Hill Palace Museum at Tripunithura, 12km southeast of Ernakulam, was formerly the residence of the Kochi royal family and is an impressive 49-building palace complex. It now houses the collections of the royal families, as well as 19th-century oil paintings, old coins, sculptures and paintings, jewellery and temple models. No photography inside. The grounds and gardens are a bit tatty and there's a deer park here. An autorickshaw from Ernakalum should cost around ₹350 return with one-hour waiting time.
