Kolkata Travel Guide

Facts

Name: Kolkata (Calcutta)
Area: 205 sq. km. (79.15 sq. mi.)
Population: 4,500,000
Language: Bengali, English, Hindi
State: West Bengal
Currency: Rupee
Time Zone: UTC+5:30 (IST)
Religions and Beliefs: Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism

Located on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River - a tributary of the Ganges River, Kolkata is the capital of the Indian state, West Bengal, home to the famous poet Tagore. As India’s third-largest metropolis, second to Mumbai and Delhi, Kolkata owns the largest port of eastern India, mainly exporting jute, making it India’s largest Hemp Spinning center. Once colonized by Britain, Kolkata preserves a large number of Victorian-, Gothic-, and Baroque-style buildings, so named as the “Palace City”. Victoria Memorial is the most-visited spot in Kolkata travel, where visitors can see a museum showing the history of the city. Known for its literary and artistic heritages, Kolkata is also the cultural center of India and the birthplace of modern Indian literature and artistic thoughts.

Best Places to Visit

1. Victoria Memorial
2. Mother House
3. Howrah Bridge
4. Fort William
5. Dalhousie Square
6. Writer’s Building
7. Old Court House Street
8. Jain Temple
9. Indian Museum
10. St. Paul’s Cathedral

The architectural and literary legacies make Kolkata one of the most enchanting cities in southern India; 4-5 days are enough for Kolkata travel’s highlights. Victoria Memorial is a white marble palace to commemorate 25 years of Queen Victoria’s reign in India. Tourists can appreciate a myriad of sculptures in Victoria Memorial Garden and remarkable collections of paintings, textiles, artefacts, stamps and more in its galleries. Mother House is a religious congregation, caring for distressed women and abandoned children. Howrah Bridge, the world’s longest cantilever bridge, embellishes the night-view of the city. Also do not miss Fort William and Indian Museum.

Best Time to Visit Kolkata: October to February

With a tropical climate, the months from October to February is the best time for Kolkata travel when the mean temperature ranges from 14℃-29℃ (57.2-84.2℉). However, as the lowest temperature at night falls to 5℃ (41℉), it’s better to carry the light sweaters with you. In midsummer (May to July), it’s very scorching and humid, and the maximum temperature often exceeds 40℃ (104℉), which should be absolutely avoided! August and September bring more than half of the annual rainfall to the city, up to 1,582 mm, when the temperature drops to 27℃-35℃ (80.6-95℉).

Ranking List of Kolkata Food

1. Macher Jhol
2. Kosha Mangsho
3. Phuchka

Kolkata is well-known for Bengali cuisine, most of which are based on rice and fish. Macher Jhol is a traditional spicy fish curry made with potatoes and tomatoes, usually seasoned with garlic and grated ginger. Kosha Mangsho is a curry made of mutton, tomatoes and many other vegetables, sprinkled with different spices. You can taste it with paranthas or steamed rice. The ball-shaped Phuchka is one of the best street food in Kolkata, filled with a mixture of flavored water, spicy masala and chutney, potatoes, and onions. Besides, Luchi, a flat-bread, and Jhalmuri, the puffed rice are also worth trying!

Best Restaurants in Kolkata

1. Barbeque Nation Salt Lake: K1, RDB Boulevard, Sector 5, Salt Lake Ground Floor, Kolkata
Very good for non-vegetarian foodies, it serves authentic Indian, Asian and Halal dishes and varieties of barbecue including veg & non-veg kebabs like corn, chicken wings…

2. Dum Pukht: JBS Haldane Avenue ITC Sonar, Sheraton Hotel & Tower, Kolkata
The restaurant offers the view of chefs preparing dishes, which can greatly excite guests’ appetite. Kakori Kabab and Dum Pukht Biryani are the most popular.

3. Grand Market Pavilion: 1 Jbs Haldane Avenue, Kolkata
This vegetarian-friendly restaurant designates areas for Asian, international and Indian cuisines, including dim sums, freshly made kebabs and salads. Don’t miss out on Biryani!

Where to Stay in Kolkata - 65 % People Choose Park Street

1. Park Street: 65%
2. South Dum Dum: 21%
3. Ballygunge: 10%

The best area to stay in Kolkata is Park Street, very close to Kolkata’s largest garden, Maidan Park. The area also stands Victoria Memorial, William Fort as well as Indian Museum, and tourists can find lots of boutique hotels offering a serene green space. Kolkata Airport is located in South Dumdum, which makes it one of the most popular places to stay. Many mid-range and top-end hotels gather here, such as The Sonnet. As one of the two wealthiest districts of Kolkata, Ballygunge is naturally selected as a popular neighborhood, where the traffic is well-developed and places of entertainment are concentrated.

Transportation in Kolkata

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport (CCU) is located in Dum Dum, about 18km (11 mi) northeast of the downtown area. The airport connects Kolkata to Asian and European cities like Hong Kong and London, and all the major India’s cities such as Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, taking about 2h 10 min, 2h 45 min, and 2 hours. There are two major train stations in Kolkata, Howrah Junction Railway Station (HWH) and Sealdah Railway Station (SDAH), respectively 4.2km (2.6 miles) and 800m (0.5 mile) from the city center.

Kolkata’s metros run every 5-12 min from 7:00 am to 11:45 pm, costing ₹4-₹12. Taxis are the most comfortable way for Kolkata travel, whose base fare is ₹25 and then ₹12 for extra every kilometer. As a seaport city, the ferry is also a popular transport, especially crossing the Hooghly River, which is faster and cozier than ground vehicles. The ferries depart every 10 to 15 minutes from Howrah to piers in central Kolkata.

Top Shopping Markets

1. New Market: Lindsay Street at Free School Street, Kolkata
As one of the oldest shopping areas in Kolkata, it’s a shopper’s paradise where one can find a wide range of products including shoes, sarees, exotic flowers, and rare cheese.

2. Gariahat Market: 212 Rash Behari Avenue Gariahat Crossing, Kolkata
Spreading along a long stretch of the road, Gariahat Market is lined with a myriad of shops featuring huge varieties of clothes, jewelry and electronic items.

3. Hatibagan Market: Galiff Street, Kolkata, West Bengal
Filled with numerous small stalls and cinema halls, the market is extremely busy, where tourists can select fashionable wears, especially the best silk sarees, and cotton products.