Kolkata, once the grand old Calcutta, stands as India’s throbbing cultural heartbeat in the east; a city where yellow Ambassador taxis honk through monsoon-soaked streets, endless adda sessions unfold over steaming chai cups, and majestic colonial ghosts mingle with the sizzle of street-side phuchka stalls. Nicknamed the “City of Joy,” Kolkata pulses with raw energy, poetic melancholy, and a love for life that’s as unfiltered as its famous Rosogollas.
From the engineering marvel of Howrah Bridge to the spiritual serenity of Belur Math, it weaves a tapestry of faith, art, literature, and unapologetic chaos that hooks you like a soulful Rabindra Sangeet melody. For every Indian traveller, Kolkata isn’t just a stop-over, it’s a sensory feast of yellow taxis, nostalgic trams, Durga idols, and heart-to-heart conversations with strangers.
How to Reach Kolkata
By Air: Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport (CCU) is a major hub, with direct flights from Delhi (2 hours), Mumbai (2.5 hours), Bangalore (2.5 hours), and international spots like Bangkok or Dubai. The swanky airport metro connects you to the heart of the city in under an hour; grab an AC cab or Uber for the final leg if you’re laden with pethas from Agra on your way over.
By Rail: Legends like Howrah and Sealdah stations welcome you with open platforms. Hop on the Duronto Express from Delhi (18 hours) or Rajdhani from Mumbai (26 hours); the pre-dawn arrival under Howrah Bridge is cinematic, with flower vendors already bustling below.
By Road: NH16 links Kolkata smoothly to Bhubaneswar (6 hours), Puri (8 hours), or even Siliguri for Darjeeling detours (10 hours). Luxury Volvo buses from Odisha or Jharkhand make it comfy. If you are opting for a self-driver, your love of the coastal views enroute will be duly fulfilled.
Once here, trams (₹10 nostalgic rides), yellow metered taxis, ferries across the Hooghly, and the shiny East-West Metro line beat peak-hour snarls every time.
Best Time to Visit
October to March reigns supreme as balmy 20-30°C days are perfect for pandal-hopping and riverside walks, with crisp evenings calling for shawls and mishti doi. Durga Puja (September-October) transforms the city into a UNESCO-recognised pandal wonderland where Kali Puja adds Diwali sparkle, while Christmas lights up Park Street. Summers swelter at 40°C+, but monsoons (June-September) bring poetic downpours, flooded streets, and lush Howrah blooms, which is ideal for exploring indoor museums if you don’t mind the humidity.
Best Places to Stay at in Kolkata
- Taj Bengal or The Oberoi Grand on Chowringhee, opulent colonial luxury, a stone’s throw from Victoria Memorial and Maidan.
- ITC Royal Bengal near the airport suits flyers, with quick access to New Town’s malls and Eco Park.
- Mid-range havens like The Astoria or Peerless Inn near Park Street are at a walkable distance to New Market and trams.
- Budget delights such as Hotel Casa Fort on Sudder Street or charming Airbnbs in Alipore offer adda vibes near Indian Museum and Kalighat. Theater Road homestays immerse you in intellectual buzz.
Must-Visit Spots: Top Places to Visit in Kolkata
Start with the pristine Victoria Memorial, a 1921 white-marble ode to Queen Victoria blending Indo-Saracenic grandeur. Wander its 64-acre gardens (picnic heaven), explore 25 galleries packed with Raj-era paintings, Gandhi artifacts, and Tagore manuscripts. Here sunset silhouettes against the dome are pure poetry.
No trip skips the colossal Howrah Bridge (Rabindra Setu), a 1943 cantilever icon spanning the Hooghly and also the world’s busiest bridge, handling 3 lakh vehicles and 1 lakh pedestrians daily. Dawn flower markets (mullick ghat) buzz with marigolds, evening strolls capture neon reflections like a living postcard.
Seek divinity at Dakshineswar Kali Temple (1855), a nine-spired riverside marvel where Ramakrishna meditated. Chant amid vibrant crowds, climb for Hooghly panoramas. Just across, Belur Math, Swami Vivekananda’s universal shrine, fuses Hindu spires, Gothic arches, and Buddhist domes in serene harmony. The dusk aarti with Ganges chants is transcendent.
Asia’s oldest Indian Museum (1814) dazzles with Egyptian mummies, Gandhara Buddhas, meteorites, and Kolkata’s fossil collection.
Local Travel, Festivities, and a 4-Day Itinerary
Yellow taxis (insist on meters), cycle-rickshaws for alleys, and Hooghly ferries (₹5 magic) make navigation fun. Metro’s AC bliss skips traffic.
4-Day Itinerary Sample
Day 1: Howrah sunrise, Victoria Memorial, Maidan kite-flying, Park Street kathi rolls. Day 2: Indian Museum, tram to New Market (shop saris, sweets), Prinsep Ghat sunset. Day 3: Ferry to Dakshineswar-Belur Math, evening at Eden Gardens (cricket vibes).
Day 4: Kumartuli potters, Kalighat Temple, South City Mall binge.
Festive Musts: Durga Puja pandal-hopping and art rivaling global fests are a must experience events. Poush Mela (December) at Belur Math with folk tunes and Boita Bandana boat races (Kartik Purnima) are the other must-experience activities.
What to Do in Kolkata and What to Eat
Hooghly boating, Coffee House adda, Jorasanko Tagore House poetry recitals, Kumartuli idol-making workshops, pick and choose what suits your mood best.
Street eats: Nizam’s kathi rolls, Dhakeswari phuchka, Balaram Mullick’s sandesh.
OЫeat Gems and Exploration Detours
Ditch crowds for Prinsep Memorial (romantic Hooghly sunsets with Tagore quotes), Marble Palace (1835 zamindar opulence, roaming peacocks), or Mother House (Mother Teresa’s humble tomb and museum). Sovabazar Rajbaris host intimate Durga Puja and Mullick Ghat’s flower auctions the dawn alive.
Detours: Sundarbans (2-3 hours south); tiger safaris, mangrove cruises, chilling Hidlur backwaters. Digha Beach (4 hours) for sea vibes, Shantiniketan (4 hours north) for Tagore’s baul singers and artsy ashrams. Extend to Mandarmani for quiet sands.
To Conclude
Kolkata’s soul lies in its raw poetry, bustling streets, art, and custure. It lies in Victoria Memorial’s Raj elegance kissing Howrah’s labour hustle and Kali’s fierce grace in Belur’s
unity. Here, yellow cabs splash puddles, aunties haggle for ilish maach, poets debate at Indian Coffee House. Come for the icons, stay for the stories because you just don’t visit this city; this city reshapes your heart forever.
By: Anushka Singhal
