Places to Visit in Thrissur

An ancient temple of Kerala, the Vadakkunnathan Temple is also the oldest temple of the state dedicated to Lord Shiva. Following the architectural style of Kerala, the temple has monumental towers surrounding it. 

Talking about the inside of the temple, there are several mural paintings that depict various episodes from the Hindu Epic, Mahabharata. 

Thekkinkadu Maidan, which surrounds the temple from all sides is where the local festival of Thrissur Pooram is organized every year, granting this place an even more of spiritual importance.

Location: 2.4 km from Thrissur bus stand.

Timings: Everyday, 3 AM to 8:30 PM.

Entry fees: None.

The Dolours Basilica, or the Basilica of Our Lady of Dolours (as the full name goes), is a distinct building in the city of Thrissur. You can easily recognize this grand church from its white facade. 

Smack in the middle of a lush green valley, this basilica is known for narrating quite a number of stories of love and faith. Spread in an area of about 25,000 sq feet, Dolours Basilica is the third tallest church in Asia and the largest church in the country with double storeyed aisles.

Location: 1.6 km from Thrissur bus stand.

Timings: Everyday, 6:00 AM onwards (mass timings may vary.

Built after a rather Dutch style architecture, the Shakthan Thampuran Palace is a sight to behold. Finding its name in almost every list of Thrissur tourist places, the Shakthan Thampuran Palace was rebuilt in the place of Vadakkekara Palace in the year 1795 by the then King Ramavarma Thampuram of Cochin.

In the year 2005, the palace was converted into a museum that now showcases a number of relics and really old antiques. A favourite one amongst several art admirers, the two-storeyed complex has high roofs, thicker than usual walls, and Italian Marble on the floor, making it a place right out of a traveller’s dream.

Location: 2.5 km from Thrissur bus stand.

Timings: Tuesday to Sunday, 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM.

Entry fees: INR 10 for adults, INR 5 for kids, INR 30 for cameras.

The largest temple in the state dedicated to Goddess Vaishnavi, the Paramekkavu Bhagavathy Temple is one of the most famous places to visit in Thrissur. 

One of the participating temples in the famous Thrissur Pooram festival, where 15 elephants walk in a procession Paramekkavu to the Vadakkumnathan temple. 

The Paramekkavu Bhagavathy Temple is also well-known for its easy accessibility, as it quite near to the railway station of the city. This almost 1000-year-old temple is a centre of attraction in the time of celebrations in the state.

location: 1.6 km from Thrissur bus stand.

Timings: Everyday, 4:30 AM to 11:30 AM | 4 PM to 9 PM.

Entry fees: None.

Not so far away from the Guruvayoor Temple lies one of the best Thrissur tourist places. An Elephant Sanctuary, the Punnathur Kotta was initially a palace belonging to a local ruler. It was then converted to a house of elephants and now has the highest number captive elephant, about 59 of them. 

This is where these beasts are trained to participate in several festivals. Apart from this, the Punnathur Kotta also has a training centre for Elephant Riders (Mahouts), and temples dedicated to Lord Shiva and Bhagavati.

Location: 28.5 km from Thrissur bus stand.

Timings: Everyday, 9 AM to 5 PM

Entry fees: INR 10 per person, and INR 25 for the camera.

A children’s park in the heart of the city named after the first prime minister of India, Nehru Park is one of the best places to visit in Thrissur. Given the love for children that Jawahar Lal Nehru had, the place is fully dedicated and focussed on providing the best kind of enjoyment to the little guests. 

One can plan an amazing and memorable picnic here, or explore around on foot and come across the beautiful aquarium in the garden.

Location: 1.9 km from Thrissur bus stand.

Timings: Everyday, 1 PM to 8 PM.

Entry fees: None.

On the outskirts of the city at a distance of some 60 km, the Athirappilly waterfalls mark one of the best places to visit in Thrissur. Standing 80 ft tall and about 330 ft wide, these falls are the largest in the state of Kerala. 

Smack in the middle of the city is one of the most alive and beautiful of all Thrissur Tourist Places. Also known as the State Museum & Zoo, the Thrissur Zoo is located at about 2 km from the city centre, the zoo is more than just a place for showcasing the beautiful flora and fauna of the region. 

There is also a natural history museum and an art museum that have exhibits capturing the social and cultural heritage of Thrissur. With it being one of the two Zoological Parks in Kerala, the zoo experiences a good number of visitors every year.

Location: 2.7 km from Thrissur bus stand.

Timings: Tuesday to Sunday, from 9 AM to 5 PM.

Entry fees: INR 5 for adults, INR 3 for children, INR 5 for a camera, and INR 500 for the video camera.

Another gem on the Chalakudy River in the Athirappilly region of Kerala, the falls are located between two major tourist spots in the region; Athirappilly Falls and Vazhachal Falls. Not just that, the falls are also a midway stop for a number of tourists who are visiting the above falls. 

The flow of the water on the rocks is as such that the water looks like milk flowing, further adding to the charm of this place. The waterfall is best visited in the months right after the monsoon season when the water spills onto the road nearby.

Location: 61.0 km from Thrissur bus stand.

Timings: 24 hours, every day.

Entry fees: None.

Thumboormuzhi Dam and Garden, located in the picturesque district of Thrissur, Kerala, is a serene getaway that showcases the natural beauty of the region. Nestled along the banks of the tranquil Chalakudy River, this scenic spot is a must-visit for nature lovers and a perfect inclusion in any Thrissur tour packages.

The Thumboormuzhi Dam is a small check dam built to regulate river flow and support irrigation. Adjacent to it lies a beautifully maintained Butterfly Garden, featuring vibrant flower beds and shaded walkways. The calm waters and green surroundings create a peaceful setting, ideal for relaxation and nature walks.

The area is home to diverse plants like Pagoda Flower and Mexican Heather. Birdwatchers can also spot a variety of species like the Gray Wagtail, Little Swift, and Common Myna.

Thrissur Beach is one of its kinds in the entire Kerala region which bears every charm to attract people from all walks of life. Situated on the coastline of Arabian sea, the beach offers alluring views during sunrise and sunsets.Earlier, the beach used to attract only the locals but as the time passed the beauty of the beach won hearts of the tourists even in the distant lands.

The Thrissur beach is situated in the city of Thrissur which is also the cultural capital of Kerala. Besides the beach, the place is famous for the ancient temple, churches, and mosques.With people flocking around on the sunkissed golden sand bordered by swaying palm trees and the sound of the waves, the place gets charismatic as the dawn happens.

People coming from all around the world to witness the natural beauty of the place indulge themselves into various activities that happen on and around the beach like swimming, surfing, fishing, sunbathing, boat rides and birdwatching on the dreamy stretch of vast blue water.Water resorts situated around provides a panoramic view of the sea along with an opulent stay option.

Location: 25 km from Thrissur bus stand.

Timings: All day

Entry fees: None

A well-manicured garden in the heart of the city is simply something that everyone likes, and that is what the Heritage Garden of the city of Thrissur serves as its purpose. It is truly a spot that everyone loves and flocks around. A great picnic spot, the Heritage garden is home to a number of rare species of flora. 

A greatly famous spot for a number of locals and tourists arriving here at Thrissur, there are a number of fountains to look at, and also many benches where you can hang out with your people.

Location: 1.6 km from Thrissur bus stand.

Timings:Everyday, 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM, 2:00 PM - 4:30 PM.

Entry fees: INR 20 for adults, INR 5 for children, INR 10 for a camera.

What started as a reservoir built for irrigation, the Peechi Dam has now become one of the best highlights in the list of Thrissur Tourist Places. Not only does this place provide irrigation water to nearby villages, but also makes up for drinking water provided to the city. 

Built on the Manali River, you can find the Peechi-Vazhani Wildlife Sanctuary and a number of elephants who come here to drink water. Apart from this, the tourists absolutely love this place and come here to enjoy boating on the reservoir.

Location: 22.2 km from Thrissur bus stand.

Timings: Everyday, 8 AM to 6:30 PM.

Entry fees: None.

When you are in Thrissur, you must prepare yourself to see some of the most amazing beauties of the waters around. And one of the best places to witness the magnificence of that is the Chettuva Backwaters. 

Starting from the Enamakkal Lake, the backwater runs through until ending in an estuary at the point where it meets the Arabian sea. One of the most important characters in this spot being known the world over are the mangroves here. Apart from that, there are several islands, a fort, and numerous sightings of migratory birds that make this place one of the best spots in Thrissur tourist places.

Location: 30 km from Thrissur bus stand.

Timings: None.

Entry fees: None.

A beautiful viewpoint at just an hour’s drive from the city, Cheppara is probably the least known of all of Thrissur Tourist Places. The word ‘Para’ means hill, and that is exactly what this place is. 

Spread in an area of about 1 km, visitors claim that the views from the top of the hill are magnetic and captivating, and because it is less known, one can expect the least amount of crowd at any given time. The highlight of this spot, however, is the amazing view of the sunset.

Location: 17.4 km from Thrissur bus stand.

Timings: Everyday 6:00 AM  11:45 AM | 4:00 PM 7:00 PM.

Entry fees: None.

If you are a car fanatic and someone who is into special vintage cars from the ’50s, then the Vintage Vauxhall Velox Car Club is probably one of the best places to visit in Thrissur. You can get to see a great number of classics from the era gone by. 

Easily accessible from major cities nearby, the museum is home to a number of luxury cars like Ford, Citroen, Mini Cooper, Ambassador, and many more, all of which were in rage back in the decades of ‘80s and ‘90s. A great number of tourists appear here every day to have a look at this beauties and sometimes participate in the auctioning of one.

Location: 2.0 km from Thrissur bus stand.

Timings: Monday to Saturday, from 10 AM to 5 PM.

Entry fees: None.