Chennai is the third largest commercial and industrial centre in India, and is known for its cultural heritage and temple architecture. It is also a hub for south Indian classical music and dance performances. Chennai is considered the automobile capital of India, with a major percentage of the automobile industry having a base here and a major portion of the nation's vehicles being produced here. This has led to Chennai being referred to as the Detroit of South Asia. Chennai is good tourist placed as well.

Chennai’s most popular tourist places are:

Adyar Banyan Tree, ANNA Memorial, Anna Zoological Park, Aquarium, Ashtalakshmi Temple, Birla Planetarium, Dove ton House, Elliot’s Beach, Fort Museum, Government Museum,Kalakshetra,Kapaleswara Temple, Light House, Marina Beach, National Art Gallery,Periyar Science & Technology Centre, Snake park,Velankanni Church,Kanchipuram,Kanyakumari or Cape Comorian, Mahabalipuram,Tiger's Cave,etc. these are the most beautiful places for the tourist, for the detail information about tourist places as well as the good hotel services provider in Chennai visit on Tourism Friendly Hotel in Chennai.

Chennai is also known as madras. Chennai was initially a small fishing village. When the Portuguese arrived in 1522, they built a port and named it Sao Tome, after the Christian apostle St. Thomas, who is believed to have preached there between the years 52 and 70. The region then passed into the hands of the Dutch, who established themselves near Pulicat just north of the city in 1612.