. The city's airport is well connected to international destinations. The best visiting season is November through February, when the intense summer heat has moderated and the northeast monsoon rains are easing. The December-January Margazhi music and dance season — a six-week festival of classical performances held in sabhas (concert halls) across the city — is one of the largest celebrations of classical art in the world, drawing performers and audiences from every corner of India and beyond.