Kochi is a harbour city that has traded with the world for centuries, and its old quarter rewards slow walking. Most visitors base themselves in Fort Kochi or Mattancherry, because the best sights sit within a few kilometres of each other and the lanes are pleasant on foot in the cooler hours. Two days is enough to see the headline places without rushing, with an evening for food and another for a performance. The plan below is built around the heat, the weekly closing day at Mattancherry Palace and the times when the harbour is at its best.
Day one morning: the heritage walk
Start early, because Kerala’s humidity builds quickly after mid-morning. The Fort Kochi and Mattancherry heritage walk is the best first move, since a guide ties together the Portuguese, Dutch and British layers that you would otherwise read as a row of old buildings. Expect churches, colonial bungalows, old warehouses and lanes of antique and spice shops, and ask your guide about the Jewish quarter, the harbour and how the Chinese nets came to be here. Carry water, wear a hat, and keep shoulders and knees covered for the churches and temples, which also keeps you comfortable in the sun.
Day one afternoon: lunch and a slow pause
The middle of the day is for lunch and rest. Choose a simple place for a Kerala meal rather than hunting for a famous name, and spend the hottest hours back at your hotel, by the pool if you have one, or in an air-conditioned cafe. Fort Kochi rewards a rest, because the best light and the best crowds come late. If you are staying at Xandari Harbour on Bazaar Road, the palace, the Jain temple and the spice market are a short walk away, which makes the afternoon easy.
Day one evening: the Chinese fishing nets at sunset
The huge cantilevered nets at Vasco da Gama Square are the postcard image of Fort Kochi, and sunset is the time to be there. The nets are worked by teams of fishermen, so watch from the waterfront and be ready to tip if you are invited to try pulling on the ropes. Fresh fish is often sold nearby, and some stalls will cook what you pick. Stay for the dusk walk along the promenade, where families, hawkers and ice cream sellers fill the path, and expect it to be busy at the weekend.
Day two morning: Mattancherry Palace and Jew Town
Mattancherry Palace, often called the Dutch Palace, is best visited as soon as it opens. Kerala Tourism gives visiting hours of 10:00 to 17:00, and the palace is closed on Fridays, so do not plan this stop for a Friday. Inside are Kerala murals and royal portraits, so allow about an hour, and check the photography rules at the door. Afterwards walk to the Jew Town lanes, where spice merchants, antique dealers and the old synagogue area sit close together. The synagogue is closed on some days for the Sabbath and for festivals, so check before you plan your walk, and shop slowly for spices, because quality and prices vary from stall to stall.
Day two afternoon: your own pace
After lunch, choose between a harbour ferry, a stroll through the art cafes of Fort Kochi, a visit to a gallery, or simply sitting under the rain trees. The biennial art festival that fills old warehouses with contemporary art runs from December in the years when it is held, so ask your hotel if it is on when you visit. If you want a gentler afternoon, rest again, because the evening is the main event.
Day two evening: food walk, then Kathakali
A local-guide food walk in the evening is the best way to taste Kochi, with seafood, appam and stew, spiced snacks and sweets, and it also takes you into lanes you would not choose alone. Plan the Kathakali show for an early-evening slot, since the make-up is part of the experience and can start before the performance. Kathakali is a dance-drama from Kerala in which painted faces, hand gestures and drum music tell stories from the epics. Arrive early to watch the artists apply their make-up, and ask the organiser how the story is introduced.
Getting around
In Fort Kochi walk or use tuk-tuks, and agree the fare before you set off. Public ferries run between Fort Kochi and the Ernakulam side of the harbour and are cheap and enjoyable, and a Water Metro service also links the waterfront, but check current routes with your hotel before you rely on them. Cochin International Airport is more than an hour from Fort Kochi by road, so allow generous time on departure day.
Practical notes
Carry small rupee notes for tips, tuk-tuks and entry fees, wear light cotton, and use insect repellent in the evening. Book your food walk and show a few days ahead in the November to February season. If you have a third day, take a backwater day trip to Alleppey or Kumarakom, described in our day trips guide.
