Experience the best of Madurai

Madurai is one of the oldest cities in southern India, once the capital of the Pandya kings, and its streets are laid out in squares around the Meenakshi Amman Temple. The temple's fourteen gateway towers are covered in thousands of painted figures of gods and animals, the tallest rising about 50 metres. Inside lie the Golden Lotus Tank and the Hall of a Thousand Pillars, which houses a museum of temple art.

The Thirumalai Nayak Palace, from the seventeenth century, keeps a vast courtyard ringed by tall arches and pillars. The Gandhi Memorial Museum fills an old palace and tells the story of the independence movement. The Vandiyur Mariamman Teppakulam, a huge temple tank, lies on the eastern side of the city. In the hills and plains beyond are Kodaikanal, the mansions of Chettinad and the island pilgrimage town of Rameswaram.

Jigarthanda, a cold drink of milk, almond gum and ice cream, is Madurai's own, and kari dosai, a crisp pancake topped with spiced meat, is eaten with idlis and parotta at street stalls. Strings of jasmine flowers scent the markets. The months from November to February are the mildest, and April and May are very hot.