One day covers Kochi's old town if you leave Ernakulam at 09:30: Mattancherry Palace when it opens at 10:00, the Paradesi Synagogue and Jew Town, lunch, then St Francis Church, Fort Kochi Beach, Santa Cruz Basilica and the Chinese fishing nets, and Marine Drive on the way back. It is about 33 km by cab, back by about 16:50. Avoid Fridays and Saturdays, when the synagogue is closed.
8 places33 km by cabtimed against opening hours
Day 1
Mattancherry, Fort Kochi and Marine Drive
Mattancherry Palace at opening time, the Paradesi Synagogue and Jew Town, lunch, then St Francis Church, Fort Kochi Beach, Santa Cruz Basilica and the Chinese fishing nets, with Marine Drive in the late afternoon. About 33 km, back at Ernakulam by about 16:50. Not on a Friday or Saturday, when the synagogue is closed.
09:30 to 16:498 places33 km by cab
1Mattancherry Palace (Dutch Palace)
2Paradesi Synagogue
3Jew Town
Lunch
4St Francis Church
5Fort Kochi Beach
6Santa Cruz Basilica
7Chinese Fishing Nets
8Marine Drive
Back
★
Leave Ernakulam Junction railway station
10.2 km · 20 min by cab
1
Mattancherry Palace (Dutch Palace)
1 h here
Closed on Fridays
A palace the Portuguese built for the Raja of Kochi around 1555, later repaired by the Dutch, which gave it its other name. Inside are some of the finest temple murals in Kerala, scenes from the Ramayana and the Puranas, along with royal palanquins, costumes and portraits of the Kochi rajas.
Palaces & museumsOpen 10:00 to 17:00; closed on Fridays
Tip: Closed on Fridays. Photography is not allowed inside, and the mural rooms are dim, so give your eyes a minute.
A short walk
2
Paradesi Synagogue
30 min here
Closed on Fridays and Saturdays
Built in 1568, it is the oldest working synagogue in the Commonwealth. The floor is laid with hand-painted blue and white Chinese tiles, no two alike, and Belgian glass lamps hang from the ceiling. A clock tower stands beside it at the end of Jew Town.
Churches, temples & the synagogueOpen 10:00 to 12:00 and 15:00 to 17:00; closed on Fridays, Saturdays and Jewish holidays
Tip: Closed on Fridays and Saturdays. Shoes come off at the door, and shoulders and knees should be covered.
0.8 km · 2 min by cab
3
Jew Town
45 min here
The lane that runs from the synagogue towards the old spice warehouses, lined with antique shops, spice traders and small cafes. The godowns behind it still sort and pack ginger, pepper and cardamom.
Streets, nets & showsShops about 10:00 to 18:00?
Tip: Bargain in the antique shops; the first price is high. The spice warehouses are working places, so ask before you walk in.
Lunch, about 1 h. Your driver will know a place nearby. The times after this include it.
3.2 km · 7 min by cab
4
St Francis Church
30 min here
Built by the Portuguese in 1503, it is one of the oldest European churches in India. Vasco da Gama died in Kochi in 1524 and was buried here before his remains went back to Portugal; his gravestone is still in the floor. The punkahs, cloth fans pulled by rope, still hang over the pews.
Churches, temples & the synagogueMonday to Friday 09:00 to 17:00; Saturday 09:00 to 13:00; Sunday 13:00 to 17:00?
Tip: Entry is free. It is a working church, so keep quiet and dress modestly.
A short walk
5
Fort Kochi Beach
30 min here
A narrow beach along the harbour mouth, with a promenade shaded by old rain trees and views of ships coming into Kochi port. It is more for walking than swimming.
Beaches & birdsOpen air, all day?
Tip: The currents are strong; do not swim. The promenade is busiest at sunset.
A short walk
6
Santa Cruz Basilica
30 min here
A white Gothic cathedral, rebuilt in 1905 on the site of a Portuguese church from 1505. The inside is bright with painted ceilings, stained glass and murals of the Passion.
Churches, temples & the synagogueAbout 09:00 to 13:00 and 14:30 to 17:00; closed to visitors during services?
Tip: It closes for about 90 minutes after 13:00. Mass times on Sundays mean less time to look around.
0.7 km · 2 min by cab
7
Chinese Fishing Nets
30 min here
Huge cantilevered nets on teak frames along the Fort Kochi shore, lowered into the water and lifted by a team of fishermen pulling on ropes and stone weights. They have stood here for centuries and are the picture most people take home from Kochi.
Streets, nets & showsOpen air; the nets are worked in the morning and late afternoon?
Tip: The fishermen may let you help pull a net for a small tip. Fresh catch from the stalls behind can be cooked at nearby restaurants.
14.3 km · 26 min by cab
8
Marine Drive
45 min here
A long walkway along the Ernakulam backwater, facing Willingdon Island and Bolgatty, with the Rainbow Bridge and the Chinese net bridge along it. Boats leave from the jetty here for harbour rides at sunset.
Streets, nets & showsOpen air; the walkway is open from early morning to late evening?
Tip: Harbour boat rides of about an hour run from the jetty in the evening; agree the price before you board.
2.8 km · 6 min by cab back
★
Back at Ernakulam Junction railway station
Drive times come from road routing without traffic. Ernakulam's roads jam at the morning and evening rush, above all around Edappally and the bridges to Fort Kochi, so allow extra at those times. Opening hours marked ? are not yet confirmed, so check them before you go.
Book a cab for this day
Call or message a local Kochi operator with this plan. Tell them your hotel and dates, and they send a price for the car and driver.
1 × full day, 8 h / 80 kmSedan, SUV or InnovaPrice from the operator
The old town, yes: Mattancherry Palace, the Paradesi Synagogue, Jew Town, St Francis Church, Santa Cruz Basilica, the Chinese fishing nets and Marine Drive. The Hill Palace Museum and Chottanikkara Temple, east of the city, need a second day.
What time should a one-day Kochi tour start?+
Leave Ernakulam at about 09:30 to reach Mattancherry Palace when it opens at 10:00. The synagogue next door closes from 12:00 to 15:00, so see it before noon.
Can I do this plan on a Friday or Saturday?+
Only in part. The Paradesi Synagogue is closed on both days, and Mattancherry Palace is closed on Fridays. On those days, spend the morning at the Indo-Portuguese Museum or the Naval Maritime Museum in Fort Kochi instead; both are open on Fridays and Saturdays.