Cochin,
also known as Kochi is the commercial capital of south India. Located in the
beautiful state of Kerala, Cochin was built by the Portuguese and is today
the busiest port of the country and an important tourist destination of the
state. It is spread across islands and promontories. Also referred to as the
Queen of the Arabian sea, Cochin is a stunning beauty and houses some of the
most magnificient historical structures in the country. Tourists visiting
this enchanting city are surprised by that variety of options it has to
offer for an entertaining vacation.
Places of Interest in Cochin
Bolghatty Palace - The palace is situated in the
Bolghatty island and was built by the Dutch. Today, the Bolghatty Palace
serves as a hotel and is a perfect place for tourists to enjoy a picnic. The
palace also has a golf course which is an added attraction for the lovers of
golf. Tourists visiting Kochi must visit the Bolghatty Palace to view its
splendid beauty.
St. Francis Church - The Church of St. Francis is
another place that tourists must visit during their trip to the beautiful
city of Cochin.. This is the oldest church built by the Europeans not only
in the city but in the entire India. Vasco da Gama was buried in this church
after his death, however, later his remains were carried back back to his
home country- Portugal. Tourist visiting the church can see the place where
the great Portuguese trader was buried.
Jewish Synagogue - The Jewish Synagogue was built in
1568 and is extremely beautiful. It is exquisitely ornate by Chinese tiles
and Belgian chandeliers. The floor of the synagogue has hand painted willow
pattern floor tiles brought from China. Tourists can also see the Giant
scrolls of the Old Testament.
Mattancherry Palace - The Mattancherry palace is also
known as the Dutch palace, however, it was originally built by the
Portuguese. The Dutch presented the palace to the ruler of Kerala and from
then many subsequent rulers were crowned in this palace. The palace has many
mural paintings that depicts events and scenes from the Hindu epics,
Mahabharata and Ramayana. The palace is worth visiting once for its unique
beauty.
Shopping in Cochin
Cochin
is a favourite place for those tourists who love shopping. Almost anything,
whether it is traditional or modern. Some of the most sought after items of
Cochin include antiques, coir products and handicrafts which are available
in the numerous emporia of the city. Tourists carry back these items as
memory of their trip to a beautiful place.
Reaching Cochin
Air - Air India, Indian airlines, Air Maldives and Sri
Lankan flights connect Cochin to not only domestic places but also to some
foreign destinations. The foreign destination include Abu Dhabi, Dubai,
Kuwait, Muscat, Dahran, Male, Bahrain, Doha, Singapore and Colombo. As for
domestic destinations, Cochin is well connected to Mumbai, Chennai,
Banglore, Delhi, Coimbatore, Goa, Kozhikode, Tiruchirapalli,
Thiruvanantpuram and Agatti.
Rail - Three railway stations, Ernakulam Town Railway
Station, Ernakulam Junction and Harbour terminus connect Cochin to most of
the places in India.
Road - For those tourists who want to travel by road,
there are three national highways that connect the city to the rest of the
country- NH-47 that runs between Kanyakumari and Salem crosses Cochin. NH no
17 and NH no 49 connects Cochin to Mumbai and Madurai respectively. There
are also bus services available for tourists.
