Cochin is the jewel in the crown of Kerala with its European heritage and true cosmopolitan temperament. Take a leisurely walk through its streets and discover all that the city has to offer, from its natural harbour to its historic sites.

The sightseeing of Fort Cochin excursion tours all the most important attractions of Cochin, including Fort Kochi, the Dutch Palace, the Jewish Synagogue and St. Francis Church.

Fort Kochi was founded in 1503, and is a place where history, like a friendly phantom, still stalks the lonely streets. One can see many remains of Indo-European architecture that still exist here. One of the fascinating sights on the Kochi shoreline is the huge cantilevered Chinese fishing nets which were brought here by traders from the court of Kubla Khan.

Visit the Dutch Palace at Mattancherry. It was built by the Portuguese and presented to the Cochin Raja in 1555. The palace acquired its present name in 1663 when the Dutch carried out some extensions and repairs to it. The main attractions of the palace lie in its wall murals that depict the scenes from the Ramayana.

Continue to the Jewish Synagogue at the heart of what is locally called Jew Town. The synagogue of the white Jews near Mattancherry palace is now a fascinating mixture of shops, warehouses and spice auction rooms.

At St. Francis Church you will discover the oldest European church in India. St. Francis Church was built in the early 16th-Century and it was here that the great explorer Vasco da Gama was first buried in 1562, before his mortal remains were taken back to Portugal by his son 16 years later.

You will also visit Santa Cruz Basilica. Originally built in 1557 by the Portuguese, the Santa Cruz Basilica was used as a warehouse by the British in the 18th-Century. The Basilica, with its beautiful carved wooden panels and pulpit, was rebuilt in the early 20th-Century.