8 Things to do in Madurai in a day

Madurai is a culturally, historically and traditionally important town of South India. It is also famous as the “temple town of India” given it has many ancient temples. Particularly the Meenakshi Amman Temple. But is temple visiting the only thing to do in Madurai? Of course not. We visited Madurai on our 5 days trip exploring Rameshwaram, Chettinad and Thanjavur as well. During this trip, we spent one day in Madurai. And as always, we tried to make the best of this one day. While doing so, we learnt there is so much more to Madurai than it’s temples. So, here we bring to you our own version of the top things to do in Madurai in one day. And also, in a particular order. So, it makes easy for you to follow these things to do in Madurai without having to wonder which one to go for first and which next. (Isn’t that cool :D). So, without further delay, let’s get started.

Visit the Meenakshi Amman Temple Madurai

Needless to say, of all the temples of Madurai, the Meenakshi Amman Temple is the most famous and most beautiful.  But it is also one of the largest temples. And also attracts the largest crowd of visitors. So, we recommend visiting it either first thing in the morning or towards the evening, right after 4:00pm when it opens up. There are several different small temples of Hindu Gods and Goddess inside this temple. Overall, it easily takes around 2 hours to visit this temple thoroughly. And depending on the crowd it might be more. Also, there are certain things which are good to know before visiting the Meenakshi Temple Madurai. Like the expected dress code, the timings, fee, what you can carry inside and what you can’t etc. We have covered it all in this detailed post on Meenakshi Amman Temple, do check it out when planning a visit here.

Hop through the temples of Madurai

Of course when in the temple town of India, it absolutely makes sense to visit some of it’s most beautiful , sacred and ancient temples. The good news is that, most of the temples in Madurai open to visitors very early in the morning. Some as early as 6:00am. So, this will give you a chance to make the most of your one day time in Madurai. You can temple hop between these temples from 6:00am to 12:00pm. Because most of these temples again close in the noon from 12:00pm to 4:00pm. And later open up in the evening till 8:00pm or some even 9:00pm. But I will personally recommend you visit these temples in the morning so that the crowd is least and you feel fresh.

Some of the most sacred and beautiful temples of Madurai include Koodal Azhagar Temple, Alagar Koli, Thirupparankundram Murugan Temple, Mariamman Teppakulam, Immayilum Nanmai Temple and ISCON Madurai. While some of these are located close to each other, a few others are located a little off the main town of Madurai. However, all of them can be comfortably visited in half a day. If you are wondering, in what order or how to go about visiting these temples, we have got you covered. Refer to this post on temple hopping around Madurai for all the details you might need.

Visit the Thirumalai Nayakar Palace Madurai

The Thirumalai Nayakar Palace is one of the most beautiful palaces of South India. It was built by the Nayaka dynasty of Madurai. The palace is located right in the heart of the town, a little further to the Meenakshi Amman Temple. After temple hopping, when you return back to the main town, you can visit the Thirumalai Nayakar Palace next. You will need to find a parking spot either in the lane where the main entrance of the palace lies or in one of the adjacent lanes. For, as the day progresses, it becomes really crowded and packed with parked vehicles. Once inside, it will take you a little over half an hour to visit the palace. It is not very big, at least the area which is open to public. But it is grand in it’s decor and one of a kind for sure. Read our complete guide visiting the Thirumalai Nayakar Palace Madurai.

Try the different cuisines of Madurai

Madurai is not just famous as the temple town of India. But, it is also called the cuisine capital of South India. For, it is famous for it’s south Indian delicacies. And more than 20 varieties of Tamil Cuisines. Apart from mouth watering street food. Trying the cuisines that Madurai has to offer must be on top of your list of things to do here. But, not just one time. It is an activity that you should indulge in through the day. Ditch the regular hotel buffet breakfast. And while temple hopping, settle for a street stall with fluffy soft idlis, idiyappam, chikkumalai coffee or Kothu Parotta.

As you complete your temple hopping trip, try the famous Jigarthanda and Kari dosa for a refreshing lunch.  And there are plenty of options for non – vegetarians also (Which I heard from friends but I am not the best person to comment on :D). So, satisfy your taste bud and try something new with each meal while spending your fabulous day in Madurai. And learn for yourself why Madurai is rightly called the cuisine capital of South India.

Shopping in Madurai

After having your lunch and visiting the Thirumalai Nayakar Palace, head for some shopping in Madurai. Madurai has it’s own range of fabric, scarves, handicrafts and jewellery . Everyone can surely find something for themselves here. The silk, south cotton, bamboo handicrafts and bronze idols are particularly famous here. There are a lot of small shops lining most of the temples of Madurai that sell bronze items and hand crafted bead jewellery. And then there are some famous market complexes right in front of the Meenakshi Amman Temple which house all different kind of shops under one roof. So, in short, there is no dearth of options in case you plan to go shopping in Madurai.

Visit St Mary’s Cathedral

Amongst all the temples of Madurai lies a beautiful , ancient church – St Mary’s Cathedral. After all, every city in India has something to demonstrate the unity in diversity that India stands for, isn’t it? This Church is one of the most visited and most popular ones in Madurai. Do stop here after your shopping spree in Madurai.

Gandhi Memorial Museum

A museum dedicated to the father of the nation, the Gandhi Memorial Museum is another pride of Madurai. This museum is completely dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi. It depicts important parts of his life. And also houses many things like his spectacles, his dhoti and other items that he was wearing the day he was assassinated. The best part is that the entry to this museum is free to all.

Hike to the Jain Caves

The Jain Caves are offbeat adventure destination near Madurai. A hike through the Samanar Hills leads to the Jain caves. On the way, there is a Keelakuyilkudi village. This village is a popular stop for the tourists. As, it has beautifully painted clay and mud houses which are very unique.  Also, there is a temple in the village, Karuppasamy Temple. From near the temple, you can get very picturesque view of the surrounding colourful mud houses.

To be honest, one day will be too less a time to accommodate this hike to the jain temples. So, we highly recommend you do it the next day morning, before leaving from Madurai. Or, on your way out of the town of Madurai the next day.

Hope this post will help you make the most of your time when in Madurai. And ease off the planning part for you. When we did our recent trip to Madurai, we also covered Chettinad Heritage Homes, Karaikudi places to visit, places to visit in Thanjavur including the Brihadeeshwara Temple (better known as the temple which doesn’t cast any shadow!) as well as Rameshwaram & Pamban Island as a part of this trip.

 

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