DETAILS

FULL LENGTH TOUR DESCRIPTION
A trading port since Roman times, Cochin is on the main route between Europe and China. Today's excursion gives you the chance to experience the bustle of commerce that continues to make Cochin one of the world's most lively destinations.

Departing the pier by motorcoach, enjoy the approximately 30-minute journey to the seaside town of Fort Cochin. Arriving from Portugal with six ships bearing five friars and a group of settlers, Alfonzo de Albuquerque founded the town. He also built the first European church in India, which you will also visit. Perhaps the most iconic feature of Fort Cochin is the Chinese fishing nets. Said to have been introduced between 1350 and 1450 by traders from the court of Kublai Khan, the nets are strung on wooden forms and dramatically cantilevered over the harbor. The ingenious system utilizes weights and levers, allowing fisherman to raise the nets periodically to check the catch.

Embark on a pleasant walk through town, strolling along leafy streets to a typical English village green. In one corner stands the Church of St. Francis, the first European church built in India. It is a beautifully simple structure, adorned only by handsome floor tiles lining the interior's main aisle. Another nod to architectural simplicity is the church's punkahs, or large cloth fans. Suspended above the congregation and operated manually from outside the church, the fans are a holdover from colonial times.

In striking contrast to St. Francis is the flamboyant 20th-century Santa Cruz Cathedral. Situated on the same square, the cathedral is splendidly outfitted in Indo-Romano-Rococo style.

Rejoining your motorcoach, depart Fort Cochin and travel a short distance to the Jewish settlement of Mattancherry. Here you will visit Mattancherry Palace, also known as the Dutch Palace, an oriental-style structure built by the Portuguese in 1555 AD. Inhabited neither by the Portuguese nor the Dutch over the ensuing centuries, "Dutch Palace" may seem a bit of a misnomer. But certainly the description of "remarkable" is apt, as you will discover on entering the palace's wooden interior, which is decorated with a series of murals. In the royal bedroom alone there are 45 murals depicting the great Indian epic, the Ramayana. The palace also boasts an interesting collection of Dutch maps and coronation robes belonging to the maharajas, along with royal palanquins, weapons and furniture.

A short walk next leads to the Jewish Quarter and the synagogue. The history of the Jewish community in Cochin is a fascinating one, for there are several versions of the timing of their arrival. One theory holds that the Jews first arrived around 72 BC after the sacking of the Temple in Jerusalem. A series of paintings in an anteroom tells this story. In itself very small, the Pardesi Synagogue showcases a floor of 18th-century blue and white Cantonese tiles, each individually handmade and unique. When the synagogue is closed to the public for Sabbath you have time to walk in Jew Town, a fascinating mix of antique shops, warehouses, and spice auction rooms. Spend some time independently exploring the surrounding neighborhood before returning to ship.
 
SHORT LENGTH TOUR DESCRIPTION
Experience the bustle of commerce that continues to make Cochin one of the world's most lively destinations. Driving from the port, begin exploring the seaside town of Fort Cochin with its iconic Chinese fishing nets dramatically cantilevered over the harbor. The Portuguese built the first European church in India, the beautifully simple Church of St. Francis, and the contrastingly flamboyant Santa Cruz Cathedral, both of which you’ll visit on a pleasant stroll through town. You’ll also visit the extravagant “Dutch Palace” and spend some time exploring and learning the interesting history of Cochin’s Jewish Quarter.
 
TIMING BREAKDOWN
00:00 Depart pier for Kochi fort
00:40 Arrive and visit St. Francis Church
01:00 Visit Chinese Fishing nets
01:15 Depart for Jewish Synagogue
01:45 Arrive at Jewish Synagogue
02:30 Depart for Dutch palace
03:15 Depart from Dutch palace
04:00 Arrive at Kochi pier

Approximate duration: 4 hours
 
OPERATIONAL NOTES
- Dutch palace is closed on Fridays & national holidays
- Jewish synagogue is closed on Fridays & Saturdays
- St Francis Church is closed Sundays
- Moderate walking is involved

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