Kolkata, previously often associated with poverty, is commonly overlooked by tourists when visiting India. However, this friendly, intellectual, and vibrant city has reinvented itself. It’s full of history and culture, with many faded remnants of the British Raj. Kolkata is a city that requires immersion rather than quick sightseeing to really get a feel for, and appreciate it. Start with these famous places to visit in Kolkata. One of the best ways to discover them is on a Kolkata walking tour.
Places to Visit
Victoria Memorial
Victoria Memorial is an imposing white building that was completed in 1921 and currently serves as a museum. Named after Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, it houses a collection from the British Colonial period, including a number of impressive paintings, sculptures, and books. A sound and light show is held there in the evenings. It details the 300-year Raj-era from the arrival of the British in Kolkata to the day of Independence.
Howrah Bridge
Opened to traffic in 1943, the Howrah Bridge (officially called Rabindra Setu, after renowned Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore) crosses the Hooghly River to link Kolkata with its twin city of Howrah on the other side. The bridge has a single span without any pylons connecting it to the river bed, and it’s one of the longest bridges of its type in the world. Approximately 150,000 vehicles and 4,000,000 pedestrians use the bridge each day. To get a feel for why it’s said to be the busiest bridge in the world, you really must walk across it!
New Market
One of the top places to go for shopping in Kolkata, New Market is an historic bargain hunter’s paradise. Kolkata’s oldest and most well-known market, it was built by the British in 1874. This sprawling maze of more than 2,000 stalls, all grouped together according to the type of goods sold, offers almost everything imaginable.
Park Street
Possibly Kolkata’s most famous street, Park Street (formally renamed as Mother Teresa Sarani) is renowned for its entertainment, restaurants, and prominent historical landmarks including old colonial mansions. This iconic street was home to India’s first independent nightclub and has been the center of Kolkata’s nightlife since the glory days of the swinging 60s when venues overflowed with jazz, cabaret, and floor shows. Head to Mocambo, Moulin Rouge, Blue Fox and Trinca’s for a rush of nostalgia.
Mullik Ghat Flower Market
The colorful chaos of Kolkata’s flower market presents a fantastic photo opportunity. More than 125 years old, it’s east India’s largest wholesale flower market with thousands of flower sellers visiting it every day. The market is dominated by sacks overflowing with long garlands of marigolds, popularly used in Hindu devotional rituals.
Mother Teresa’s Home
Mother Teresa is highly regarded for founding the Missionaries of Charity and devoting her life to helping ill and outcast people in Kolkata. Visit the Mother House to see her tomb, the bedroom where she lived, and a small museum dedicated to showcasing her life. It displays items such as her handwritten letters, spiritual exhortations, and personal belongings including saris, sandals, and crucifix. The Mother House is a place of silence and contemplation. Many people choose to meditate there while visiting because of its serene, uplifting energy.
South Park Cemetry
Visiting a cemetery isn’t usually high on the itineraries of tourists. However, this one is worth seeing, especially if you’re interested in India’s colonial history! Established in 1767, this poignant grand old British cemetery was used up until 1830 and is now a protected heritage site. Overgrown and disheveled, its tombs are an elaborate mix of Gothic and Indo-Saracenic design and contain the bodies of many remarkable men and women from the Raj era. It’s intriguing to spend some time wandering around and reading the stories of their lives on the headstones. One of the people buried there is English trader Job Charnock, who was regarded as the founder of Kolkata.
Old Chinatown
Kolkata is the only city in India to have a Chinatown (actually it has two, Old Chinatown and newly established Tangra). Many migrants came from China in the late 18th century to work at Calcutta port. As the sun rises, the stoves are fired up and knives start chopping to produce the legendary Chinese breakfast that Old Chinatown is notorious for. Feast on fresh delicacies such as momos, dumplings, prawn crackers, pork sausages, and fish ball soup. Unfortunately, the authenticity has waned in recent years and the dirt has piled up though.
Kumartuli
The settlement of Kumartuli, meaning “potter locality” (Kumar = potter. Tuli = locality), is over 300 years old. It was formed by a bunch of potters who came to the area in search of a better livelihood. Nowadays, around 150 families live there, earning a living by sculpting idols for various festivals.
Belur Math
From the riverbank of Dakshineshwar Kali Temple, take a boat 20 minutes down the river to Belur Math. This peaceful leafy complex, set on 40 acres of land, is the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission, founded by Swami Vivekananda (a chief disciple of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa). The main shrine, dedicated to Sri Ramakrishna, has unique and distinctive architecture that combines Hindu, Buddhist, Christian, and Islamic styles.
It’s worth experiencing the evening aarti ceremony, which beings at sunset. Unfortunately, photography isn’t allowed on the premises.
Must Try Food in Kolkata
- Roshogolla at K.C. Das & Bhim Chandra Nag
- Sondesh at Nakur Nandy
- Chanachur at Ujjala
- Kosha Mangsho (mutton curry) at Golbari
- Chicken Kabiraji at Mitra Cafe
- Tibetan Food at Territi Bazaar
- Chelo Kebab at Peter Cat
- Mughlai Parotha at Basanta Cabin
- Kochuri – Torkari – Jilebi at Maharaja/Maharani
- Phuchka at Vivekananda park/ Dharamtala
- Ghugni at Dacres lane
- Macher Jhol (Fish-curry) at Bhajahori Manna
- Breads & Desserts at Flurys
- Authentic Bengali Cuisine at 6, Ballygunge Place and Kewpie’s Kitchen
- Kathi Roll at Nizam’s
How To Get Here
By Air
Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport or Kolkata Airport at Dumdum is among the busiest airports in the country in terms of overall passenger traffic. Spread across an area of 2,460 acres, the airport has all the latest facilities. There are three terminals here, namely domestic, international and cargo, and flights are available for all the major Indian and international destinations. Airlines such as Air India, IndiGo, Jet Airways, and SpiceJet have regular flights for Mumbai, Delhi, Lucknow, Agartala, Bangalore, Patna, Ranchi, Aizwal and Chennai. Those traveling to Bangkok, Singapore, Doha, Dubai, Dhaka, and Colombo can board flights operated by Emirates, Jet Airways, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, and Etihad Airways. Upon reaching the airport, travelers can opt for prepaid taxis, autos or buses to reach anywhere in the city.
By Road
One can also reach Kolkata via well-maintained national highways and other motorable roads. The buses managed by the West Bengal state allow tourists to visit this lovely city without any hassle. Besides, there are a number of private buses too that one can take from Puri (495 km) and Darjeeling (620 km) to reach Kolkata. From Darjeeling, one can take NH 34 and NH 31 route to reach here. Besides, NH 2 and NH 6 link the city with other prime Indian cities and towns.
By Train
Howrah and Sealdah railway stations are the two main railheads, serving the city of Kolkata. Both the railways stations are well linked to all the important cities in the country making it easy for travellers. From Delhi, several superfast trains like Rajdhani Express and Shatabdi Express operate.
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