Thalassery also known as Tellicherry, is a town on the Malabar Coast of Kerala, in southern India. It is 21 km from the district headquarters at Kannur. Tellicherry is the anglicised form of Thalassery. Thalassery municipality has a population just less than 100,000. Thalassery municipality is a part of the urban agglomeration of Kannur.

Thalassery is at times referred to as the city of cricket, cakes and circuses.

Cricket was played in Thalassery much before it was introduced in Calcutta in 1860. The Thalassery Municipal Cricket Ground (see Thalassery Stadium) hosts the Ranji Trophy cricket matches quite often. On this ground, the first ball was bowled in the early 1800s, thanks to Colonel Arthur Wellesley, who brought the game to this Malabar region town. In the year 2002, Thalassery cricket ground celebrated its 200th birthday by hosting a one-day international cricket match between India and Sri Lanka.The famous English Cricketer Collin Crowdey has played in Thalasseri during British regime.

Thalassery is considered to be the birth place of the Indian circus. Keeleri Kunhikannan is a legend in the history of circus. The circus artist and coaches from Thalassery are very much in demand. There is also a proposal to start a circus school, which will give employment opportunity for many persons. This could serve as recruitment ground for circus companies. There is also scope for earning foreign exchange as the circuses are very popular in other countries. The cultural exchange programme with Russian performers by Jumbo Circus was well-received.

Mambally Bakery, the first bakery in the state of Kerala, was founded in Thalassery. Rajya Samacharam, the first Malayalam newspaper, was published from Thalassery.