Cochin Hotels from Rs2,373

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.

Cochin has been hosting visitors for over 600 years, and therefore there are plenty of cuisine options, including Chinese, French, Greek and Mexican. Still, Keralan cuisine is still seen most in the city and can be bought at street vendors, food courts and sit down restaurants. The best restaurants in Cochin are situated within hotels like the Kochi Marriott Hotel and Crowne Plaza Kochi. The same is true for bars and nightclubs.

Cochin is a haven for shoppers, with modern shopping malls, antique shops and designer boutiques found all over the city. The picturesque promenade Marine Drive is home to several shopping malls and the famous Broadway Market, one of the city’s oldest markets.