Excursions

Spread over 57 acres of land, housing 21 lush green gardens, 28,394 artefacts, and 3,900 artistic paintings, the Victoria memorial is one of the best and romantic places to visit in Kolkata. Built in the memory of Queen Victoria, this white marble beauty is a host to 20 lakhs of annual visitors.

Location: Victoria Memorial Hall, 1, Queen’s Way, Kolkata Timings: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Situated on the eastern banks of the Hooghly river, Fort Williams is a huge building from the colonial era that has served multiple purposes to date. It is one of the few Kolkata points of interest which is a must-visit place during your Kolkata sightseeing tour. Known as the ‘black hole of Calcutta’, this place was once a temporary jail where prisoners were hauled, but now it serves as the headquarters of the Eastern Command.

Location: Fort William, Hastings, Kolkata Timings: 10:00 am to 5:30 pm

A Kolkata sightseeing tour is truly incomplete without visiting the ‘Harbour Bridge of India’, the Howrah Bridge.Titled as the ‘oldest but the busiest’ place in Kolkata, the Howrah Bridge was built over the Hooghly river to ensure connectivity between the two major cities of Kolkata and Howrah. It is among the best places to visit in Kolkata in the evening where you can hang out with your friends and gaze out at the lit bridge sparkling in the dark.

Location: Jagannath Ghat, 1, Strand Road, Kolkata

A spectacular show on the banks of the river Ganges (Hooghly) where priests offer prayers to the mother river in the evening wearing traditional clothes while melodious devotional chants are played. Spectators and devotees alike can sit and watch.

Location: Babughat, Timings: 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm (daily)

Previously known as Dhakuria Lake, Rabindra Sarovar is an artificial lake in Kolkata. It is one of the best places to visit in Kolkata if you are looking for a quiet, and peaceful time. Every morning one would find numerous people jogging, or walking along the shores of the lake. It is also a perfect spot for nature admirers who wish to get close to the beauty of nature.

Location: Southern Avenue, Golpark, Tollygunge, Dhakuria, Lake Gardens, Kolkata

The Alipore Zoo is also sometimes called the Calcutta Zoo or the Zoological Garden of Alipore. It is India’s oldest ever zoological park and surely one of the best places to visit in South Kolkata. Attracting wildlife enthusiasts and nature lovers from all over the country, it is immensely popular for once being the home of the ‘Adwaita’, the 250-year old Aldabra giant tortoise that had died in 2006. The many exotic animals living here include the Royal Bengal Tigers, white tigers, Asian elephants, one-horned rhinoceros, zebras, antelopes, and deer. Apart from these animals, the park is also home to bird species like Macaws, Swinhoe’s Pheasant, Lorikeets, Lady Amherst’s Pheasants, Ostriches, Emus, Hornbills, and even the Sarus Cranes that migrate here during winters. A sheer delight for families travelling to Kolkata, this park and its numerous wild animals always manage to bring a smile on the faces of youngsters and children.

Location: Belvedere Road, Lake Place, Alipore, Kolkata Timings: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm (closed on Thursday)

Located in the Dakshineswar town of Kolkata, the Dakshineswar Kali Temple is a popular pilgrimage site dedicated to Goddess Kali. It is one of the must-visit places to visit in Kolkata in one day as one cannot afford to miss out on this architectural masterpiece which is also considered one of the holiest places in the city. It is also surrounded by some of the best cafes in Kolkata.

Location: Dakshineswar, Kolkata Timings: 6:00 am to 12:30 pm and3:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Seek blessings from Goddess Kali during your trip to Kolkata when you visit the mystical Kali Temple. It is one of the best places to visit in Kolkata to get familiar with the culture, traditions, and religious beliefs of the people of this beautiful city.

Location: Anami Sangha, Kalighat, Kolkata Timings: 5:00 am to 2:00 pm, and 5:00 pm to 10:30 pm

Known for its Gothic style of architecture, St. Paul’s Cathedral is the largest cathedral in Kolkata. Resembling closely to Norwich Cathedral, St Paul’s Cathedral is also one of the best places to visit in Kolkata for people seeking a religious tour.

Location: Maidan, Kolkata Timings: 9:00 am to 12:00 pm and 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm

Park Street is a street in Kolkata that is well-known for shopping. From food to traditional saris, there’s no dearth of things to buy in Kolkata. Some of the most awesome things to buy in Kolkata include Dokra and paper mâché masks. The best time to visit this street is around Christmas to witness the beautiful decorations.

Location: Central Kolkata, Kolkata District, West Bengal.Timings: 8:00 am to 9:00 pm

The New Market is one of the most renowned and oldest markets in Kolkata. It has more than 2,000 shopping stalls selling all kinds of items. If you want to buy sarees for your loved one, then this is the market where you will find a wide range of varieties, including the famed Jamdani, Tant, Tasar Silk and of course all from across India. If you are there in the evening, don’t miss the handcrafted jewelry and handbags. However, you have to hone up your bargaining skills to get a better deal. If you fall short of calories, New Market is a perfect place for a gastronomic ride.

Location: Lindsay Street What To Buy: You can buy clothes, jewelry, bags, and household items Timings: Monday to Friday from 10 am to 8 pm

Burra Bazar is known for its vast collection of ethnic wear such as sarees, lehengas, salwar suits, etc. You will also find many vendors selling exquisite imitation jewelry at the most affordable prices. If you have an upcoming wedding in the family, hit the streets of Bara Bazar right now.

Location: Barabazar Market, Kolkata Nearest Metro Station: M.G. Road Key Attractions: Ethnic wear, household essentials, spices, festive decorations, puja items

India's largest urban park is spread over 480 acres (190 hectares) and is near the WCES-IAGES Convention Centre. It has an island within, surrounded by a huge water body with boating facilities. The park has wetlands, grasslands, deciduous forest, urban forest, theme gardens, open spaces, replicas of the seven wonders of the world, urban recreational spaces, restaurants, a sweets hub, crafts centres, and lots more to entertain the visitors.

Location: Major Arterial Road, Kolkata Timings: Tuesday to Sunday from 11:30 am to 07:30 pm

The tour to Kolkata is uncomplete without a visit to the largest Museum in the country- Indian Museum. Presently, the museum has 35 galleries which have been divided into six categories namely Art, Archaeology, Anthropology, Geology, Zoology and Economic Botany. The Museum has the finest collection of contemporary paintings, sacred relics of Buddha, Egyptian mummies and ancient sculptures.

Location: Jawaharlal Nehru Rd, Dharmatala, Taltala, Kolkata. Timings: Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm Closed on: Monday

Located in a one hour drive from the venue Biswa Bangla Convention Centre, Science City is one of its kind in the country. It is one of the finest and the largest science museums in the world and provides a fun way of learning science. The science city is a perfect blend of education with fun. There is a special section dedicated to the aquatic world wherein you can learn every minute detail about the various fishes and insects in the aquatic world.

Location: JBS Haldane Ave, Mirania Gardens, Kolkata. Timings: 10:00 am to 7:00 pm

Located in the total area of 273 acres that is located in Shibpur, Howrah, near Kolkata. The gardens were established in the year 1787 and were commonly known as the Company Garden in that time. It is presently under the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) of Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India.

Location: Shibpur, Howrah, West Bengal Timings: Tuesday to Sunday from 05:30 am to 04:00 pm Closed on: Monday

Located in a one hour drive from the venue Biswa Bangla Convention Centre, Science City is one of its kind in the country. It is one of the finest and the largest science museums in the world and provides a fun way of learning science. The science city is a perfect blend of education with fun. There is a special section dedicated to the aquatic world wherein you can learn every minute detail about the various fishes and insects in the aquatic world.

Location: JBS Haldane Ave, Mirania Gardens, Kolkata. Timings: 10:00 am to 7:00 pm

Located in the total area of 273 acres that is located in Shibpur, Howrah, near Kolkata. The gardens were established in the year 1787 and were commonly known as the Company Garden in that time. It is presently under the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) of Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India.

Location: Shibpur, Howrah, West Bengal Timings: Tuesday to Sunday from 05:30 am to 04:00 pm Closed on: Monday

Known for its variety of street food, Kolkata is a heaven for street food lovers not only in India but from across the world. Starting with the famous “Puckha” (cousin of Pani puri), Egg roll, Moghlai Paratha, Bhel Puri, Samosa, Kachori- you name it, Kolkata have it. And the best part, you need not go to a particular place, just a few minutes away from your house, wherever you live. However, some of the well known places for street foods are Vivekananda Park, Park Street, China Town, Burra Bazar, College Street among the others

One of the top things I wanted to do while in the amazing city of Kolkata, was visit Mallick Ghat flower market. As one of the biggest flower markets in the whole of India; it’s a wonderful array of colours, sights, smells and sounds.

The place is famous for its expertise with sculpting Indian Gods and Goddesses out of clay for different festivals in West Bengal throughout the year. They also export their idols to other countries and communities. The name of the famous street with the idol merchants is known as Banamali Sarkar Street.

Binoy-Badal-Dinesh Bagh, shortened as B. B. D. Bagh, formerly called Tank Square and then Dalhousie Square is the administrative, financial and commercial region and one of the central business districts of Kolkata, capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the seat of Government of West Bengal and houses all three branches of it.

The area consists Writers' Building, the official state secretariat building, Raj Bhavan, the residence of Governor of West Bengal, Vidhansabha Bhavan, the building housing the West Bengal Legislative Assembly and also the Calcutta High Court.

Bow Barracks is one of the attractions of the city of Joy. Constructed in the British era, Bow Barracks is a small locality in central Kolkata, just behind Bowbazar Police Station, which was a garrison's mess built for the army during World War I. Eighty percent of the families that live here are Anglo-Indians.

The rows of red-brick buildings (each floor houses about two to four Anglo families) are a characteristic feature of Bow Barracks that almost take you back in time.