Fort Kochi Tourist Places: A Half-Day Walking Guide

Fort Kochi is where Kerala's long history as a trading port is easiest to see. Arab, Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch and British traders all left their mark on this small peninsula, and today its quiet streets are lined with colonial houses, old churches, spice warehouses, art cafes and galleries. Most of the Fort Kochi tourist places are close together, so the best way to see them is on foot, with a short auto-rickshaw ride to neighbouring Mattancherry. This guide gives you a half-day route, what to see at each stop and the opening days to plan around.

• Where: on a peninsula across the harbour from Ernakulam, central Kochi
• From Kochi airport: about 1 to 1½ hours by road
• Time needed: 3–4 hours for the main sights; a full day to browse and relax
• Best time of day: start early in the morning, as the synagogue closes for lunch and the afternoons are hot
• Days to avoid: Fridays (Mattancherry Palace and the synagogue are closed) and Saturdays (the synagogue is closed)

The route below starts at the waterfront in Fort Kochi and ends in Jew Town, Mattancherry, about three kilometres away.

1. Chinese Fishing Nets

The giant cantilevered fishing nets along the shore are Fort Kochi's best-known sight. Each is a wooden frame up to ten metres high, lowered into the water and raised again by a team of fishermen using heavy stone counterweights. They are thought to have been introduced by Chinese traders centuries ago. Come early in the morning to watch them working, or at sunset for photographs. Nearby stalls sell the fresh catch, and small eateries will cook it for you.

2. Vasco da Gama Square and Fort Kochi Beach

The promenade beside the nets is named after the Portuguese explorer and is a pleasant place to stroll, with snack stalls and views of the ships entering the harbour. The beach itself is better for walking than swimming.

3. St Francis Church

Built by the Portuguese in the early 1500s, St Francis Church is one of the oldest European churches in India. Vasco da Gama died in Kochi in 1524 and was first buried here, before his remains were taken back to Portugal. His original gravestone is still inside. Look up at the old hand-pulled cloth fans (punkahs) above the pews.

4. Santa Cruz Basilica

A short walk away, this striking white cathedral was rebuilt in its current form in the early 1900s on the site of an earlier Portuguese church. Inside, the ceilings and walls are covered with colourful paintings, including scenes inspired by Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper.

5. Princess Street and the Old Quarter

One of Fort Kochi's oldest streets, Princess Street is lined with Portuguese and Dutch-era houses, many now cafes, boutiques and homestays. Wander the lanes around it to see colonial bungalows, the Dutch Cemetery (usually viewed from the gate) and street art left from past editions of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale.

6. Mattancherry Palace (Dutch Palace)

Take an auto-rickshaw or drive about three kilometres to Mattancherry. The palace was built by the Portuguese in the 1500s as a gift to the Raja of Kochi and later renovated by the Dutch, which is why it is also called the Dutch Palace. It is best known for its wall murals, among the finest in Kerala, showing scenes from the Ramayana and other Hindu epics, and for displays of royal palanquins, costumes and portraits of the Kochi rajas. Closed on Fridays.

7. Paradesi Synagogue

At the end of Jew Town Road, the Paradesi Synagogue was built in 1568 and is the oldest active synagogue in the Commonwealth. Its floor is covered with hand-painted blue-and-white Chinese tiles, each slightly different, and glass chandeliers hang from the ceiling. It is usually open in the morning and again in the afternoon after a lunch break, and is closed on Fridays, Saturdays and Jewish holidays. Dress modestly; photography is not allowed inside.

8. Jew Town Spice and Antique Shops

The streets around the synagogue are lined with antique shops, handicraft stores and old spice warehouses, some still trading in pepper, ginger and cardamom. It is the best place in Kochi to shop for spices, textiles and curios.

• Watch a Kathakali show: several small theatres in Fort Kochi hold evening performances, with a chance to see the performers put on their elaborate make-up.
• Visit the Indo-Portuguese Museum: a small museum of church art and Portuguese heritage in the grounds of the Bishop's House.
• See the Kochi-Muziris Biennale: in Biennale years, India's largest contemporary art festival takes over Fort Kochi's warehouses and heritage buildings from December to March.
• Take a harbour boat ride: short cruises from Fort Kochi or Ernakulam pass the Chinese nets, the port and the islands.
• Walk Marine Drive in Ernakulam: a waterfront promenade across the harbour, best at sunset.
• Hill Palace, Tripunithura: the former royal palace of the Kochi rajas, now a large museum on the eastern side of the city. Closed on Mondays.

Fort Kochi fits neatly into the first or last day of a Kerala trip, especially if your flight leaves in the evening. Most of our itineraries include time here on the way back to the airport:

• Kerala 4 Days Itinerary: Munnar and a houseboat, with Fort Kochi on the last day
• Kerala 5 Days Itinerary: Munnar, Thekkady and Alleppey, ending in Fort Kochi
• Kerala 7 Days Itinerary: a relaxed week ending with a houseboat night and Fort Kochi

For more trip ideas, see our Kerala itinerary guide, Kerala tourist places, the best time to visit Kerala or all our Kerala tour packages.

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