Thrissur

Thrissur, which means “town with the name of Lord Shiva”, happens to be the cultural hub of Kerala. In the past, it has been an important centre of learning of different religions like Buddhism, Jainism, and Brahmanism. Thrissur was also an important centre for the study of Sanskrit. The great Sankara Acharya had taught Advait in this city, and had settled and died there only. Later, his four disciples established four Madoms in the city. Thrissur rose in terms of its historical importance in the year 1790 when Raja Ram Verma (also known as “Sakthan Thampuran”) ascended the throne of Kochi. The ascendance of Raja Ram Verma as the ruler has been marked as the beginning of a modern historical era in Thrissur. Thrissur was also the capital of the Kochi kingdom for a brief period.

Thrissur is also famously known as “the cultural hub of Kerala”. With Raja Ram Verma taking on the mantle as the ruler of the Kochi kingdom in 1790, Thrissur saw a fresh awakening, as it saw some beautiful architectural changes, administrative ones (what with controlling the aggressive rule of powerful chieftains), and also cultural ones. Thrissur Pooram, the biggest Pooram, was his brainchild, in which people of all castes and backgrounds could participate. Thrissur witnesses a number of beautiful festivals like Pooram, Onam and Pulikakkali. The fact that big institutes like Kerala Sangeetha Natak Academy, Kerala Lalithakala Academy, and Kerala Sahitya Academy, are situated in Thrissur, indicates the intellectual kick that this city has. It is also home to big traders of Kerala. And if this does not interest you enough, you have to gorge on to the beautiful delicacies of Thrissur like Puttu (a breakfast dish where rice is grounded into a cylindrical bamboo container), Vellayappam (a dish made out of a batter of rice and coconuts), and Meen Porichathu (a famous fish recipe of this area).

Between April and May, the city hosts the Thrissur Puram, the world's largest and grandest elephant procession. It has great cultural and religious significance and draws tourists from all over the world. The city has always favoured business, in addition to being known as the cultural capital of the state. From clothes to jewellery there are a lot of options for shopping and dining.

Fresh Vellayappams are the most popular item in Thrissur along with other Kerala delicacies that can be found in the numerous shacks dotting the small lane near Dolors Basillica. Other than this snacks like Achappam, Idiyappams and Kuzhalappam are widespread in the area.
All this stands out in the town, while the essentials like Dosa, Idli, Uppama, Poori and more are easily available. Both vegetarian and non-vegetarian preparations are available in the town and can be enjoyed across the numerous eating places available. One might also get to enjoy a unique dash of North Indian cuisine at certain restaurants.
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Day 1 - Visit the Vadakkunathan temple and the Paramerku Bhagavathy temple. After lunch, visit the Bible Tower and the Thiruvambadi Krishna Shrine. In the evening, check out the shopping areas in the city. 
Day 2 - After a visit to the Arattupuzha Temple, check out the magnificent Shathan Thamburan Palace. End the trip with a visit to the Kerala Kalamandapam Cultural Centre.