Kolkata Travel Guide: Experience the Countless Charms of the City
by Indiator
The charms of Kolkata are countless including the colonial mansions, the natural beauty, the tram rides and the wonderful locals of Kolkata. The famous Durga Puja celebrations, the perfectly lit and busy ‘Park Street’ during the Christmas week and the spectacular sight of the Howrah Bridge will surely grab your attention. Also, the appetizing street food is available in every nook and corner of the city along with the masala chai available in the tea stalls.
If you are heading to travel Kolkata, then here is a quick travel guide for you.
Best time to visit Kolkata
Summers in Kolkata are unbearable, while the monsoon (mid-June to September) is so unpredictable that you cannot leave home without carrying an umbrella, as it can rain almost about anytime! Therefore, it is advisable to stop by Kolkata between the months of October to February when the temperature is pleasant and cool, and you can have an enjoyable and comfortable stay in Kolkata in those months.
Weather in Kolkata
Kolkata has a wet and dry climate where the annual mean temperature is 24.8 °C. Summers are extremely hot and humid where maximum temperatures even exceed 40 °C sometimes. The city experiences rain between the months of June and September, while winter lasts for about two and a half months starting from mid-November and continuing till January.
Famous places to stop by in Kolkata
Victoria Memorial: Mughal and British architecture inspire this structural beauty constructed of Makrana marbles, and it houses 25 galleries including the royal gallery, the sculpture gallery and the portrait gallery!
Park Street: Housing a number of famous restaurants, eat-out stalls, pubs, plush hotels, and boutiques, Park Street is a thoroughfare, which you must visit once, and yes, it is beautifully decorated in the end of December to celebrate Christmas and New Year every year.
College Street: A 1.5kms stretch of road with a number of bookstores is nothing but a haven for book lovers. In fact, College Street is the second largest second-hand book market in the world! There’s no book that you can’t find here.
Coffee House: Located in College Street itself, this 300-year-old café will give you the feeling of old Calcutta owing to its structure and décor. Stop to have a cup of coffee while having a good chat with your friends.
South Park Street Cemetery: Once one of the largest non-church Christian cemeteries outside Asia and Europe, this beautiful cemetery in Park Street is now reduced to a heritage site, which is open for visitors.
Famous Museums and Landmarks
Indian Museum: The oldest Museum in India also called the Imperial Museum at Calcutta was founded in 1814 and houses 6 sections namely Botany Section, Art Section, Anthropology Section, Geological Section, Zoological Section, and Archaeology Section.
Eden Gardens: You have to watch one cricket match in Eden Gardens at least once in your lifetime! The huge ground and the lively crowd there will blow your mind away.
Howrah Bridge: This spectacular bridge over the Hooghly river is one of the largest cantilever bridges in the world, and is a treat to the eyes!
Prominent Religious Sites
‘Calcuttans’ are extremely religious, and you’d get to see their devotion especially during the Durga Puja season. Nevertheless, here are some famous places of worship in Kolkata:
- Dakshineshwar Temple
- Belur Math
- Birla Temple
- Kalighat
- St. John’s Church
Popular Parks and Gardens in Kolkata
Kolkata has a myriad of sites meant for recreational purposes. Some of the famous ones are mentioned here:
- Princepghat
- Eco Tourism Park
- Nicco Park
- Aquatica
- Alipore Zoological Garden
Eateries in Kolkata
We will tell you about some of the items which you cannot afford to miss when you are in Kolkata. Mitra Café’s Chicken Kabiraji, K.C.Das’ Roshogollas, Nakur Nandy’s Sondesh, Ujjala’s Chanachur, Basanta Cabin’s Mughlai Parothas, Territi Bazar’s Tibetan food, Golbari’s Kosha Mangsho, Peter Cat’s Chelo Kebabs, and Vivekananda Park’s Phuchkas are dishes you must absolutely try when in Kolkata.
Kolkata’s Nightlife
Love clubbing and partying at night? Kolkata will not disappoint you. Having a plethora of bars, dance clubs, discotheques and uptown restaurants, the city has it all! You can stop by to drink and dance in ‘Roxy’ at The Park Hotel, enjoy live music at ‘Someplace Else’ again in the same hotel, book a drink at prices according to the demand at ‘Shisha Bar Stock Exchange’ in Camac Street, or dance and party the night away in ‘The Myx’ in Park Street.
You can also visit Nocturne, UG Reincarnated, Club Boudoir, Aqua, Phoenix, Tantra, Underground, and various other clubs and bars, to drink and dance the night away! Calcuttans surely know how to party hard!
Shopping in Kolkata
If you believe and excel in bargaining, Kolkata is the place for you, bro! The most popular shopping destination, where you can bargain to your heart’s will is the New Market, also called the Hogg’s Market. It is in Lindsay Street and you can find just about anything there! Another similar place, where again you can bargain, is the Gariahat Market in Rash Behari Avenue. Cheap clothes, bags, footwear, junk jewellery, you name it, and you have it there!
If you are a fan of artefacts and handicrafts, visit Dakshinapan Shopping Center in Dhakuria. Buy beautiful apparel at wholesale rates in Bara Bazar near MG Road Metro Station. For a head-to-toe ‘boho’ look, visit the popular store called ‘Sunshine’ in Sudder Street. If you are interested in shopping from high-end brands, stop by Forum Mall, Quest Mall, South City Mall or Mani Square Mall.
Now, you know about the city make sure you swing by Kolkata at least once in your life. The oh-so-friendly people there, the sweet dishes that are freshly prepared every day, the ‘puchka’ or pani-puri as you know it, the vibrant night life, the peaceful parks, museums and palaces, the plays at theatres, and so much more, you just cannot afford to miss visiting this place.
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