Madurai is one of south India's oldest cities and has been a centre of learning and pilgrimage for centuries. The Shree Meenakshi temple, in the heart of the old town, is a riotously baroque example of Dravidian architecture. The city is one huge non-stop bazaar, full of shops, street markets, temples and restaurants. Excursions include Rameshwaram, a major pilgrimage centre, in South India; Kodaikanal, a popular hill station in the region; Tanjore, the ancient capital of the Chola kings and famous for metal, copper and bronze craft and the Kanya Kumari temple.

Madurai is air-linked to Chennai, Mumbai, Tiruchirapalli, Bangalore and Calicut (Kozhikode).  The city is rail-linked to all major cities in India.