Vadakkunathan Temple

At a distance of 1 Km from Thrissur Railway Station, Vadakkumnathan Temple (also known as Thenkailasam or Vrishabhachalam) is one of the largest and ancient Lord Shiva temples in Kerala. This temple is the venue for world famous Thrissur Pooram festival celebrated annually in April / May.

Dedicated to Lord Shiva, this temple is one of the oldest temples in South India. It is believed that this temple was founded by Parasurama. It is a classic example of the Kerala style of architecture with beautiful murals depicting the scenes from Mahabharata and wonderful wood carvings. The idol of Shiva is covered by ghee offered as daily abhishekam. The temple is surrounded by a massive stone wall enclosing the wonderful temple complex. There are four gopurams each facing north, south, east and west. Shankaranarayana and Rama are also worshipped along with the main deity,

Only Hindus are allowed into this temple (all are allowed during Pooram festival). 

Timings: 4 -10.30 AM & 5 - 8.30 PM

Guruvayoor

At a distance of 27 Kms from Thrissur & 81 km from Kochi, Guruvayoor is well known for the most famous Sri Krishna Temple in South India. This is one of the most popular pilgrimage sites in Kerala & an ideal getaway from kochi.

Lord Sri Krishna can be seen in standing posture with four hands carrying Sankhu, Sudarshana Chakram, Lotus and Mace. A 33 meter tall gold-plated Dwajastambham is a special attraction. There is a 7 meter high 'Deepastambham' with thirteen circular containers, provides a wonderful site when lit. 

The walls of the sanctum sanctorum are adorned with beautiful mural paintings and carvings. The temple is built in a typical Kerala temple architecture. Vishwakarma, the divine architect is said to have built the first temple here. On Malayalam New Year day, the first rays of Sun fall directly at the feet of Lord Krishna. The temple has a collection of 65 elephants, preserved at Anakotta, 3 Kms from the temple. 

Only Hindus are allowed into temple. Guruvayoor Ekadasi is the main festival celebrated in Mar / Apr.

Timings: 3 AM - 12:30 PM & 4.30 PM - 10 PM.

Athirappally Waterfalls

At a distance of 32 km from Chalakudy, 73 km from Kochi, 59 km from Thrissur, 100 km from Munnar, 122 km from Kottayam, 170 km from Kozhikode, 174 km from Coimbatore & 269 km from Trivandrum, Athirapally Waterfalls are one of the best waterfalls in India and one of the most famous tourist places in kerala & one of the popular weekend getaways from Kochi, Coimbatore & Munnar. These are magnificent waterfalls on Chalakudy River located at the entrance to Sholayar hill range in Thrissur district.

This waterfall drops from a height of 80 feet through several parallel streams offering a great scenic beauty. In monsoon season, the water gets strength and all the streams join together and appear like Niagara Falls. This is the biggest waterfalls in Kerala and well known for its scenic beauty.

One can reach top of Athirapally falls with about 15 minutes walk from the falls entrance. It offers spectacular views of the Sholayar hills and a unique view of the waterfalls from this spot. About 10-15 minutes trek down from top of the falls will take you to bottom of the falls where the greatest beauty of the waterfalls can be experienced. Swimming is possible in the stream at bottom of the Athirapally falls.

Down from the waterfall, the stream continues as Chalakudy River which ultimately drains into Arabian Sea. This river is a bio diversity hotspot with 85 species of fresh water fish living in it. The Athirapally Forest is also the natural habitat of different species like the great hornbill, Malabar pied hornbill, Malabar grey hornbill, Indian grey hornbill, Asiatic elephant, tiger, leopard, bison, sambar and lion-tailed macaque.

The Vazhachal Waterfalls, Charpa Falls, Anakkayam, Sholayar Dam, Valparai and Malayattur Wildlife Sanctuary are the nearby places to visit in Athirapally. It also offers adventure activities like river rafting, trekking, etc.

Chalakudy (32 km) is the nearest junction to Athirapally and it is connected by bus with Thrissur (55 km), Kochi (73 km) and Palakkad (110 km). One can take public/private vehicle from Chalakudy to reach Athirapally. Cochin Airport is the nearest airport to Athirapally which is 40 km away. Kochi and Thrissur are two major railways junctions nearby. The nearest railway station is Chalakudy Railway Station at 32 km from Athirapally.

Munnar is about 100 km from Athirapally. If you are travelling from Kochi to Munnar, you can visit Athirapally if you can dedicate 3 extra hours (Kochi - Munnar is 120 km and Kochi- Athirapally-Munnar is 170 km).

Athirapally falls never dries out and can be visited anytime during the year. Though the waterfall appears in its full glory during monsoons, heavy rains can cause great inconvenience. So, the best time to visit is from September to January. It usually takes 2-3 hours to explore Athirappally falls.

Thiruvambadi Krishna Temple

At a distance of 2 Kms from Thrissur Railway Station, Thiruvambadi Krishna Temple is one of the largest Krishna Temples in Kerala. The architecture of the temple is very impressive. Thiruvambadi is one of the two groups participating in Thrissur Pooram (other participant being Paramekkavu Bhagavathy Temple).

Lord Krishna is worshipped along with Devi Vishnumaya at this temple. Though the original temple was constructed in 16th century, the current structure was ordered by Raja Rama Varma (also known as Sakthan Thampuran), the rules of Kochi in 18th century.

The temple conducts a colorful ceremonious procession called Madathilvaravu to the Vadakkumnathan temple during Thrissur Pooram celebrated in April / May. The procession is characterized by caparisoned elephants, drum performers and Panchavadyam.

Paramekkavu Bhagavathy Temple

At a distance of 2 Km from Thrissur Railway Station, Paramekkavu Bhagavathy Temple is one of the largest Bagavathi temples in Kerala. Paramekkavu Bhagavathy Temple is one of the two groups participating in Thrissur Pooram (other participant being Thiruvambadi Temple).

With wonderful temple structure, this temple is considered to be more than 1000 years old. Dedicated to Goddess Bhagavathy (an incarnation of Goddess Durga), this temple is very close to Vadakkumnathan Temple.

This temple is very popular for its traditional panchavadyam 'Palachottil Melom'.

Dolours Basilica

At a distance of 1 Km from Thrissur Railway Station, Dolours Basilica (or Basilica of our Lady of Dolours) is believed to be the biggest and tallest Church in Asia.

Built in 1875, this Roman Catholic Church is also called Puthen Palli (New Church). This church was built with the support of Raja Rama Varma, Maharaja of Kochi. However, most of the current structure is the result of major renovation held in the 19th century. With built up area of 25,000 Sq. Ft, this Church has three towers, two at the front side and one at the rear (called as Bible Tower). The towers at the front are 146 feet tall and the rear tower is 260 feet in height. 

This church is dedicated to Mother Mary. Eight music bells imported from Germany are special attractions of this church. The chapel has 15 altars. The church is famous for its Gothic style of architecture.

The church celebrates two festivals. Basilica Feast - last Sunday of November & Feast of Our Lady of Dolours - 15th September.

Thrissur Zoo

At a distance of 3 Kms from Thrissur Railway Station, Zoo is a major attraction in the city of Thrissur.

The zoo provides shelter for many endangered species like the Asiatic Lion, Tiger and the extremely rare lion-tailed macaque, etc. It has an impressive reptile house with King Kobra, Indian python, krait, etc. The reptile house is on of the best in South India. 

The Zoo complex also has an impressive museum complex, which has a good collection of wood carvings, metal sculptures, Kathakali figures and ancient jewellery. There are wonderful figures and good paintings in the museum. It also has a great collection of traditional Kerala lamps.

Zoo Timings: 9 AM to 5 PM. Closed on Monday

Museum Timings: 10 AM to 5 PM. Closed on Monday

Peechi-Vazhani Wildlife Sanctuary

At a distance of 23 Kms from Thrissur, Peechi-Vazhani Wildlife Sanctuary is located near Peechi village. The sanctuary is spread between Peechi Dam and Chimmony Wildlife Sanctuary.

Spread across 125 Sq. Kms, the sanctuary was established in 1958. There are more than 50 species of orchids and medicinal plants in this sanctuary. There are 60 types of birds, 25 types of mammals and 10 types of snakes in the sanctuary. The sanctuary provides shelter for Leopards, Tigers, Sambhar Deer, Elks, Barking Deer, Spotted Deer, Wild Dogs, Fox, Langurs, etc. 

Peechi village is the entry point to the sanctuary. Forest department arranges trekking into the sanctuary. The trekking is recommended only for the experienced trekkers. October to March is the best time to visit. Bookings can be made at Wildlife Warden at Peechi (Ph: 0487-2699017). Forest department does not arrange Jeep Safaris at this sanctuary.

Thrissur Pooram

At a distance of 1 Km from Thrissur Railway Station, Thrissur Pooram is celebrated on the Pooram day in the month of Medom (April/May) in the premises of the Vadakkunnathan Temple (Thekkinkadu maidan). It is the most colorful temple festival in entire Kerala.

The festival was initiated in 18th century by Raja Rama Varma (also known as Sakthan Thampuran), the rules of Kochi. The best elephants of the state from various temples in Kerala are sent to Thrissur to participate in the festival. The festival is a magnificent spectacle with night long fireworks, colorful 'Kudamattom' and a grand elephant procession. 

On the early hours of final day of festival, a procession of 15 beautifully decorated elephants marching from Thiruvambadi Temple carries the idol of Lord Krishna. Another group of 15 magnificent elephants start from Paramekkavu Bhagavathy Temple carrying the idol of the goddess. The celebration will be continued with fireworks and several competitions throughout the night.

Archaeological Museum

At a distance of 2.5 Km from Thrissur Railway Station, Archaeological Museum is housed in Sakthan Thampuran Palace built by Raja Rama Varma (Sakthan Thampuran).

The palace has been constructed in a unique combination of Dutch and traditional Kerala style of architecture. The palace is marked by high roofs, thick walls, large rooms and Italian marble flooring. The Museum is famous for its collection of murals and relics from different parts of Kerala. It also houses the Royal exhibits of Kochi Kingdom. The museum has big life-size statues of famous and eminent personalities. There are several models of ancient temples, monuments, etc. An interesting collection is a set of manuscripts written on dry palm leaves. There is also a heritage garden within the museum complex. Veerakallu or herostones, the stone engravings and sculptures of figures and weapons recovered from the forests of Wayanad and Thrissur and worth watching.

Timings: 10 AM - 5 PM. Closed on Monday & national holidays

Kerala Kalamandalam

At a distance of 29 Kms from Thrissur Railway Station, Kerala Kalamandalam is located in Cheruthuruthy on the banks of Bharathapuzha River, on SH22 towards Shoranur.

Founded in 1930 by Mahakavi Vallathol Narayana Menon and Manakkulam Mukunda Raja, it is one of the most revered places for the traditional art forms of Kerala. This temple of arts has preserved and propagated Kathakali, the classical dance of Kerala. Many of the internationally renowned artistes of Kerala and India have been trained here. The Koothambalam, the traditional dance theatre at Kalamandalam is the only one in the State which is built outside a temple complex. Constructed according to vikrushtra madhya, one of the three natya grihas specified in sage Bharatha's Natyasasthra, the theatre is 14.62 meter long and 7.31 meter wide. This unique institute has been involved in giving training in Kathakali, Mohiniyattam, Kootiyattam, Panchavadyam and Thullal.

Thiruvanikkavu Temple

At a distance of 18 Kms from Thrissur Railway Station, Thiruvanikkavu Temple is located near Vadakkancherry. This temple is dedicated for goddess Bhagavathy (an incarnation of Goddess Durga).

This temple is famous for Machattu Mamangm (or machattuvela) festival celebrated for 5 days in the month of Kumbham - Feb/Mar. On the final day, richly decorated horse themes brought as offerings by devotees and beautifully decorated elephants accompanied by traditional musicians in the temple courtyard offer great joy to the devotees.

Harikanyaka Temple

At a distance of 21 Kms from Thrissur Railway Station & 5 Kms from Guruvayoor Temple, Harikanyaka Temple is located in Ariyannur, between Thrissur and Guruvayoor.

Dedicated to Goddess Bhagavathy (an incarnation of Goddess Durga), this temple was built in early 14th century. This temple is one of the ancient Maha Kshethrams. The carved entrance of the temple is a special attraction. People believe that Maha Vishnu has taken the avatharam of Kanyaka here, hence the name 'Hari Kanyaka'. In the past, this temple had a glorious history and it was much wealthier than Guruvayur Temple. This temple was the head of 32 surrounding Deshams. 

Special festival is celebrated for 15 days in the month Meenum (December). One of ancient ritual called Chandrolsavam is celebrated here. 

Timings: 5.30 AM to 9.30 AM & 5.30 Pm to 7.30 PM.

Punnathur Kotta

At a distance of 28 Kms from Thrissur Railway Station & 3 Kms from Guruvayoor Temple, Punnathur Kotta was once the home of Punnathoor Zamorin (ruler), now an Elephant Sanctuary which is home for about 60 Elephants. The elephants housed at this sanctuary are brought for ritual offerings at Guruvayoor Temple.

The elephants offered to the Guruvayoor deity by rich devotees are given shelter at the sanctuary. Elephants are also trained for performing various rituals. These elephants are groomed for various ritualistic performances in festivals like Thrissur Pooram. You can also observe how sick elephants are given treatment with traditional medications. 

Tips: Can be visited along with Guruvayoor.

Chavakkad Beach

At a distance of 32 Kms from Thrissur Railway Station & 4 Kms from Guruvayoor, Chavakkad Beach is a beautiful beach lying on the coast of Arabian Sea.

The beach is full of natural beauty. This beach does not have much commercial activity and less crowded. One can have complete privacy and enjoy the beauty of the beach. Boating is available on country fishing boats.

Chavakkad Beach can be reached by private vehicles from Guruvayoor.

Kodungallur

Kodungallur

At a distance of 38 km from Kochi & 36 Kms from Thrissur, Kodungallur, also known as Cranganore is a historical town located in Thrissur district on NH17 between Kochi and Kozhikode. This is one of the popular tourist places to visit near Kochi and also an ideal getaway from Kochi for a short trip.

Kodungallur was the capital of Cheraman Perumal, the last Chera Ruler in the 7th century AD. Kodungallur is home for several important historical monuments:

Bhagawati Temple is one of the oldest temples in Kerala with history of above 2000 years and was mentioned in the epics Ramayana and Mahabharatha

Thomas the Apostle of Jesus is believed to have landed in Kodungallur with his followers in the year 52 AD. This place has become the earliest Syrian Christian centre of Malabar. Monuments built in the memory of Thomas still exist here, including St. Thomas Church.

Cheraman Juma Masjid is the first mosque built in India in mid 6th century AD, by Malik Ibn Dinar, the follower of Prophet Muhammad

A fort built by the Portuguese in 1523, which was later captured by Tipu Sultan of Mysore

Thrissur Pooram

The Thrissur Pooram is celebrated in the Malayalam month of Medam (April-May). The 200 year old festival displays a spectacular procession of elephants and drummers for a whole 36 hours. Unlike other temple festivals, the Thrissur Pooram is celebrated by all residents, irrespective of religion, caste or community.

Koodalmanikyam Utsavam

The historic Koodalmanickam temple situated in the Manavalassery village is an architectural masterpiece. The deity, Sree Bharatha is worshiped here and the annual festival is conducted during the month of Medom (April-May).

Kodungallur Bharani Utsavam

Kodungallur Bharani UtsavamThe Bharani festival is well known for it’s spectacular event called kaavu theendal. For this ritual, oracles from various parts of the state arrive at Kodungalloor Bhagavathy temple. The men and women run around the temple in a trance, smiting their crowns with swords and proclaiming their communion with the Mother Goddess. The devotees strike the temple rafters with sticks and throw their offerings over the roof in to the inner quadrangle of the temple.

Guruvayoor Festival

The Guruvayur festival begins on the day of Pushya in the month of Kumbham (February-March), and culminates with the Aarattu on the 10th day. The rituals are served to purify and energize the deity’s powers. The cultural festivities include a variety of processions, bright lights, decorative arches and non-explosive fireworks. Homes are freshly painted and buildings are decorated with lights, plantain trunks, coconut bunches and arecanuts.