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This palace is situated on the banks of the Periyar River with beautiful circular verandahs overlooking the river. This old palace building is now The Alwaye Guest House which is one of the loveliest in this State.

It is situated 14 kms. away from Alleppey. In its architectural features, the Sreekrishna Temple confirms the typical Kerala style. The temple is famous throughout Kerala for 'Palpayasam', a milk porridge of exceptional sweetness offered to the deity.

Angadippuram, an important religious centre for both Muslims and Hindus, has the Tirumandhankunnu Temple dedicated to Goddess Durga as well as the Puthanangadi Mosque which has Arabic inscriptions engraved on one of its planks.

Dedicated to Lord Krishna is another pilgrim place for Hindus. The temple is from Chengannor on the Thiruvananthapuram - Kottayam route. A major attraction is the snake boat races held as part of the festival in August/September. Aranmula is famed for its hand-made mirrors of polished metal called the "Aranmula Kannadi".

On the route to Shenkotah, 70 km from Quilon, is Ariankavu which holds a shrine devoted to lord Shasta. The main festival of this temple is in December.

One of the most important pilgrim centress of the Christians in Kerala, popularly known as St. Sebastian Church, 22 kms. north of Alleppey.This church was established by Portuguese missionaries, which is near Sherthallai. The feast of St. Sebastian is held here every January. 
Location: Alleppey

The largest and the best preserved fort in Kerala, Bekal Fort, is 16 km south on the National Highway. The beautiful Bakel beach with the historic and archaeologically significant Bakel fort in the background is now being developed ,into an international tourist destination.

Still later it became part of the Vijayanagar empire. In the late 18th century Tipu Sultan captured it. An old mosque near the fort is believed to have been built by him . After he was overthrown by the British, the fort came under the East India Company.

The church is one of the important pilgrim centres of the Christians in Kerala. The mortal remains of Sr. Alphonsa, who was pronounced as blessed is kept in this church.The death of blessed Sr. Alphonsa which falls on the 20th of July is an important day.

Built by the Dutch in 1744, this palace is on an island, off Cochin in the Arabian Sea. The building was once a Governor's palace for the Dutch and later the home of the British Governors. Today, this is one of the prestigious hotels of the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation.

It is believed that this is one of the five temples where the original Vishnu image, worshipped by the Pandavas is kept.The ‘Deepam’ festival is celebrated in November/December.

The first mosque in India. It was built in 629 A.D. and resembles a temple in appearance. It is situated in Kodungaloor.

North of Thrissur, 29km away, near the Shornur Railway Junction. Kerala Kalamandalam at Cheruthuruthy, was founded in 1930 by Mahakavi Vallathol. It's main objective is to revive, preserve and develop the ancient and traditional art form of Kerala, particularly Kathakali.

Now the Kerala Kalamandalam is functioning at Vallathol Nagar, with its new building complex at Natyagraha. The old Kerala Kalamandalam is still at Cheruthuruthy on the shore of Nila River (Bharathapuzha). The Samadhi(Tomb) of Poet Vallathol, the founder of this famous institution,is in the premises of the old Kalamandalam.

It is in this academy that the best of Kerala's Kathakali performers get their rigorous training. The institution also offers training in music, drama, and other dance forms including Mohiniyattom, Koodiyattom and Ottan Thullal.

'Kettukazhcha' is very famous and it is a procession of tall decorated structures in chariots with effigies of horses and bullocks displayed. This festival is celebrated during February/March.

There are two Edakkal Caves, natural rock cut-out formations, formed by a large split in a huge rock roofed over by other large rocks, all fixed in position through natural processes. These caves have been made famous world-wide for their ancient carvings and pictorial wall inscriptions of human and animal figures with peculiar head-dresses and swastik forms and symbols. Archaeologists say the place was one of the earliest centres of human habitation.These caves are seen in the Ambukuthy mountains which is located in between Sulthan Battery and Ambalavayal. The caves contain several paintings and pictorial writings of the New Stone Age civilization which speak volumes of the bygone life and civilization.

This is an important pilgrim centre for the, ‘Hindus and Muslims. Sree Dharmasastha Temple here is an ancient temple dedicated to Lord Ayyappa. Pilgrims going to Sabarimala alight here. The 'Petta Thullal’ of 'Kanni Ayyappas' is an important festival which is held in December/January. There is also an ancient mosque dedicated to ‘Vavar’ who is considered to be the friend of Lord Ayyappa. The devotees going to Sabarimala visit this Mosque also.

12 kms. north of Kottayam, this ancient Shiva Temple attracts many devotees. There are exquisite mural paintings and sculptures inside the temple. Its central shrine is circular, copper plats with a stupa of copper gift at the top. The Ramayana, scenes from Santhana Gopala Krishna Leela and Bhagavath and are, beautifully carved round the shrine.

The State Archeaological Department has opened a mural arts centre near the temple. The annual festival of the temple falls in February/March and it lasts for ten days. The last day 'Arathi' falls on the day of Thiruvathira.

It is 20 km from Kalpetta, located on the slope of Vellarimala, and is dedicated to Parswanatha Swami, third Thirthankara of the Jain faith. The mirrors inside the temple walls reflect in thousands of beautiful image patterns of the icons in the temple sanctum . Other places of interest in Kalpetta are Chembra Peak, Banasura Sagar Dam near Padinharathara and Meenmutty Waterfalls, about 40 km from Kalpetta.

Thrissur is a good base for a pilgrim trip to Guruvayur, 32 kms away. It is among India's most important pilgrimage centres and is also known as the Dwaraka of the South. The Sree Krishna Swamy Temple, which attracts thousands of pilgrims is said to date prior to the 16th century. Tradition has it that the temple was created by Guru-the preceptor of the Devas, and Vayu-the Lord of the Winds. The temple is dedicated to Krishna known here as Guruvayurappan or the Lord of Guruvayur, and the idol is said to have been worshipped by Lord Brahma himself at Dwaraka. It is at this temple that Melpatur Narayan Bhattathiri composed his well-known Sanskrit devotional poem 'Narayaneeyam'. The temple is renowned for its healing powers. Several offerings are made to the deity here from the simple 'Archana' offering of flowers to the expensive and elaborate 'Udayastamana' pooja or 'Thulabharam' where a devotee is weighed against offering of bananas, sugar, jaggery or coconuts. Not surprisingly, Guruvayur is the site for several weddings and 'Annaprasanam', the first feeding ceremony of child.

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