Temples, mosques, historical buildings on one hand and the beauty of the nature with a tint of riverside splendour on the flip side of it defines the South Indian beauty of nature and human magnificence-- Tiruchirapalli. Tourism in Tiruchirapalli or Trichy has got a name because of its scattered natural beauty. Due to the immense industrial growth, the city is a thriving commercial centre in Tamil Nadu and is famous for artificial diamonds, cigars, handloom cloth, glass bangles and wooden and clay toys. Tiruchirapalli is located 320 km from away Chennai and lies on the banks of the Kaveri River; it is the fourth largest city in the state of Tamil Nadu.

Pilgrimage Tourism in Tiruchirapalli
The pilgrimage tourism in Tiruchirapalli starts with visiting the most famed Vaishnavite temple, Shirangam. This temple is said to be one of the biggest and most popular temples in India. There is also a temple which is equally famous and is considered to be one of the five main abodes of Lord Shiva, Shivite temple. But the most important construction in Trichy is the oldest man made dam named Kallanai that was built by Karaikala Chola across the river Kaveri. Apart from that, the Rock Fort and Pallavas temples are some other attractions in Tiruchirapalli. Among the other temples, there is Rock Fort Temple which is a collection of three temples - the Manikka Vinayakar temple at the foot of the hill, the Uchhi Pillayar Koyil at the top of the hill and the Taayumaanavar Koyil (Shivastalam) on the hill. A magnificent temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is built in the Gangaikonda Cholapuram which is located in Udayarpalayam Taluk of Perambalur district, at a distance of 100-km from Trichy. The history depicts that Rajendra I, a Chola ruler established Gangaikonda Cholapuram as his capital city.

Some other well known temples that are regarded as the grandeur of the city include Sri Ranganathaswami Temple, Tiruvanaikkaval or Jambukeswara Temple, The Ucchi Pillayar Koil Temple which is dedicated to Lord Vinayaka, the Mathrubutheswarar etc. There are more temples at Vayalur (8 km) and Viralimalai (30 km), a circular temple at Narthamalai (37 km) and an old church built by Constantine Beschi in Elakurichi. Moreover, as the city is the centre of various religious establishments, some churches, mosques, Jain monasteries etc are located in different places of the city. Among the few other religious buildings the name of Gangaikondam Cholapuram can be named as this is built by a Chola king after he conquered states in Gangetic plains. It has a lion head well, a dancing Ganesh and a panel with the king being crowned by Shiva and Parvati and Prasanna Venkateswara temple. There are 10th century temples at Kodumbulur (42 km) and an ancient Jain monastery with a pre historic burial ground and rock-cut caves with frescoes at Sitanavassal (58 km). Some of the most visited churches of this place are located at Elakurichi, a place famous for the ancient church built by the famous Catholic Missionary, Constantine Joseph Beschi, popularly known as "Veeramamunivar", at Avur which is famous for an old church constructed by Father John Venantius Bouchet. St. John`s Church with surrounding cemetery and one of the famous Dargahs of India is Natharvali where all the three religions Hindu, Muslim and Christian assemble to pay their homage and warm respects to Baba Natharvali during Kanduri festival.

Nature Tourism in Tiruchirapalli
The tourism in Tiruchirapalli involves enjoying the nature tours which are exclusively different from the other parts of the country. It provides a soothing effect on mind and body and the tourists feel can a celestial urge in the lap of the nature. One of the most visited places is Viralimalai Sanctuary which is famous for a large number of wild peacocks, Puliancholai waterfall in the foothills of the Kolli hills etc. Not only the magnificent creations of the ancient eras have a great impact on the mind of the tourists, but the natural scenic beauty also had a good influence on tourists. The Eastern Ghats range has a pleasant climate and many parts of the hills are heavily wooded and create a pristine beauty of nature. Even Kollam pond, is a large water-body located in Crawford that lies along the Trichy-Madurai Railway line. The pond is home to different types of bird varieties including ducks and Kingfisher.

Leisure Tourism in Tiruchirapalli
Tourism in Tiruchirapalli is incomplete without the leisure tourism in the city. To enjoy leisure tourism, the tourists visit to some places that are highly acclaimed for their technological supremacy and the marvelous concept of creativity. The most famous attractions of this place are the Grand Anicut, a 2nd century dam across the Cauvery.

Shopping in Tiruchirapalli
Tiruchirapalli is reckoned as the paradise of a shopper`s paradise. Some items are well admired in the city and are found in abundance in the city. Some famous items of this city that are of tourist`s interest include cheroots, cigars, handicrafts, brassware, jewelry and carpets. Trichy is famous for variety of fresh and colorful flowers too. Traditional handicrafts of Tamil Nadu, woodcrafts and items created by weaving display a rich tradition of the city. Baskets, mats made out of bamboo, cane, grasses, reeds and fibers make good shopping. There are some Government run emporia and private shops which are the most favored shopping destinations of the tourists. Apart from the shops, some places like Big Bazaar Road and Chinnar Bazaar are good places where shopping can be a pleasure. Colorful assortment of artifacts and bustling streets are something that will catch the fancy of the visitors.

Visiting Information on Tiruchrapalli
Tiruchrapalli has a comfortable connective transportation with the airlines, railways and roads. So in all the three ways one can reach Tiruchirapalli without much difficulty.

By Air: Tiruchrapalli has an airport about 5 kms from the city. Indian Airlines connects Trichy with Chennai, Sharjah, Kuwait and Colombo.

By Rail: Tiruchrapalli is an important junction on the Southern Railway so it connects Chennai, Thanjavur, Chidambaram, Madurai, Tirupathi, Tuticorin, Tenkasi, Quilon and Rameswaram on the metre gauge and Bangalore, Coimbatore, Mysore, Kochi, Kanyakumari and Mangalore.

By Road: Trichy is well connected by road with important places within the state and with the rest of the country. As the bus transportation along with availabilities of taxis, autos and other local vehicles, the main city of Tiruchirapalli is well connected with other cities.

Along with a swift and smooth journey to Tiruchirapalli, the city also provides luxurious, middle class and small budgeted accommodations. Decorated in contemporary fashion, the hotels of Tiruchirapalli provide excellent room service with the best services of telephone, bathroom, air conditioning and cable television. Most of the hotels of Trichy offer standard rooms, double rooms, executive rooms, deluxe villa and presidential suites for the accommodation of its guests. Besides, there are a number of lodges available. Many hotels in Trichy also have in-house restaurants, coffee shop, BBQ facilities and bar. A common feature of a majority of the Tiruchirapalli hotels is the travel desk. Tourists willing to tour in Trichy can contact the travel desk of the hotels that are known to offer guided tours to the adjoining areas.

Tourism in Tiruchirapalli is supposed to be one of the most enjoyable travels for those who want to make a visit to a place of historical importance that has the evidences of religious unity along with some of the superb arts on the temples and mosques created. In addition to that the tour allows the travellers to indulge in the natural beauty of the vicinity.