Things to do in Cathedral Road & Gopalapuram

Cathedral Road runs east from the Anna Flyover on Anna Salai towards the Music Academy, and the first stretch is the greenest in central Chennai. Semmozhi Poonga, a 20-acre botanical garden opened in 2010 on the old Woodlands Drive-In site, faces Kalaignar Centenary Park, opened in October 2024 with a zipline, an aviary, a glass garden and a musical fountain. Both parks host flower shows and family events, and Semmozhi Poonga is closed on Tuesdays. Hotels and restaurants along the road hold food festivals, brunches and wedding exhibitions. Gopalapuram, the residential quarter behind, has schools and halls used for cultural programmes.