Kochi travel guide

Nearest airport

Cochin International, Nedumbassery (about 35 km)

Nearest railway station

Ernakulam Junction / Ernakulam Town

Mattancherry Palace

Closed Fridays

Paradesi Synagogue

Closed Saturdays and Friday afternoons

Fort Kochi and Mattancherry

The old quarters are best explored on foot or by bicycle. Mattancherry Palace, also called the Dutch Palace, was built by the Portuguese and presented to the Raja of Kochi around 1555; the Dutch later renovated it. It is known for its Kerala-style courtyard and wall murals from the Ramayana. It is closed on Fridays, and photography is not allowed in the mural rooms.

Nearby, the Paradesi Synagogue dates from 1568 and was built by Jews of Spanish and Portuguese descent; it is closed on Saturdays and Friday afternoons. St Francis Church, founded by the Portuguese in 1503, is one of the oldest European churches in India. Vasco da Gama, who died in the city in 1524 on his third voyage, was first buried here; his remains were later shipped back to Portugal. The Chinese fishing nets at the harbour mouth are best watched at sunset.

Museums

• Hill Palace Museum, Tripunithura: built by the Kochi royal family in 1865, now Kerala's largest archaeological museum; closed Mondays.
• Kerala Folklore Museum, Thevara: masks, costumes and crafts in a building that uses traditional Kerala architecture.
• Museum of Kerala History, Edappally: history and art collections on the road to Aluva; closed Mondays.
• Indo-Portuguese Museum, Fort Kochi: church art and objects from the Portuguese era; closed Mondays.

Temples, churches and mosques

Ernakulam Shiva Temple (Ernakulathappan) sits in the city centre and holds its main festival in January or February, with elephant processions and drumming. Chottanikkara Bhagavathy Temple, about 17 km away, is known for its Makam Thozhal festival in February–March. Christian sites include the Vallarpadam Basilica, dedicated to Our Lady of Ransom,, St George's Forane Church at Edappally, and St Antony's Shrine at Kaloor, busy on Tuesdays. Kanjiramattom Mosque lies about 30 km from the city.

Day trips

• Kumbalangi village (about 20 km): an integrated fishing and tourism village with crab farming, net making and country boats.
• Athirappilly and Vazhachal falls (about 97 km): Kerala's largest waterfall, best from August to February.
• Thattekad Bird Sanctuary (about 80 km): Kerala's first bird sanctuary, near Kothamangalam.
• Guruvayur (about 110 km): the Krishna temple, where only Hindus may enter, and the Punnathur Kotta elephant camp.

How to reach and get around

Cochin International Airport at Nedumbassery is about 35 km from the city and has domestic and Gulf connections. Ernakulam Junction and Ernakulam Town are the main railway stations. KSRTC and private buses link Kochi with Chennai, Bengaluru and all of Kerala. Within the city, the Kochi Metro runs from Aluva towards Petta, and ferries connect the islands.

Places to see in Cochin

Also nearby