Kochi [also known as Cochin] is a jewel in the crown of Kerala with its European heritage and true cosmopolitan temperament. A leisurely walk through its streets is one of the best ways to discover all that the city has to offer – it’s natural harbour and historical sites. A boat ride across the breathtaking blue lagoons and backwaters offers a glimpse of kochi’s rural life and its true beauty.

Moving northwest from Mattancherry Palace along Bazaar Road, you pass wholesale emporia where owners, sitting behind scales surrounded by sacks of spices, may well be prepared to talk about their wares. Keep walking in a northerly direction, over the canal and then westwards into Fort Cochin. The architecture of the quiet streets in this enclave is very definitely European, with fine houses built by wealthy British traders, and Dutch cottages with split farm house doors. At the water’s edge there’s a bus stand, boat jetty and food and drinks stalls