Located on the banks of the river Vaigai, Madurai has been a major settlement for two millennia and is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. Fondly known as the Athens of the South, Madurai is a city with a glorious past. The modern city was established by the Pandya rulers and expanded during the Nayak rule. The city is rich in culture and heritage.
You will be escorted from your hotel to Meenakshi Temple in your air-conditioned vehicle to begin your heritage walk. Starting with the East Tower of the temple, you will explore many storeyed “gopurams”  ornate statue-adorned towers, that are a typical feature of the temples in the state. Built by four dynasties over six centuries, the temple was founded by the Pandyas, taken over by the Cholas and Vijayanagaras and completed during the Nayak reign. There’s much to discover inside the labyrinthine complex, including the Hall of a Thousand Pillars, which now houses a museum of sculptures, murals depicting the life of the goddess, and a monolithic statue of Lord Ganesha (one of the best-known and most worshiped deities in the Hindu pantheon). Two inner sanctums are devoted to Meenakshi (Avatar-descent of the Hindu Goddess Parvati who is worshipped mainly by South Indians) and her consort Shiva.
The interiors of the temple have scriptural paintings, and there are more than 60 inscriptions which talk about the Nayak and Pandya period. The architecture of the temple shows a blend of cultures, as there are elephants, lotuses and dragons all used as motifs on pillars and walls.
After your tour of the temple, you can take a break at the “Jigarthanda” for the city’s favorite drink, generally prepared as a refreshment during the Indian summer. The basic ingredients include milk, almond gum, Sarsaparilla(Smilax Regelii) root syrup, sugar and ice-cream. You will then go to the Thirumalai Nayakkar Palace, the 17th-century home of the king. The palace is an example of Dravidian-Islamic architecture with a curious m□lange of styles. Partly destroyed and pillaged, only a fraction of the original structure remains; but it’s still quite grand with impressive stucco work, richly-decorated archways and a dance hall that will transport you back a hundred years.
After the Palace, your tour then meanders through small streets, passing the tailor's market, vegetable market, banana market, flower market, and many other specialty shops. Later you will be escorted back to your hotel.