Kochi or Cochin is a port city with rich and interesting past and an active present. Cochin has been the business and commercial hub of south India since very ancient days. The Chinese, Jews, Arabs and Europeans sailed into this city to trade and their influence is still found in the buildings and lifestyle of the city.
This important trading port city of the ancient times is popularly referred to as the Queen of the Arabian Sea for its unique beauty and charm. Today, the land of spices that attracted the European traders is a quaint blend of the old and the new, the Indian and the Western. A trading port since Roman times, it lies on the main trade route between Europe and China. The town has three main parts- Fort Kochi, Willingdon Island and Ernakulam. This city is home to the oldest synagogue in the Commonwealth as well as numerous old churches and temples.
