Hello there! Welcome to the forum!
I would suggest this
order for visiting those shopping places:
I'd start with T. Nagar simply because it's the biggest shopping district by revenue in the country. You can find apparels, jewelries and even housewares in this shopping district. But it's mostly well known for the sarees and jewelries. If you'd like, you can opt to stay the night in the numerous hotels around T. Nagar. You can find various budget and mid-range accommodations there.
By the second day, you can go to Saint Thomas Mount. So from T. Nagar to Saint Thomas Mount, the distance is only 7.9 kms. Around the St. Thomas Mount, you can find various shopping areas like department stores and supermarkets. Mount Road or Saint Thomas Mount or Anna Salai, these are all the names for the area. It is also well known for its electronics, lamps and auto parts.
From Saint Thomas Mount to Besant Nagar, the distance is about 11.6 kms. You can find various restaurants, cafes, boutiques and shops here. You can fit in the Saint Thomas Mount and Besant Nagar in just one day since they're not as big as compared to the T. Nagar area.
You can also fit in these attractions into your trip:
Attractions in T. Nagar
- Panagal Park - This park was named after Raja of Panagal, the Chief Minister of Madras Presidency. He was the one who initiated the building of the park. The park is over 8 acres and has three entry points. There's a children's play area, gallery and lotus pond inside the park.
- Sringeri Saradha Peetam Temple - This is a temple dedicated to Ganesha, Sharada and Adi Shankara. It's a very peaceful place, with a huge meditation hall. They also perform pooja and other festivals here.
- Shiva Vishnu Temple - Here, you'll find the sannadhis of both Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. Around the temple, there are various stalls selling items and foods for the devotees.
- Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam Temple - This is more of a place to reserve a ticket for the Tirupati Temple in Tirumala. However, there's a shrine here dedicated to the Sri Venkatachalapathy.
Attractions in St. Thomas Mount
- Indian Art Museum - Although this is a museum, you can also purchase some souvenirs to take home from here. You can purchase some brass items and home items here for a very reasonable price.
- St. Thomas Shrine - This is a shrine dedicated to Mother Mary. It was built on 1523 at the site where St. Thomas died. You'd have to climb 160 steps to reach the top of the mountain where the shrine is located.
Attractions in Besant Nagar
- Ashtalakshmi Temple - This is very near the Elliot's Beach. It is a temple dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi and her eight forms, the Ashtalakshmi. The temple was based upon the Sundhararaja Perumal Temple in Uthiramerur.
- Elliot's Beach - This is also known as Besant Nagar Beach or Bessie Beach. It is located at the end point of the Marina Beach. It was named after Edward Elliot, the Governor of Madras. There are many restaurants around the beach that you can enjoy as well.
- Kalakshetra Dance School - Kalakshetra is an institute dedicated to preserving the traditional dance and music of India. It was Rukmini Devi Arundale who founded this school.
There you go. I hope this helps!
If you want a general shopping experience, Saravana Stores/ Ranganathan St. will be the place to go. For sarees, clothes etc. Kumaran, RmKV, Pothys are good choices. I can't think of many shopping areas in Besant Nagar/ St.Thomas Mt, but yes, Elliot's Beach is a must visit in the evening. The Theosophical Society too, if you like nature.
