British Architecture Walk, an immersive walking tour in Chennai

Great afternoon in Chennai

Great walking tour around Chennai’s British architecture highlights. Hareesh was a knowledgeable and interesting guide. We enjoyed the walking, local trains and tuktuk transport.

Insightful trip into Chennai's British past, brought alive through buildings

It felt typically British as we meandered around the old part of Chennai in the rain, but it did not dampen the guides enthusiasm! Hareesh took me on a tour of a range of British buildings in Chennai, explaining the history of the British time in the city and the changes they made. Meeting at Egmore station, he explained the different architectural influences on the building from British to Persian. We walked onto the Main station, learning about the effect on Chennai of the railways and the new modern metro system currently being installed. We then took the train for a stop, and took in the Ripon Building, which seemed so incongruous and, well, British, in a very Indian setting. It is still a government building, albeit with the odd addition of an Aircon unit. We passed the railway HQ, complete with a steam train, and finished with a walk around the University of Madras, which is an enchanting campus close to the beach. All in all a very interesting few hours, As a British I'm glad we did a few positive things in India, despite our aggressive colonial past. Hareesh speaks excellent English and is a very engaging guide who made time for a lovely cup of coffee. Communication from 5senses was good throughout.

Incredible Chennai walk experience

Great tour, lots of very interesting information. Talked love experience with train ride. Hareesh is a true sample of excellent tour guide. He demonstrated deep knowledge of history, warm personslity and highly motivated guide who truly loves history, city of Chennai, Indian culture. Highly recommended ! Thank you!

Individual experience

Had a great experience knowing facts and history. Had been to most of these places but haven't seen many monuments introduced to us. Now will look more for such details in places and trying to understand the history behind the monuments.

Good

We had a good day visiting those places. The guide let us know some valuable information that we were unaware about the places.

Nice Chennai's architectural journey

Chennai's architectural journey was a visual delight. The Egmore Railway Station stands as a fine example of Indo-Saracenic style, blending Mughal and Gothic elements. Victoria Public Hall, a majestic red-bricked building, echoes British colonial grandeur. The Ripon Building, with its white façade and classic Italian style, commands attention. MGR Railway Station, though modern, retains traditional Tamil influences. Lastly, Madras University, with its imposing Indo-Saracenic architecture, reflects the city’s rich educational heritage. Each landmark offers a unique glimpse into Chennai's architectural evolution, making the city a captivating destination for history and architecture enthusiasts.

We visited university of madras, central railway station , egmore railway station and few other places.

The explanation by the guide was amazing.We visited university of madras, central railway station , egmore railway station and few other places.

Chennai Architectural visit

The visit to the Modern Architecture Museum was highly informative and inspiring. The exhibits were well-curated, showcasing a diverse range of architectural styles and innovations from different periods and regions.

The Chennai architecture visit

It's been a great journey getting to know the history of each and every architecture. The way of explanation was crystal clear

Excellent walking tour with 5senses In Chennai

I went solo on the British architecture walking tour from 5senses. The tour was great and I enjoyed viewing, and when possible, entering multiple grand and beautiful buildings designed by the British but built by local Indian labor. My guide Hareesh was excellent. Very knowledgeable, has outstanding english and a lot of fun and interesting to walk with. I also enjoyed the short local train ride we took from one of the amazing British designed train stations and a tuktuk ride so we could see more sights which was really needed given May is the most hottest (and i mean HOT, and HUMID month of the year). I highly recommend 5senses and Hareesh my local Chennai guide and am glad I have already booked another tour with Hareesh fron 5senses for tomorrow too.

British architecture in Chennai

Had a great morning with Hareesh visiting several British colonial buildings. We also took a train ride on a local line and had a coffee in a local café which was very flavourful. Hareesh is a very personable and knowledgeable guide and is keen to share his insights on the architecture of the buildings visited. I can highly recommend this tour. Five stars!

Friendly and informative tour.

What an unexpected delight. I was looking forward to seeing some of Chennai's less visited sites but this was insightful, well delivered and gave a balanced context of British colonial influence. I think I took us off the planned agenda but Hameesh took it all in his stride and made it a truly enjoyable experience. Chennai is now a special place to me.

Great tour with Hareesh

This was the first tour I did with Hareesh and it was the perfect introduction to Chennai. He was waiting for me at the agreed time at Egmore Railway Station and gave a very useful overview of the architecture we were going to see. I enjoyed listening to Hareesh talk about the different British-built buildings as we walked around this part of Chennai. We also got to experience a ride on a local train. Hareesh is a great guide - knowledgeable, enthusiastic and personable. He also kindly gave me some suggestions for other things I could do in the city for later in the day. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend taking a tour with Hareesh. Great to see a company like 5 Senses offering a different, immersive kind of tourism.

Highly recommended

We had a great experience. It was really interesting to see how styles from different cultures came together in the conceptualisation of the original Chennai. Our guide, Hareesh, took us on a train journey from Egmore Station to Chennai Central, and after exploring the area, we ended up in a typical coffee shop - a pleasant end to the afternoon.

Walking tour

Hareesh is an exceptional guide who brings the culture to life and explains things in a story telling way that is fun. His English is exceptional and the best of any guide I had in India. He knows his stuff and has a great way to Sharron. He keeps it interesting and is fun to listen to. The tour was well wirth it!!

Great tour with a wonderful guide!

Superb tour of British colonial buildings in Chennai by Hareesh who is an absolute gem: friendly, knowledgeable, impeccable English, and a joy to talk with and learn from. We went at the perfect pace and never felt rushed; he even waited for us so that we could walk through the museum at Fort St George. The tour ended with a short stop for some sugar cane juice, which we had never had before and was a real treat. Totally worth the money, and appreciated the confirmation from Five Senses the night before and the text from Hareesh in the morning to let us know that he was on his way to meet us. You will see a lot and learn a lot about the British in Chennai / Madras. Highly recommended!

Eye opening informative tour of Chennai

This was a half day tour of some famous sites in Chennai City showcasing British architecture. For someone who's lived a long while in the city it was an eye opener to see how the British fused various architecture styles including Indian to create imposing buildings. Hareesh our guide was well informed pleasant and patient

Comfortable waking tour

Very comfortable and professional guide, Mr. Srikrishnan, and helpful with other traveling info about Chennai. I will recommend.

Wonderful afternoon in Chennai

We had some spare time on arrival in Chennai and had a wonderful afternoon with Srikrishnan on the British Architecture tour. He picked us up on time, with an excellent driver in a well maintained car. Both were really accommodating and ensured we were safe and comfortable. Srikrishnan was very knowledgeable and happy to expand and explain in answer to all our questions. He provided a tour of the main buildings we had seen in photos of Chennai and even a trip on a local train between sites. It was lovely to have the photos brought to life by Srikrishnan and we wouldn't hesitate to recommend him as a guide and this tour.

Wonderful tour with a fantastic guide!

We had a wonderful evening with Hareesh! He was so knowledgeable about the history and told us many fascinating facts about the buildings we visited. He even bought us an Indian coffee on the way which was delicious! He also took us to the cricket stadium to help us buy a Chennai Super Kings shirt. We really appreciated that he went out of his way to help us! We highly recommend this tour to anyone coming to Chennai - we learnt a lot and had a lovely evening exploring the architecture of the city!

Fabulous tour of colonial Chennai

I had a fascinating tour of colonial Chennai managed by a lovely guide called Hareesh. He was the perfect host and described in detail each of the sites we visited and adapted the tour to suit my needs. We also had a short train ride and a visit to a local cafe where I sampled a cup of South Indian Filter Coffee which was delightful. We also visited the beach to see the fresh fish caught by the local fishermen. Overall highly recommended tour. Thank you Hareesh.

Indian, European and Persian architecture mixed

It was an excellent excursion. We took a train, we saw government buildings, went into an Anglican church, we saw the fort, the bridge, the beach and went to a coffee house for a good coffee with milk. While it was bloody hot, it was pleasant.

It was a good tour. 良いツアーでした。

It was a very good tour. There is a walking tour, but I took a train at only one station and took an auto. It was a very good time because I was given an explanation of things that I didn't understand personally, such as the explanation of the station building. とても良いツアーでした。ウォーキングツアーとありますが、1駅だけ列車に乗ったり、オートリキシャに乗ったりもありました。駅舎の説明など個人ではわからないことに説明があり、とても良い時間を過ごせました。

A+ Cultural Learning Experience!

Our tour was a wonderful cultural learning experience! Hareesh had great communication and was very timely with our schedule. His local knowledge was vast and we enjoyed learning about not only architectural highlights but also Indian culture as well. As primarily English speakers, we were able to understand his explanations clearly and also able to ask many questions! If you are wanting to learn about India, this is a great personal tour for you!

Good times!

Had a great experience exploring Chennai from a different perspective. Satish, our tour guide, was informative and enthusiastic about the history and buildings in Chennai. Must try experience if you are interested in history and architecture, or if you just want to see Chennai from a different perspective.

Majestic architecture in Chennai walk

I took the british architecture walk with 5 senses tours. I was picked up at my hotel at 8am by hareesh my guide for the day. He gave me so much information on how and why the british built these buildings the way they did. The tour included a walk to the Ripon building, central railway st, govt. Railway building, madras University, Fort St George, st Mary's Anglican church, and hareesh also took me to the lighthouse on marina beach. Great photography and history, the lunch was a typical south indian thali, I am anglo indian so it was good to see how the british had their influence through architecture in Chennai. Hareesh made the tour very informative and was also a really cool dude. I recommend him for a tour guide in Chennai

Chennai taxi/walking tour

Hareesh was a great guide. Knowledgeable, interesting, flexible and friendly. Chennai is a wonderful city to see. Lots of beauty and history.

A good tour

The tour was a great way for us to find the colonial buildings of Chennai quickly and easily. We enjoyed it

A perfect way to spend a morning in Chennai

Kalpana was a perfect guide and went out of her way to make the day fit around us. She seems to know everything about everything in Chennai, buildings, customs, history, mythology and even the arcane and mysterious workings of the Indian civil service. Adding in a botanical garden side trip for my wife was a lovely gesture. I would highly recommend the tour and be ready to have your expectations exceeded.

Leisurely tour of Chennai’s British architecture

We had a nice tour with Preeti. It was nice to start early (8am) while the temperature was still cool and walk around the Ripon Building. The kids really enjoyed the train station, especially climbing inside a coach. The tour of Madras University, Fort St. George and St Mary’s church was interesting too. We felt very well cared for by Preeti who took care helping us to cross busy intersections. She even took the kids in an auto rikshaw between. She also directed our driver so he knew where to meet us or park. Overall she was patient and friendly and I would decir recommend her.

An interesting tour with a friendly guide

We really enjoyed our tour with Preethi. She was very personable, and spoke very good English. We saw some interesting areas of Chennai and learned about the history of the city through the buildings that we visited.

Great walking tour!

Compact, informative tour that gives a good sense of the British rule and architecture in Chennai. Srikhrisnan is a knowledgeable and attentive guide. Recommended!

Lovely Tour Experience

We spent a lovely morning learning about the the architecture and history of Chennai with our great guide Preethi.

Excellent knowledge and commentary

Even though we conducted the tour in heavy showery rain guide was excellent. Good commentary and looked after us.

Very nice walk with Preethi and with the driver taking us around the most relevant architectural high lights of Chennai

Amazing how styles have been mixed on buildings giving them a very special character. Well explained by Preethi and very recommendable tour to get a flavour of British architecture.

Excellent tour with Preethi

An excellent tour with Preethi, who was very knowledgeable about architecture and the history behind it. Preethi contacted us before the tour to ensure we were happy with the directions for meeting, and made sure the full tour ran perfectly for us. A very enjoyable and informative experience.

Great tour, great company, great coffee

A very interesting and insightful tour. I was visiting Chennai on business and had just one morning of free time. My guide, Krishnan, arrived at my hotel 10 minutes early and greeted me with our driver. The service was first class, and the tour started at hello. Whilst I received a most insightful tour of British architecture, I also learned a lot about life in Chennai. I went on a Saturday so some government building were restricted, however where possible my guide found us a way in to take a closer look. My highlight was St George Fort and the mix of architecture and the museum. My guides knew I had limited time in Chennai and before going for a delicious coffee, we took a short detour via the beach and fish market. I highly recommend Krishnan and the British architecture tour.

British and other architecture in Chennai.

A beautiful young lady, Preethi, met me at the allotted time and introduced me to Selvam, our driver for the day. On our way I knew it was going to be a good day. Preethi, excited to impart her passion and knowledge for all things architecture, not only British but also gave me greater insight to Chennai and the past and evolving Indian culture. Although Selvam appeared to speak little English, but, considerably more than my Tamil, I could sense he was a great "right hand man" to Preethi, when he helped her to increase the information given about other buildings or monuments I enquired about as we passed by. He even stopped to acquire an umbrella after I mentioned it might rain and I didn't have one! It did rain, but not until we were well inside the MGR Chennai Central train station, which has a "Big Ben" style clock tower. The station is on a par with some of the larger train stations I have travelled through in the UK. The place was a hive of activity. Platform tickets purchased we hopped into a stationary train to have a look at the contrast between carriages. None of the opulence of the Orient Express but ingenuity everywhere. Preethi explained everything from the estimated daily footfall, the architecture and the "living arrangements" of it's locals. A busy place, inside and out, where one mode of transport meets others, the new metro, taxis, tut tuts, rickshaws as well as Shank's pony, everyone anxious to keep moving forward. A first for me, but genius, a Braille Map of Chennai Railway Station, there for those who need it. Prior to this stop, we briefly visited Egmore Railway Station, it too, an elegant building "in its day", with its pretty red and white facade. Between these lies both the Rippon Building and the Victorian Public Hall. The Rippon Building, now inhabited by the Great Chennai Corporation but still under the watchful eye of its namesake who has been immortalised as a statue out front. Beside this elegant multi columned masterpiece lies the still beautiful but rather unloved Victorian Public Hall. If only we could see what these places have seen!! It's a red bricked and beautiful example of Victorian architecture. The small gardens out front were pretty and well maintained with statues and cannons standing watchfully by. A garland of flowers, a gift from my host, who observed me photographing flowers. Preethi also says that flowers are worn by women as a natural perfume! Back to the car and within a few minutes we were transported to the Victory War Memorial, an unusual place to put a roundabout. Which came first, I'm not sure. Despite the traffic there was a tranquility to the place with its neatly kept gardens. Tree squirrels and the names of people and places, lest we forget, all watched over by a huge Indian flag. Next stop, the Napier Bridge with its chess inspired black and white paint job, (given to celebrate the 44th Chess Olympiad celebrated earlier this year, 2022). This whimsical coat belies the history it has seen. I must look for an earlier image to see which I prefer. A sight never to be forgotten. Seemingly chess was born out of the Indian game Chaturanga before 600 AD and evolved for about 1000 years into the game we know today. FYI India came 3rd. Madras College was our next stop. A beautiful shape, red, curvey, big bold arches and stunning stained glass. I'm glad it is now a place of learning for women. Onto our last stop, a Church and a museum. The museum was closed so on to St Mary's Church, which lies within the confines of Fort St Georges which architecturally is shaped like the bow of a ship! A security check and we are free to wander over to the church, which is also known as Westminster Abbey of the East. It is also the oldest remaining British building in India!!! It was built to withstand battles, fires and floods and so far it has. There is an interesting collection of photographs, autographs and ledgers filled with beautiful cursive script detailing the everyday births, marriages and deaths. It still has services and was a place for mourning when the Queen passed. My time on the tour had come to an end too.My guides appeared more disappointed than I that the museum was closed and tried to find another suitable venue to take me to but I had been on other tours around Chennai. I had a fantastic time, was attentively cared for and even had my hand decorated to add to the experience. The journey back to the hotel brought us through small narrow back streets, a welcome departure from the big crowded thoroughfares. This also allowed me time to witness the old and the new, the broken and renewed and all things inbetween. It was a great tour and I have no reservations in recommending it and the team who guided me through it all. Enjoy

Interesting history tour

Great tour giving good insight of the history of the British in Chennai as well as all India. Also good history of the buildings and architecture. Guide Mr Srikrishnan was excellent on his knowledge. Highly recommended this tour.

Fantastic experience

Srikrishnan was an excellent guide who gave a wonderful guidance and explanation. He is a wonderful guide

British architecture walk in Chennai

The British architecture walk is an excellent way of learning more about the colourful past of Chennai. We saw magnificent buildings that had intriguing stories to tell. Our guide was brilliant and he told us fascinating aspects of a slew of magnificent buildings. We not only learnt about the architecture but also about the collaboration between British and Indian architects and also the role these buildings played in the evolution of the city. I would recommend this walk to anyone who wants to know a little more about Chennai and it's historical connection.

Unforgettable heritage walk in Chennai

The British architecture walk is a phenomenal experience. Vijay was my guide and he is an awesome guide. His English and knowledge of the past if this city and its British heritage is outstanding. We talked about not just architectural styles but also the role these buildings played in shaping Chennai's destiny. The Rippon building and St Mary's church were the pick of the lot. There is so much to know more about this part of India and a walk like this is the best way to experience authentic India as Vijay says. I would highly recommend this heritage walk for anyone wanting to know a little more about Chennai or Madras as it was known earlier.

Bespoke experience

It was an enriching experience. Mr. Vijay was very punctual, prompt, helpful, and informative. Bespoke experience indeed. We will certainly be back for more with you.

A Must Do !

The British architecture walk was well worth the sunday morning. Our guide from 5 senses tours met us at Central railway station and he was an amazing guy. We enjoyed the conversation with him on the British architecture as well as how it influenced life on Chennai. We saw the central railway building, the corporation building called Rippon, an amazing monument dedicated to world war, St Mary's Church inside St Fort George and the Madras University building as well The building's were magnificent with a variety of architectural styles and we thoroughly enjoyed the walk. I would say anyone who wants to know more about Chennai must do this walk with 5 senses tours. I would highly recommend this walk to anyone who has 3 hours. Do it in the morning or evening to avoid the heat.

Excellent Walk, Go for it!

This Chennai walk is a very enjoyable one with a lot of interesting stories about the history of the buildings as well as the city of Chennai. While I have visited Chennai many times I discovered a lot of fascinating stories thanks to our lovely guide. Our guide was excellent and very knowledgeable about the British buildings and the history of the city. This is excellent way to spend 3 hours learning about the heritage of Chennai and enjoying the walk while doing so. Highly recommended

Georgetown Walk in Chennai

The British architecture is a novel way of seeing Chennai. I very much enjoyedthis walk where the guide told us the rich and evetful stories behind the architecture and the buildings themselves. The railway station was a stand-out in gothic architecture while the Rippon building had a unique style! This walk is an incredible way to learn and appreciate the city. I would definitely recommend it!

Unforgettable walk through Chennai

The British architecture walk is a fantastic way to learn about Chennai and its heritage. Our guide was on time and we visited magnificent Gothic buildings like the Central Station and several buildings like the Rippon which were designed in a mixed style of British, Islamic and Hindu styles. The Cornithian pillars in some of the buildings were magnificent. Our guide was a repository of knowledge and told us interesting stories about each building. He made us relive the last 3 centuries in a enjoyable way. It takes about 2.5 hours and I would recommend this highly.

Great sights in Chennai

We arranged a private tour with a car through 5senses which picked us up and dropped us off at our hotel. Kalpana was our guide and she met us on time. We enjoyed seeing the architecture and information about each one. The first stop does involve walking without shade and even in the morning it did get quite warm. She took us inside the train station which we also enjoyed seeing. We then went to fort st George and spent some time there seeing the museum and church. We then stopped off at the university to see the senate building (I think it’s called that) which pretty impressive to see. Finally we stopped for some refreshments and then headed to our hotel Kalpana took pictures throughout for us at each building and extremely pleasant during our tour. We look forward to receiving those photos from her. We would certainly book again through them based on this experience!

A good walk around Chennai with a wonderful guide

I had a wonderful walking tour around the colonial buildings of Chennai. My guide Vijay was a real sport. It was terribly hot and humid the morning of our tour, but he was cheerful and accommodating throughout, staying longer in places I was more interested in. The best part was that 5 Senses did not cancel the walk although the 2 other people who were supposed to join did not turn up. So I had a private/solo tour and it was absolutely lovely to go at my own pace. Vijay narrated important dates and histories behind the buildings and about the area we were in. It was fun to walk past the 'zero' point of Chennai! The walking tour was a great way to take in the scenes of city. Highly recommend it, but would suggest doing it when the weather is more pleasant.

Very interesting tour of British India

A great tour for history and architecture lovers of British India. Haresh was responsible for displaying each and every building of ancient Madras with content related to the Same thing.