City of Cochin

Cochin, also known as Kochi, is the cosmopolitan heart of Kerala and one of the most characterful port cities in India. For centuries its sheltered harbour drew Arab, Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch and British traders, and the result is a layered, easygoing town where colonial churches, spice warehouses and synagogues sit comfortably beside palm-fringed waterways. It makes an ideal first stop, with an international airport and an atmosphere that eases travellers gently into the rhythms of the south.

The historic quarter of Fort Kochi is the natural place to wander on foot. Here you will find the iconic cantilevered Chinese fishing nets along the waterfront, the venerable St Francis Church where Vasco da Gama was once buried, and the airy Santa Cruz Basilica. Nearby Mattancherry holds the Paradesi Synagogue and the Dutch Palace with its remarkable Hindu murals, while Jew Town's lanes are lined with antique shops and spice merchants.

Culture runs deep in Cochin. An evening Kathakali performance, with its elaborate make-up and expressive storytelling, is a wonderful introduction to Kerala's classical arts, and the city's contemporary galleries and the celebrated art biennale give it a creative, forward-looking edge. The food is a highlight in its own right: fresh seafood, fragrant fish curries, appam with stew, and aromatic Syrian-Christian and Mappila dishes.

A visit rewards the unhurried. Sip filter coffee in a heritage cafe, browse the spice markets for cardamom and pepper, or take a sunset cruise across the harbour. The pace is relaxed and the streets are wonderfully walkable, with grand old trading houses now reborn as boutique hotels and homestays.

Cochin belongs on any Kerala tour as both gateway and destination. It captures the state's history of trade and tolerance in a single, compact city, and serves as the perfect springboard for the backwaters, hills and beaches that lie beyond.