City highlights and harbour cruise
Port Cochin • Level of difficulties Easy • Type Sightseeing, Drink included • Price Adults € • Duration in hours 5 • Shore excursion code
Description
A wonderful opportunity to visit the magical Cochin, this fishing city that attracts visitors with its small islands, the different art centers and architecture with the nuances of European and Chinese origin. And finally, a lovely cruise in the port to admire its beauty from another perspective.
What we will see
• Mattancherry
• Dutch Palace
• Jew Street
• Jewish Synagouge
• Fort Kochi
• St. Francis Church
• Indo-Portuguese Museum
• Chinese fishing nets
• Local fish market
• Santa Cruz Basilica
• Cruise in the Harbour
• Vallarpadam, Gundu and Bolghatty islands
What we will do
• We begin our excursion to the city of Kochi with a visit to the Mattancherry district, where we can admire the Dutch Palace, built by the Portuguese in 1555 and renovated by the Dutch in 1663.
• We then go down Jew Street with its typical houses and shops of various kinds, from grocers to antiques sellers.
• Our next stop is in the district where the first settlers were Portuguese: Fort Kochi, home to various vestiges of the colonial era, such as St. Francis Church, the oldest European church in India, which houses the tombs of various important Portuguese and Dutch figures.
• Continuing our visit we admire many more attractions, including the Indo-Portuguese Museum where a collection of Portuguese Christian artworks is held, the Chinese fishing nets, a powerful symbol of the centuries-old Chinese influence on this coast and the local fish market.
• Towards the end of our day in Kochi we visit the Santa Cruz Basilica whose foundations were laid in 1505, again by the Portuguese.
• It is now time for a truly evocative experience: at the Brunton Boatyard Hotel we will board a vessel for a cruise in the port, an opportunity to watch the fishermen at work and admire the islands of Vallarpadam, Gundu and Bolghatty, offering a glimpse of the local way of life.
What you need to know
• We recommend wearing comfortable shoes.
• Dress code that is appropriate for the places of worship to be visited is recommended.
• Places on this excursion are limited. We recommend booking early.
• Adverse traffic conditions could alter the duration of the excursion. The streets may not be tarred.
• This excursion is not recommended to guests with mobility problems.
• In case of events or religious celebrations the visit of church or monuments will be done only by outside.
• If closed, the Dutch Palace will be replaced by the Indo Portuguese Museum in Fort Cochin.?
