This Holiday Season Embark on An Interesting Journey to Cochin
Cochin or Kochi, popular as the Queen of Arabian Sea, is a tier 2 city in the state of Kerala. Also known as Ernakulam which is the mainland part of the city, Cochin is a major port city located in the south-west coast of the nation meeting the Arabian Sea. For long (around 600 years), it has been the harbour that welcomed mariners from all across the world, namely the sailors from Portugal, Arabia, Holland, Britain, and China. Their fruitful invasions over the years have contributed something one or the other way to shaping the city the way we see it today. The city at present is one major powerhouse of commerce in the state. It is home to many port based businesses, trades, and a couple of small local service sector companies. An interesting fact to know about the city is that the city got featured in the Nat Geo Traveller's '50 greatest places of lifetime' list. Nonetheless, Cochin is also an ideal destination for holidaying and spending some memorable time relishing the best of art, culture, hospitality, and nature.
Cochin is one of the most significant historic cities in India. Nothing defines the city best as the statement “A city born in storm, nurtured in rivalry and established as battling ground for European empires” does. For a culture enthusiast and the history buffs, the city has no dearth of rewarding attractions/places to start his adventure with. A rich culture that is made up of several other great cultures that were brought along by the multiple European settlers, adjectify the city. The wealthiness of city's culture can be seen in the numerous temples, mosques, and churches and cathedrals in the city. To name some include: Dharmanath Desar Jain Mandir, Thirumala Devaswom Temple., St. Francis Assisi Cathedral, Kanjiramattam Mosque, and St. Antony's Shrine.
Cochin
It was once the seat of Portuguese colonization in India and is amongst the first of the European colonies settling in India. The city remained the seat of Portuguese outpost from 1503 to 1530. It was then occupied by the Dutch and subsequently the British. The influence of the colonizations can be seen everywhere: in the East meets West cuisine, in the old and modern structures, in the streets, and in the denizens and their lifestyle. The Pareekshith Thampuran Museum, The Maritime Museum Kochi, and The Indo Portuguese Museum are three excellent museums that every history buff should visit when in the city. They have excellent collections on the history and the present of the city, and offer a detailed glance on them. Other than these, the other must visit historical place in the city is the Dutch Palace. It is a beautiful structure that is a good mix of oriental and occidental architecture. The palace is famous for the mural paintings that it houses. In addition, there are three revered temples inside the palace.
The Pallipuram Fort is a must mention. It was built by the Portuguese in 1503 and is one of the oldest European forts in India. The grandeur of the rich past of the Fort is simply inevitable, which makes it one of the prime places to visit in Cochin.
Apart from the above mentioned, the other must visit places in the city include: Hill Palace Museum, Chendamangalam Palace Fort, Museum of Kerala History, Santacruz Basilica, Pierce Leslie Bungalow, International Pepper Exchange, Bastion Bungalow, Princess Street, St. Francis Church, Jew Street and Paradesi Synagogue, Chinese Fishing Nets, Pareekshith Thampuran Durbar Hall Art Gallery, and David Hall.
Focusing on accommodations in the city. As the city is one of the most popular destinations in the country, so it receives huge waves of visitors. The good thing is that there exists a good range of hotels in Cochin, effectively catering to all stay needs of the guests.
There are all sorts of hotels in the city belonging to different category and budget. The cheap hotels are ideal stay options for those who are in the city for brief time. Whereas if one seeks luxuries the 5 Star hotels in Cochinare the perfect stay options. Vivanta by Taj Malabar, Holiday Inn Cochin, Coconut Lagoon, Trident-Cochin, Le Meridien Kochi, SAJ Earth Resort, and Beaumonde The Fern are the top rated 5 Star hotels in city to choose from.