Cochin Hotels from ₹2,104

Known nowadays as Kochi, Cochin is the financial capital of the Indian state of Kerala. It is a cosmopolitan city with a bustling port and is one of the country’s main tourist destinations. Also called the Queen of the Arabian Sea, Cochin sits on the southwest coast of India and is a diverse, multicultural city with much to see and do.

There are plenty of landmarks, religious sights, museums and parks throughout Cochin, and of course some lovely beaches, and visitors can spend at least a week wandering around.

Hill Palace Museum is a converted palace that displays collections from the Travancore and Kochi royal families. It houses over 500 artefacts in 16 galleries, including the Cochin Crown Jewels. Dutch Palace was built in 1568 by the Portuguese and is still used today for coronations of Kochi Maharajas. The palace also has an extensive collection of swords, chariots and other royal artefacts.

The Paradesi Synagogue was constructed in 1568 for Jewish refugees from Jerusalem. It is the largest synagogue in the country as well as being one of the only ones that is still functioning today. Dharmanath Desar Jain Mandir is one of the country’s oldest Jain temples, dating back around 300 years. Santacruz Basilica was the first ever European church to be built in Asia and today is the primary seat of the Latin church of Kerala, while Saint Francis Church is famous for being the burial place of Vasco da Gama.

No visit to Cochin is complete without sampling one of the city’s beaches. Cherai Beach is a golden beach that is great for swimming, though the historic Fort Kochi Beach is the city’s more popular beach and has many accommodation options, including The Malabar House.