Fort Kochi
- September 18th & 19th, 2023
Kochi was to be our last port of calling and with lovely memories of Trivandrum and Poovar remaining fresh in our mind, we reached Ernakulam (also known as Kochi) to explore Fort Kochi within the short time frame of slightly over a day available at our disposal. The train from Trivandrum pulled into Ernakulam Town station at around 4.30 in the evening.Â
Since Kochi mostly figured in our itinerary for sightseeing whenever we did our earlier trips to the hill station of Munnar or the backwaters of Kumarakom or the spiritual abode of Lord Krishna at Guruvayoor, we chose to explore Fort Kochi only, indulge in some Cafe hopping and laze and soak around the sights.
Table of Contents
How does one reach
One could choose to fly into the Kochi International Airport and hire a cab which would cost you Rs.2,200/- to Rs.2,800/- to reach the city or take a shuttle service from the airport to the Aluva Metro station and hop onto the colourful metro trains available at frequencies of 15 to 20 minutes and get down at the MG Road station which is perhaps the closest transit point to Fort Kochi.
The other alternate would be to take a train to the Ernakulam Town or Ernakulam South station and hire a cab or 3 wheeler for Fort Kochi. We had made our way to Fort Kochi from Trivandrum by train. While we squeezed in Fort Kochi in a day and a half, ideally one would need a couple of days or maybe three to soak in the sights of Fort Kochi and maybe add a little bit of Kochi to that as well.
As we set forth for this short vacay
A little bit on the lineage of Fort Kochi
A little bit on the lineage of Fort Kochi also known as Old Kochi.  Before the advent of the Portuguese, Kochi was a thriving port for over 150 years. To negate the threat posed by the Zamorin kings of Calicut, the then king of Kochi  gave away a piece of his land in 1503 to the Portuguese and not only accommodated them in his palace but also helped them to procure pepper.Â
They called the place Cochim, built Fort Immanuel the same year as part of their bastion near the waterfront to protect their commercial interests  and continued to function as it was until it was further fortified in 1538.
This incidentally was the first European fort built on Indian soil. 160 years later the Dutch captured the territory and destroyed the Fort and most Catholic institutions including convents and held possession of this place for the next 112 years until 1795 when they were overpowered by the British. The Jews also seem to have settled in here in Fort Kochi from time immemorial.Â
444 years of Colonial rule until we got our independence, by itself is a long period to showcase the influence of Europe on this little town.
Time is an abstract at Fort Kochi as what we felt even during our earlier visit in 2006. A weekend dash to this lovely charming little town would transport you back to experiencing a perfect confluence of history and culture. Thanks to existence of a multi-ethnic society, this intriguing vibrant town of Fort Kochi has a unique charm written all over it.Â
Given the legacy the Dutch, the Portuguese and the Jews have left behind, there is lots to see for the discerning tourist but if that sounds boring, you could just laze around and chill over a couple of lattes at the number of pretty cafes around or indulge in some street shopping.
Kochi has transformed itself over the years with so much of glazed and glitzy tall structures dotting the skyline and those colorful Metro trains running around. A stark contrast as we enter Fort Kochi where you would get to see Colonial Buildings, Old Churches and Cobbled Streets, similar to the ones one gets to see in Puducherry.
The football crazy city of Kochi and home to the Kerala Blasters Football club is where you would see posters of the Argentina and Brazil football teams they so very ardently support and hero worship, vying for space on the walls with the likes of film stars Mohanlal, Mammooty smiling at you.
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The best months to visit Fort Kochi
Kochi can become unpleasantly hot and humid during the summer months which typically would start by April and continue till June. While you could strike good bargains with the hotels during this season, the sticky weather around would definitely add to one’s discomfort. The onset of the monsoons between July to September mid again render a visit to Kochi unviable as the rains are torrential and continue through the day and night.Â
The later half of September right up till March is perhaps the best time to visit Fort Kochi as the earlier months of rain add a lot to the verdant greenery while the weather remains pleasant for most parts of the day. Â While walking around the streets of Fort Kochi become that much more manageable, It would still be recommended to wear light cotton wear.
You can be spoilt for choices of stay
We hired an Uber to drop us at Niyati Boutique, a quaint little hotel in the heart of Fort Kochi and very close to all places of interest and most importantly near Princess Street, the hub for shopping.
In case your budgets permit and should you want to just chill around and soak in the ambience of the heritage hotels and not be a travel bug like me, there are a few costlier options of stay in and around Francis Street like the Neemrana’s Tower House, the Dutch Bungalow, Forte, the Eighth Bastion owned by CGH Earth, the Old Harbour Hotel and many more. One is actually spoilt for choices in terms of the backpackers hostels, homestays, budget hotels apart from of course the expensive ones.
It took us around 45 minutes to cover the distance of 15 kms, given the evening traffic and reached Niyati Boutique on Quieros Street by around 5.30 PM. We were ushered into our rooms once the check-in formalities were completed.Â
This colonial styled hotel, reminiscent of Portuguese buildings had a very charming frontage and especially in the evenings when the lights come on, it renders a lovely charming look to it.Â
The reception was more done up like a museum with a wide range of curios and wall hangings. The stairs leading upto our suite overlooked a tiny but well maintained Chinese Garden.Â
While there were a wide assortment of rooms available ranging from the king and queen sized suites, budget and economy rooms and alcoves, we were booked in a King Size Suite, with a tall tiled triangular roof, a center table and a work table in case we needed to carry out any office work.Â
In case your budgets permit and should you want to just chill around and soak in the ambience of the heritage hotels and not be a travel bug like me, there are a few costlier options of stay in and around Francis Street like the Neemrana’s Tower House, the Dutch Bungalow, Forte, the Eighth Bastion owned by CGH Earth, the Old Harbour Hotel and many more. One is actually spoilt for choices in terms of the backpackers hostels, homestays, budget hotels apart from of course the expensive ones.
Right at the entrance of Princess Street, we saw a house formerly belonging to the famous singer Yesudas which has been converted into a OYO Hotel.
Splashes of Graffiti and the Streets of Fort Kochi
As one strolls down the cobbled pathways and the nicely laid roads lined with rain trees, within the vicinity of a square km, you get to see a wide assortment of nicely restored quaint Dutch cottages with split doors and balconies, tall whitewashed British colonial mansions and Portuguese Bungalows which have been converted into heritage and boutique hotels.Â
Some of these are being used as residences and a few have been converted to antique shops and bookstores.Â
Replete with all the lovely murals adorning the walls and the colourful blooms and green plants donning the frontage of  these buildings one can’t help but get the feeling of being transported to a foreign destination and especially after seeing all the glass and mortar in the neighbourhood of Kochi.Â
You could do Fort Kochi in a day if you are hard pressed for time.
However, if you have an evening at your disposal additionally like we did, do most of your shopping on day one and use the next day to go around what Fort Kochi has to offer.
Ideally, one would be best advised to plan a couple of days to chalk out and execute a proper walking tour, indulge in shopping to your heart’s content and binge on food at the multitude of cafes and restaurants around.
Shop till you drop
After having settled into the rooms, plan was to walk across to Princess Street and indulge in some shopping.
Had some nice Cardamom flavoured  tea and fritters and post relaxing for a while we stepped out for a walk on one of the oldest streets of this area Princess Street a little before 7 PM. It was just getting dark and all the shops around that area had lit up and gave the entire area a very dainty and colourful look.Â
While the beach at Fort Kochi was just about a 10 minute walk away, we decided to explore it the next morning and indulged in walking up and down the street.Â
The street is also popularly known as Loafer’s Corner, more attributable maybe due to the famed Loafer’s Café which is towards the centre of the street.Â
On display there are these shops selling curios, artefacts, spices, collectibles, magnets, trinkets, junk jewellery and beads and then we have lovely small boutiques selling various clothing brands.Â
Could also spot a book shop and a shop selling musical instruments besides a toy store.Â
Interspersed with these shops are the brightly lit European styled houses which gives the entire area an old world feel while also maintaining its vibrancy. One is really spoilt for choices given the variety of stuff on offer but never be scared to negotiate hard on the prices quoted by these shopkeepers.
Of Burgers and Shakes @ Loafer’s Cafe
We went into the Loafers Café to have our dinner by around 7.15 PM as we missed having a proper lunch and had kind of managed with whatever was being peddled in the trains and stations we passed enroute. There was plenty to choose from ranging from burgers to wraps to pastas to cakes, juices and shakes and after a quick bite and some juices and shakes, we went around Princess Street once again for a stroll.
Reached Niyati Boutique by around 9 PM and while the family made their way to the room, was speaking to the caretaker Bablu Murmu in his local language Bengali to check on sightseeing options for the next day.Â
We were booked for the next day  by the evening 7 pm train from Kochi to Chennai and had the entire day at our disposal to soak in the sights of Fort Kochi.Â
Based on his recommendations, hired a Tuk Tuk (auto) guy for the full day as we realized that it would be faster to cover all these places and be more flexible in what we may additionally want to see compared to the cab guys. Sampled some Ulli Theeyal gravy (made out of Onion Shallots, grated coconut and red chillies) and Kerala Rice with Boiled Sweet Potatoes which the kids ordered from Shero Home Food through Zomato and crashed.
I was up and about pretty early in the morning by around 5.30 AM though it was still dark outside and decided to go for a run/walk around Fort Kochi and explore a few more areas around.
The Fort Kochi Beach
Got into my running gear which has been an inseparable part of my travel, be it official or personal and hit the roads of Fort Kochi by around 6 in the morning.
The plan was to walk/run around Fort Kochi area, soak in as many sights as possible and try and cover a distance of 5 kms.Â
The Fort Kochi beach was dirty and kind of inhabitable.Â
Save for a small stretch of a promenade in front of the PWD Guest House where one could sit down and look at the waves, nothing much otherwise to write about.Â
From the beach, the Remnants of the Gunnery which was part of Fort Immanuel could be seen.Â
The Indo-Portuguese Museum
500 metres ahead of the Cemetery and built atop a small hillock in 1506 was the Bishop’s House. There is an entry fee of Rs.10/- charged per head. This then served as the residence of the Portuguese Governor. Large Gothic arches form the front façade of the house and there is a nice winding circular path leading up to the main entrance.
Lying adjacent to the house is the Indo-Portuguese Museum which has a wide range of artefacts collected from various churches under the Kochi diocese. The entry fee is waived off on the first Thursday of every month. The visiting hours for the Museum are between 9.00 AM to 1.00 P.M and 2.00 PM to 5.00 PM on all days except Monday.
We drove on to the Fort Kochi beach to see the beach and the Chinese Fishing Nets in broader daylight and after 30 minutes of loitering around the beach area, went to the Indian Naval Maritime Museum.
Tickets are priced at Rs.50/- per head and an additional 100 Rs. Is levied for a camera irrespective of whether it’s a still camera or if one wants to use his mobile. The visiting hours for the museum are between 9.30 AM to 13.30 PM and 14.30 PM to 20.00 PM on all days except Monday. A perfect ode to the glory of the Indian Navy and its maritime past, this museum is located on the premises of INS Dronacharya.
Ode to the Indian Navy
There is a lot to see and learn from this museum  on our country’s maritime heritage and depiction of International Trade Links while a section also pays tribute to major maritime figures. Â
Vasco da Gama’s journey from Europe to India and his settlement in the country is featured here while there are maps which trace the journeys of other European maritime travellers while the trade links of the Indus Valley civilization with the Arabs, Portuguese and the Dutch can also be read about.Â
A separate  section outside traces the achievements of the Indian Navy post independence and the subsequent wars with neighbouring countries.Â
One also gets to see a number of exhibits found on naval ships ranging from flags, naval regalia offered to Indian Navy officers, brass muzzle loading canons, anchors, flags and rank badges. While walking around the lawns outside, there is a lot of war memorabilia on display which include Rocket Launchers, Radars, models of Warships, Torpedoes and even a Seaking Helicopter.
Tickets are priced at Rs.50/- per head and an additional 100 Rs. Is levied for a camera irrespective of whether it’s a still camera or if one wants to use his mobile. The visiting hours for the museum are between 9.30 AM to 13.30 PM and 14.30 PM to 20.00 PM on all days except Monday. A perfect ode to the glory of the Indian Navy and its maritime past, this museum is located on the premises of INS Dronacharya.
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India's oldest Basilica
After spending an hour going around the Naval Museum, we reached the Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica, one among the most impressive and finest out of the 9 Basilicas in India.Â
The Portuguese built this in 1505 and this was one among the two churches which the Dutch did not demolish. This got elevated to the status of a Cathedral in 1558 by Pope Paul IV. The Britishers renovated it in 1887 and the grand Gothic structure which we get to see now is what got redone from then. The inside walls of the church have lot of intricate and beautiful paintings. The Cathedral is open to visitors between 9.00 to 13.00 AM and 14.30 to 17.30 PM between Monday to Saturday and on Sundays its open only between 10.30 to 13.00 hours. There are no entry charges levied for visitors.
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Lets hear the Qissa
The next half an hour was spent at the Qissa Art Café located very close to the Basilica. A quaint, cozy and charming café which is supposedly very popular amongst the Gen Next and tourists. The café offers a relaxed ambiance and a laid back vibe. The diverse range of beverages and a choice of delectable cuisine (chosen from their all day breakfast spread) are something worth trying but do not miss their decadent Chocolate cake coz that is something to die for.Â
The Cafe appeared to be very tastefully decorated and had seats for visitors outside as well amidst lot of greenery. There were a few books to choose from and board games should one wanted to chill around for long hours in a group.
The Overpowering Smell of Spices
We were out of the Café by around 12.10 PM and a short ten minute ride took us to the All Spices Market. A wide variety of spices on display were kept for sale on the first floor of the building while below the large expanse of courtyard had Ginger which was getting sun dried. Most of the spices get exported from here.
The Mattancherry Palace
Built incorporating a beautiful mix of Kerala, Portuguese and Dutch style architectures, this impressive Palace mainly houses a museum which has over 300 square metres of murals on the walls depicting Indian mythology and epics of the Ramayana and Mahabharata besides folk literature.
The museum is pretty big and houses a ladies room, a Coronation Hall, a dining hall with other rooms and also has a lovely collection of portraits of the Kochi rulers besides palanquins, Â dresses, weapons used during those years, royal umbrellas, canopies, stamps, coins etc.Â
Right near the staircase which leads one to the quadrangular structure of the palace lies a temple dedicated to the deity Palayannur Bhagwati. A very small fee of Rs.2/- is levied per visitor and the palace remains open between 10.00 AM to 17.00 PM on all days except Friday.
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The Jewish Prayer House
Our next stop was at the Jew Town of Kochi where the Pardesi Synagogue, also known as the Jewish Synagogue or Prayer House was located. The Indian Jews settled here are also known as Malabari Jews and since they came in from abroad, they got tagged as Pardesis by the locals. Â
One among the 7 synagogues on this area which is still in use, the building shares a common wall with the Mattancherry Palace. Built on a piece of land gifted by the King of Kochi, Raja Varma to the Jew Community, this 100 year old structure is believed to the oldest prayer house not only in Kerala and India but also in the British Commonwealth. A lavish collection of crystal chandeliers imported from Belgium and hanging from the high ceiling greets visitors as they enter the prayer hall. The floor is adorned with beautiful hand painted blue willow patterned tiles, said to have been brought from Canton in China by a Jewish business man during the 18th century. While the centre of the hall has a pulpit with brass rails on all sides, there are a lot of antique items available for display and is a big crowd puller amongst tourists. The synagogue was first constructed in 1568 and then destroyed by the Dutch in 1662 and rebuilt a couple of years later. This prayer house opens at 10.00 AM and post noon, there is a break of 3 hours after which it is opened for another 2 hours. The synagogue remains closed on Fridays and Saturdays and all Jewish holidays.
The Markets of Jew Town
The next 45 minutes or so were sent going through Fort Kochi’s most artistic and colourful street in Jew Town. Either side of Jew Street belongs to descendants of the Jewish community who have settled here in Fort Kochi right from 52 AD Most of the shops sell antique pieces of crockery, bronze and brass sculptures, carved wooden furniture, jewellery, curios and spices etc and give the entire area an old world feel.Â
A quick lunch at Café Hans
We reached the hotel by around 3 PM and headed to Café Hans to try our luck for lunch. Most restaurants around the area where we were staying had already shut shop.Â
We had already checked out our belongings from the rooms given that the checkout time was 11.00 AM and had asked the caretaker to bring down our luggage from our room upstairs and leave it in the lobby. Neetu, the owner of Cafe Hans was most obliging in quickly whipping up a meal of piping hot rotis (breads) with dal (lentils), Mixed Vegetable Raita (a yoghurt based dish) and an assorted vegetable dish all made fresh. While she was cooking our food, made an additional request to her to make some Aloo Parathas and a couple of additional dishes to go with it for our evening train journey since we were not sure on what kind of food would be available on the journey back to Chennai. She had a Heritage walking tour planned with her  Client at 4 PM and though grudgingly but very sportingly raced against time to get the food ready.Â
After having profusely thanked her for going the extra mile in cooking up so much for us in one go, we  settled her bills and started off  for a couple of sights we were yet to see.
The Saint Francis Church
We reached the St Francis Church located very close to our hotel by 4 PM. The church has a rich history dating back to 1503 when the Portuguese constructed it. Vasco da Gama was said to have been buried in this church in 1524 during his third visit to India and after 14 years, his remains were carried back to Portugal. His place of burial can be seen in this church as a rectangular enclosure. Subsequent invasions made the church change hands from the Portuguese to the Dutch and then onto the English and finally the Church of South India took control of it from 1945. The church has a Doop Book preserved here which is a marriage register dated between 1751 to 1804. Instances of Dutch citizens coming here to trace their family lineage still occur.
Small shops abound by the church selling a wide assortment of magnets of all shapes, sizes and different cities and monuments across India besides puppets and other artefacts. We quickly bought a few magnets and moved towards the Bastian Bungalow, located near the Fort Kochi beach.
The Bastian Bungalow
Sighted the Cordellia Cruise sailing in the sea waters and fishermen winding their operations around the Chinese Fishing nets. We walked across to the Bastian Bungalow housing a museum located behind the beach promenade. Built by the Dutch in 1667, this was used by the British as a residential building.
We had to give the Kathakali Dance and the Kalaripayattu (Martial Arts) Shows a miss coz of paucity of time. The above photos are borrowed from my friend who was in Fort Kochi in January this year.Â
On the way back to our hotel we stopped by at The Cultural Coconut Cafe to have some Pazham Pori (sweet banana fritters) and tea and reached our hotel by around 5.30 PM.Â
We hired a Uber to reach Ernakulam Town station well in time for our 7 pm train back to Chennai.
A short weekend break so beautifully spent exploring places of history, ancient temples, museums, beaches and so much of greenery dotting the backwaters and with a resolve that we should do this once again. Yeh Dil after all Mange More!!
Loved the ‘Mohan on wings’ pic. Lovely write-up
Great blog Mohan…I walked through these streets in January…reading your blog brought back my visual memory of Kochi. It is a place with lot of history, varieties of food and scenery. I will go thre again.