If you are planning a 2 day Madurai itinerary, you are at the right place. We present here the best places to visit in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India for your Madurai trip as part of your Madurai local sightseeing. The Madurai itinerary includes the famous Meenakshi Amman Temple and other lesser-known off-beat places to visit in Madurai. Read on to know more about how to plan your Madurai itinerary, as well as helpful information like the best time to visit Madurai, and much more.
Table of Contents
2 Day Madurai Itinerary – List of Places To Visit In Madurai
Here is a list of the top sights in Madurai that can be customized in your Madurai itinerary based on your own preferences and the time at your disposal. The places are shown along with the distance in kilometres from the Meenakshi Amman Temple in Madurai.
17 Best Places To Visit In Madurai
- Meenakshi Amman Temple (0)
- Azhagar Kovil – 23 kms
- Thirumalai Nayakar Mahal – 23 kms
- Koodal Azhagar Temple – 1 km
- Gandhi Memorial Museum – 4 kms
- Thirupparankundram Murugan Temple – 8 kms
- Kazimar Big Mosque – 1.5 kms
- Yanaimalai – 11 kms
- Vaigai Dam, Madurai – 72 kms
- Vandiyur Mariamman Teppakulam, Madurai – 4.2 kms
- Pazhamudhircholai Murugan Temple – 25 kms
- Mary’s Cathedral, Madurai – 1.4 kms
- ISKCON Madurai – 1.6 kms
- Goripalayam Dargah, Madurai – 15 kms
- Samanar Hills, Madurai – 11 kms
- Thirumohoor Shri Kalameghaperumal Temple, Madurai – 15.5 kms
- Kutladampatti Falls – 36 kms
2 Day Madurai Itinerary – Day 1 | One Day Madurai Local Sightseeing Trip
If you have only one day at your disposal, you can choose from these places for your 1 Day Madurai Tour. It is convenient that most places are not far from the Meenakshi Amman temple.
You can also check our article about 24 hours in Madurai.
Meenakshi Amman Temple – 2 Day Madurai Itinerary
The famous Meenakshi Temple is for most people, the single most important reason for visiting Madurai. The temple is synonymous with Madurai, and the town has developed around the temple. The main deities of the temple are Meenakshi (Parvati) and Sundareshwara (Shiva).
The original temple structure was built in the 12th century. A distinctive feature of the temple is its 14 Gopurams (Towers), of which the tallest stretch to a height of 170 feet. The temple has more than 33,000 sculptures and the roof is beautifully painted. One of the features not to be missed is the 1,000 pillars hall.
Koodal Azhagar Temple – 2 Day Madurai Itinerary
Koodal Azhagar Temple is dedicated to the Hindu God, Lord Vishnu. The temple is constructed with elements of Dravidian architecture and dates back to the 8th century. The temple complex spans an area of about 2 acres.
A unique aspect of the temple is that the deity can be seen in three postures inside the sanctum sanctorum. There is an image of the deity in a standing position, one in a sitting position, and the other in a reclining position.
Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal – 2 Day Madurai Itinerary
A palace that is a unique synthesis of elements of Italian, Dravidian, and Rajputana architectural styles is the Thirumalai Nayakar Mahal. It was constructed during the 17th century by King Thirumala Nayak who was ruling Madurai at that time. The palace is very impressive with its huge pillars and has served as a backdrop for many film sequences, including Bombay, Guru, and others.
Gandhi Museum – 2 Day Madurai Itinerary
Not many people know that Mahatma Gandhi visited Madurai five times during India’s freedom struggle. He was profoundly impressed by the divine aura of the Meenakshi temple, on his second visit to the city. The Gandhi Museum is a tribute to the father of the nation and has unique relics including a blood-stained portion of the garment he wore when he was assassinated.
Thiruparankundram Murugan Temple – 2 Day Madurai Itinerary
This is a sacred temple dedicated to Murugan, also known as Subrahmanya, or Kartikeya, the son of Shiva and Parvati. The temple dates back to the 6th century and is believed to have been built by the Pandya kings. The temple is one of the six sacred abodes of Murugan in Tamil Nadu that finds mention in ancient Tamil Sangam literature.
Apart from Murugan, there are shrines to Shiva, Parvathi, Ganesha, and Vishnu. A distinctive feature of the temple is that in one of the shrines, Shiva and Vishnu can be seen facing each other, which is a rare occurrence in Hindu temple architecture.
2 Day Madurai Itinerary – Day 2
Here are the places that you can include based on your own preferences on day 2 of your 2 day Madurai itinerary.
Azhagar Kovil | Alagar Koyil – 2 Day Madurai Itinerary
This is an ancient temple that is dedicated to Vishnu who is worshipped here as Kallazhagar. The temple has idols of Sridevi, Bhudevi, as well as of Lord Vishnu in the Narasimha avatar. The Chithirai car festival is one of the noteworthy annual events in the temple.
Vandiyur Mariamman Teppakulam – 2 Day Madurai Itinerary
This is actually a temple tank located near the Vandiyur Mariamman temple dedicated to the Goddess of rain, Mariamman. The tank is believed to be the largest of its kind in South India. In the middle of the tank is located a temple to Ganesha. The tank was constructed by the king, Thirumala Nayaka, in the 17th century.
Kazimar Big Mosque – 2 Day Madurai Itinerary
The Kazimar Big Mosque or Kazimar Periya Pallivasal is a historic Madurai mosque dating back to the 13th century. It is said to be the first mosque in Madurai. The mosque was established by Kazi Syed Tajuddin who is believed to be a descendant of Prophet Muhammad. The land for the mosque was provided by the king Kulasekara Pandiyan.
Yanaimalai – 2 Day Madurai Itinerary
Yanaimalai is a hill that has the shape of a sitting elephant, and hence the name, which in Tamil means Elephant Hill. Located about 10 kilometres from Madurai, Yanaimalai has caves with Jain Bas Relief sculptures in caves. It was a sacred Jain centre in ancient times. There is also a temple dedicated to Murugan and one dedicated to the Narasimha avatar of Vishnu, at Yanaimalai.
St. Mary’s Cathedral – 2 Day Madurai Itinerary
St. Mary’s Cathedral is a 19th-century church with beautiful architecture. The facade of the church is beautiful and the church is a delectable synthesis of Roman and European architecture. Though the original church dates back to 1841, the current structure was built in the year, 1969. This church is a must-visit for those visiting Madurai.
Pazhamudhircholai Murugan Temple – 2 Day Madurai Itinerary
This is a Murugan temple that nestles amidst lush greenery. The temple lies in the midst of dense forests and according to myth Valli is believed to have lived here. This ancient temple of Murugan finds mention in various works of Tamil Literature.
Samanar Hills – 2 Day Madurai Itinerary
The Samanar Hills are the location of ancient caves that date back to the 1st century. There are Jain caves with inscriptions, paintings, and sculptures, that open a window into the ancient history of the region. 2000 years old inscriptions in Tamil have been found in the caves. The place is a must-visit, especially for those interested in ancient history and anthropology.
Kutladampatti Falls – 2 Day Madurai Itinerary
Kutladampatti falls is a popular weekend picnic spot near Madurai. The Kutladampatti falls are located within a reserve forest, and the waterfall cascades down from a height of about 89 feet. The place is being developed by Tamil Nadu Tourism Department and is also a nice place for short treks.
ISKCON Temple – 2 Day Madurai Itinerary
The International Society For Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), has its centre located within a couple of kilometres from the Meenakshi Amman Temple. The temple is known as Radha Mathurapathi Temple and makes for a quiet and serene place to spend some time in.
Thirumohoor Kalamegaperumal Temple – 2 Day Madurai Itinerary
Thirumohoor Kalamegaperumal Temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and is one of the 108 Divyadesama of Vishnu. The deity here is believed to have assumed the form of Mohini to help the devas in their fight with the asuras. Vishnu is worshipped here as Kalamega Perumal and his consort Lakshmi is worshipped as Mohanavalli Thayar. The original temple is said to have been built by the Pandya rulers during the 13th century.
Goripalayam Dargah | Goripalayam Mosque – 2 Day Madurai Itinerary
Goripalayam Dargah is an ancient mosque that has the tombs of two Muslim Sultans who originated from Yemen. They are Khaja Syed Sultan Alauddin Badusha Razi and Khaja Syed Sulthan Shamsuddin. The tomb of Khaja Syed Sultan Habibuddin Razi, a Muslim saint from Yemen is also located here.
Vaigai Dam – 2 Day Madurai Itinerary
If you have time, you can also visit the Vaigai Dam, which is built on the river Vaigai. The place is a nice spot amidst nature. A lovely park has been built in the vicinity, and the place makes for a nice outing from Madurai.
Click and read our post – Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple – A Complete Guide To Madurai
How To Reach Madurai
Madurai is located in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Madurai is about 462 kilometres from Chennai and about 114 kilometres from the hill station of Kodaikanal.
Reaching Madurai By Air
Madurai is serviced by the Madurai Airport located about 11 kilometres from the Meenakshi temple.
One can fly into Madurai as it is well connected by air and the major airlines fly into and out of it
The major flights include Madurai to Bangalore flight and return, Madurai to Chennai flight and Chennai to Madurai flight
Other cities connected by air include Hyderabad, Delhi, Mumbai, Thiruchirapalli
Reaching Madurai By Air
Madurai is well connected by the rail network to different parts of India. There are many Madurai to Chennai trains available making a journey by train a comfortable way to cover the Chennai to Madurai distance
An overnight Madurai to Bangalore train is a great way to travel between the cities.
Reaching Madurai By Road
Madurai is well connected by the road network with all major cities and towns of India. One can visit Madurai on a road trip across South India.
If you are planning a visit to Madurai, you can book an inexpensive flight through TripAdvisor or CheapAir or Cleartrip or Makemytrip or Priceline right here. If you are thinking of travelling by road to Madurai then you can get there by self-drive car or cab or bus.
Where To Stay In Madurai
There are many accommodation options in Madurai to suit your preference and budget. One of the hotels that we recommend is the Regency Madurai By GRT Hotels, which is a 3-star luxury hotel.
You can book your accommodation at the Regency Madurai or any of the best hotels in Madurai from the hotels’ list including the Taj Hotel Madurai or any of the other 5 star hotels in Madurai.
You can book any hotels near Madurai temple or anywhere else right here through TripAdvisor or Cleartrip or Makemytrip or Priceline and save a lot by getting the best savings on booking your stay.
| Click and book Hotel Regency Madurai or the best hotels in Madurai |
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2 Day Madurai Itinerary – FAQ
How many days are enough for Madurai?
If you are looking for a relaxed trip to Madurai and covering all the places to visit in Madurai, we would recommend 2 or 3 days. It is only the Meenakshi Amman temple that you want to visit, one day would be enough for Madurai.
Is 1 day enough for Madurai?
If you just want to visit the Meenakshi temple, then one day is sufficient for Madurai.
How much time does it take to visit the Meenakshi temple?
You would need to plan for a minimum of 2-3 hours for the Meenakshi temple.
What is special in Madurai?
Madurai is famous for the Meenakshi Amman Temple. Madurai is known as the Athens of the East.
What is famous in Madurai for shopping?
If you are shopping in Madurai, the best things to shop for are sarees, bangles, and handicrafts.
Madurai is a place that one must visit, at least once in a time. And if you visit it once, you are sure to go back again and again. We hope our Madurai itinerary is helpful for you in planning your own Madurai trip. Do let us know if you need any further details or clarifications.
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Best time to visit Madurai? I heard a lot about Madurai and know it because of the Meenakshi temple. I am willing to explore Madurai.
Madurai is so beautiful. I heard about Meenakshi temple but here it is a lot more to visit. Winter must be the best time to visit?
Madurai has all religions holy places, everyone heart met at the place.
Temples sculptures and architecture are so breathtaking.
Since childhood, I am mystified by the idea of visiting and exploring Madurai after seeing a DD National TV show. Thanks for enlisting the places to visit in Madurai.
Temple, church , dargah all three you have covered & that’s so nice. Also that waterfall is beautiful.
The itinerary will be very helpful for travellers to explore it in 2 day time.
I didn’t know that there is so much to explore in Madurai. I only knew about Meenakshi temple but looks like this place has a lot more.
Meenakshi Mandir has been on my bucket list for many years now. Somehow I’m yet to receive a calling. However I did not have any idea there are so many other things to do here. Hope to visit Tamil Nadu soon.
To be honest, I only knew that Meenakshi temple is the main place to explore in Madurai. From your post, I have come to know about other places to visit here. What will be the best time, October or February?
I visited Madurai recently. And I visited only the main Meenakshi Temple. I didn’t realise Madurai had so many things to do. Will save this for next time.
Also, love the way you have covered a range of things to do. From temples to waterfalls, Madurai seems to have everything. Thanks for all the recommendations.
Madurai is so rich in heritage! Earlier I knew only about Meenakshi temple. But now reading this guide, I have decided to allot two whole days to Madurai on our next trip.
Madurai has a lot of tourist places which also include religious places. One day isn’t enough to explore around. Thank you for the detailed itinerary.
Thank you for sharing this with me I have to visit Madurai and this detailed post and place to Visit with distance would be really helpful
Madurai to me always meant Meenakshi Amman temple. Thanks to you, I now know that it has several other temples, mosques, church and even caves with Jain inscriptions. Good read!
Meenakshi temple is one of the most beautiful temples down south and no doubt it looks wonderful in person. The place with the beachy vibes is a wonderful place to visit with family. and your post is in such great detail about the place, very helpful
OMG! You’ve covered almost everything in Madurai. I’ve pinned your post for ready reference when I visit the beautiful city:
I am one of the travellers who would visit Madurai only for the sake of Meenakshi Temple. This temple itself has so many things to know about from religious, historical and architectural points.
Madurai is a great place and your post comes at the perfect time for me. We are planning a madurai trip and I have noted down all the places for our upcoming trip.
I have been to madurai when I was very young, the only place I remember is beautiful madurai temple. You have shared such an exhaustive list with so much of detailing that I would love to revisit this place again.
My roommate in the hostel was from Madurai and I have heard a lot about the beauty and the temples over there. I will add this place in my travel wishlist.