Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), the capital city of Kerala was the seat of the rulers of Travancore State. Explore the best tourist places in Trivandrum with Tyndis Trivandrum Tour.

Tyndis Trivandrum Tour: Explore Trivandrum Tourist Places

Even today, the city retains her past glory and charm to a great extent. All the major tourist places in Trivandrum are concentrated in the old quarter of the city. They cluster in and around the East Fort – a protected landmark and one of the top heritage tourist places in Trivandrum. East Fort was built in AD 1747 by King Marthanda Varma. Tourists can explore all these Trivandrum tourist places in Tyndis Trivandrum Tour.

To explore the royal history of Travancore take Trivandrum Heritage Tour by Tyndis and you will go back in monarchical times. Our storyteller will take you on a royal walk to introduce all the Travancore palaces around, see a museum there, give you a tuk-tuk ride experience, join you to shop at Chala Street and visit an Agraharam. 

Tyndis Trivandrum Tour will take at least 3-4 hrs. To save some energy, Tyndis Trivandrum Tour can be done on a tuk-tuk ride – the best mode of transport to explore congested Indian cities. This Tuk Tuk Trivandrum Tour visits all the major tourist places in Trivandrum.

Here are the 10 Tourist Places in Trivandrum   

Let’s checkout the list of top tourist places in Trivandrum picked by Tyndis. All these tourist places in Trivandrum are covered in Tyndis Trivandrum Tour. These tourist places in Trivandrum are personal pick by Tyndis Storytellers. There various other offbeat tourist places in Trivandrum that are not listed in this list. Do let us know your preferences in the comments.

1. Chala Market in Trivandrum

Shopping, especially in a traditional market is a great way to understand and interact with the local people. Located in the heart of Trivandrum city, in the East Fort area is Chala Market. Think of anything and you get it here at unbeatable prices. It is one of the must-visit tourist places in Trivandrum.

As you explore the rows of shops beside each other in narrow lanes and soak in the stimulating aroma of this market, a nostalgic snapshot of what life would have been in this city 100 years ago is created in your minds.  If you can brave the heat and humidity, take a walk in this market to shop for spices, handloom clothes, curios, flowers, fruits, shoes, bags, clay pots, gold jewellery, incense sticks, imitation wear and much more at wholesale prices. Get the best experience of Chala Market with Tyndis Trivandrum Tour.

2. Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Trivandrum

Just 100 meters away from this market is the illustrious Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple (Please visit the temple website for details on booking of pooja, darshan timing and dress code). Padmanabhaswamy Temple, one of the most famed tourist places in Kerala is the wealthiest place of worship in the world.

The main entrance of this temple faces the East Fort gate. The architecture is a fusion of Dravidian and Chera Dynasty. Though the gold-plated gopuram (façade) was built in the 16th century by Travancore King Marthanda Varma, this temple has been referred to in the Sangam Tamil literature long before around 400 BC. 

In 2011, it is from the hidden chambers of this temple nearly one trillion dollar worth of gold and precious stones were discovered.  The hundred thousand gold coins held in the vault might have been contributed to the temple by its Royal visitors in erstwhile days or gathered by the Maharajas of Travancore through trade relations spanning centuries with the Romans, Napoleonics, Mughals and the Dutch.

3. Palaces in Trivandrum

Very close to the temple, there are several palace units that belonged to the Maharaja of Travancore. These palaces housed the princes and princesses and some were used to accommodate the royal family’s guests. The only palace that is not open to the public is the Kowdiar Palace, which is the private residence of the royal family of Travancore. The rest of the palaces are top tourist places in Trivandrum.

• Krishnavilasam Palace, built in 1885 has an architecture that’s a blend of traditional and western style.

• Sree Padam Kottaram situated towards the North of the temple is one the oldest palaces inside the Old Fort area. This palace has played host to numerous royal families who came to participate in temple rituals since ages.

• Ananthavilasam Palace located to the south of the temple having Baroque and Rococo style of architecture, built in 1880 is considered the most beautiful among all.

• Sundaravilasam palace is the venue for royal hunt, a ritual observed at the Padmanabhaswamy temple every year.

• Saraswathivilasam Palace was built in the 19th century and noted for its high ceiling and walls, long verandahs, arched gate and cylindrical pillars. 

4. Kuthiramalika Museum in Trivandrum

Kuthiramalika Museum is situated on the left side of the road leading to the temple. It is a palace that is turned to a museum today, housing rare artefacts belonging to the Travancore Maharajas. 

5. Ranga Vilasam Palace in Trivandrum

Ranga Vilasam Palace Trivandrum turned to a hotel. Built in the 19th C, Ranga Vilasam Palace is just five minutes away from the temple. Today it has a museum and houses a premium hotel Rang Maalika within the same compound. So if you wish for a pilgrimage tour combines with a royal stay, this is the place.

6. Agraharams in Trivandrum

Not many of us know what is an Agraharam or the significance of kolam (rangoli) that the Brahmin women draw at their doorstep. In the Tyndis Trivandrum Heritage Walking tour, we will take you to a street in Trivandrum where few surviving Agraharams stand strong.

Attracted by the popularity of Padmanabhaswamy temple, in the 18th Century, a group of Brahmins migrated from Kaveri basin and settled down on the banks of Karamana River (was earlier known as Makarakra River). Here they built their Brahmin quarters known as Agraharams on either side of the street, and a temple at the end of the street.

They were a closely-knit community who lived together sharing a wall with the other. Their lives revolved around the temple and its functions. These quarters added a quaint charm to the city with the early morning mantras and rice powder kolams.

Kolams are intricate designs drawn at dawn by the women of Tamil houses, on the threshold of their homes. Each design has a meaning attached to it and a fresh pattern is made every day. Watching the women make this complex design with such dexterity is an interesting experience. Kolam is drawn to welcome prosperity, banish evil and to express gratitude to mother Earth.

Besides the ritual significance, kolam has other layered meanings ascribed to it. Today, most of the younger Brahmin families have moved out mingling and living amongst others in the community. Thus Agraharams in Trivandrum have reduced to just two in the city – SS Street and Eratta Street. We end the Tyndis Trivandrum heritage walk tour with a tea or coffee from a traditional eatery near the Agraharam.

7. Clock Tower in Trivandrum

On the eastern side of the temple is the Padmatheertham pond, the temple tank which is one of the oldest water bodies in this city. Very close to this is a 100-year old clock tower that gets into the action, every hour when the clock strikes. To avoid the waiting time, plan your trip in a way that you reach the clock tower when it is closer to an hour. Children will love to see this tourist attraction in Trivandrum.

8. Trivandrum Zoo and Museum

Trivandrum Zoo is one of the oldest zoos in India. Spread over 55 acres of woodland, lakes, and lawns, the Trivandrum Zoo is home to 82 species from around the world. It houses a museum and a botanical garden too. Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma,(1816-1846), illustrious King and music composer who had ruled Travancore during 1830-1846 was the visionary behind the establishment of the Trivandrum Museum and Zoo.

Even though it is one of the top tourist places in Trivandrum, visiting this zoo is not included in the Tyndis Trinvadrum Tour package. But if you are travelling with children on a sightseeing trip to Trivandrum, then this zoo is one of the must-visit tourist places in Trivandrum.

9. Priyadarshini Planetarium, Trivandrum

This is one of the most versatile planetariums in the country. The main GM-11 starfield projector here can project almost all the constituents of the visible universe. It can also simulate the star-studded night sky over any location on the earth, on any day up to 12,500 years back or 12,500 years into the future.

The planetarium is closed on Mondays. The ticket rate for adults is Rs. 60 and for children below 10 year of age, rate is Rs. 30. Visiting the Trivandrum Planetarium is not included in the Tyndis Trivandrum Tour but if you have a child interested in science then Planetarium among the must-visit tourist places in Trivandrum.

10. Magic Planet in Trivandrum

Renowned magician in Kerala – Gopinath Muthukad opened the Magic Planet at KINFRA Film and Video Park, Kazhakuttam, Trivandrum. You can easily spend an entire day to enjoy this magic-themed park. It is one of the popular tourist places in Trivandrum so reach early to avoid the crowd on weekends and holidays.

The Magic Planet enthrals you beyond words with some spellbinding performances, magical sessions and tricks and fascinating activities, stage some hypnotic and mesmerizing acts and has a history Museum tracing the tale of magicians from the middle ages to the 1950s. The entry fee to the park is Rs 400 and from 10 am to 5 pm. Visiting the Magic Planet is not included in the Tyndis Trivandrum Tour however it is one of the must-visit tourist places in Trivandrum for family entertainment.

Book your Trivandrum Tour

To explore the rich culture and take a peek into the life of people under the monarchy in Trivandrum along with our storyteller guide, plan your heritage trip to Trivandrum or for that matter any other city in South India with Tyndis Tours, and you are sure to have a memorable tour.

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