Chennai
The gateway to the south, the populous industrial capital of Tamil Nadu is where the history of British settlement in India begins, which has resulted in some splendidly monumental municipal buildings and a number of broad avenues and gardens, courtesy of the Victorians.
Still retaining much of its traditional charm, this 350-year-old city, better known under its old name, Madras, provides a fascinating insight into southern heritage. Chennai is proud of its Tamil culture and in many ways is still conservative, lacking the cosmopolitan edge of Mumbai and Delhi and certainly possessing little of the nightlife.