After breakfast today, you'll meet your local guide and begin your sightseeing tour. Visit the Jewish Synagogue (closed Fridays & Saturdays), the St. Francis Church and the Santa Cruz Basilica. While driving along the coastline, at the Harbour's mouth, you'll also see the unique and still-in-use "Chinese Fishing Nets" which were introduced by the Chinese traders in the 14th Century.
Your tour ends in the Fort Kochi area where you can walk through the historical Dutch and Portuguese buildings. Visit the Dutch Palace (closed on Saturday). Some parts of this nearly 500-year-old Fort are still amazingly well preserved. You'll also have a chance to visit the local market area today.
This evening enjoy a traditional Kathakali dance performance. Kathakali is perhaps India's most spectacular and theatrical form of dance drama based on stories from the Ramayana and Mahabharata. The dancers are elaborately made up with paint and masks, accompanied with drummers and musicians. After the performance the rest of your evening is at leisure to rest and relax.
An optional extra available for either lunch or dinner today, is to join a cooking demonstration with Nimmy Paul, a well known cooking instructor in South India, who has run her own cooking school for over 30 years.
