Kochi (Cochin) & Fort Kochi

Kochi is Kerala's most cosmopolitan city — a trading port that has attracted Arabs, Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch, and British for over 600 years. The result is a fascinating cultural cocktail best experienced in Fort Kochi, the historic port district on a peninsula in the harbor.

The landmark of Fort Kochi is the Chinese Fishing Nets (Cheena Vala) on the shore — huge, tiltable net constructions introduced by Chinese traders in the 14th century. At sunset, when the nets are silhouetted against the orange sky, India's most iconic photos are created. Right next to them, fishermen sell their fresh catch — you buy the fish and have it prepared in one of the adjacent food stalls (from 200 ₹).

Fort Kochi's streets are an open-air museum: The St. Francis Church (1503) is the oldest European church in India — Vasco da Gama was originally buried here in 1524. The Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica (1558) impresses with pastel ceiling paintings. The Paradesi Synagogue (1568) in the Jewish quarter of Mattancherry is the oldest active synagogue in the Commonwealth — with hand-painted Chinese floor tiles, none of which are alike.

The Mattancherry Palace (Dutch Palace, 1557) — despite the name built by the Portuguese and renovated by the Dutch — houses some of Kerala's best murals: Scenes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata in vivid colors. The alleys around the palace are full of antique shops, spice stores, and small cafés.

In recent years, Fort Kochi has also developed into the art capital of South India: The Kochi-Muziris Biennale (every two years, December–March) is the largest art exhibition in Southeast Asia — international artworks in historic warehouses, churches, and open spaces throughout the district.