Kolkata

Airport transfer to Park Street area(1 hour)

Pre-paid taxi from arrivals (INR 350-500). Ola/Uber INR 250-400

Irani chai and bun maska at Indian Coffee House(45 minutes)

Legendary coffeehouse since 1942 on Bankim Chatterjee Street — filter coffee INR 30 in the hall where intellectuals have debated for decades

Park Street food crawl(2.5 hours)

Flurys (1927) for pastries and English breakfast (INR 400-600), Peter Cat for chelo kebab (INR 550), Mocambo for Continental. The most concentrated strip of heritage restaurants in India

Victoria Memorial(2.5 hours)

White marble hall with 64 acres of gardens. Entry INR 500 foreigners, INR 30 Indians. Museum Tue-Sun 10 AM-5 PM. The gallery of Raj-era paintings is outstanding

St. Paul's Cathedral(45 minutes)

Gothic Revival cathedral (1847) adjacent to Victoria Memorial. Free entry. Stained glass and memorial plaques. Peaceful interior

Lunch at 6 Ballygunge Place(1.5 hours)

Full Bengali thali — fish courses, shukto, dal, chutney, payesh (INR 450-600). One of Kolkata's best Bengali dining experiences

Howrah Bridge at sunset(1 hour)

Walk across the cantilever bridge over the Hooghly (15 min). No nuts or bolts — entirely riveted. Best from Mallick Ghat side for photography

Evening at Prinsep Ghat(45 minutes)

Palladian riverside pavilion. Popular evening hangout. Boat rides on the Hooghly (INR 50-100)

Kumartuli (Potter's Quarter)(1.5 hours)

Watch artisans sculpt Durga idols from river clay — 300+ year tradition. Free to wander. Best Sep-Oct when production peaks. Ask before photographing. Metro: Sovabazar

College Street and Coffee House(1.5 hours)

The world's largest secondhand book market. Miles of stalls selling everything from rare editions to cheap paperbacks. Presidency University's Coffee House nearby

Indian Museum(2 hours)

Asia's oldest museum (1814) — Egyptian mummy room, Gandhara Buddhist sculptures, 35 galleries. Entry INR 500 foreigners, INR 75 Indians. Tue-Sun 10 AM-5 PM

Lunch kathi roll at Nizam's(30 minutes)

The birthplace of the kathi roll (1930s) — paratha wrapped around kebab. INR 80-150. Near New Market

New Market (Sir Stuart Hogg Market)(1.5 hours)

Victorian market hall — leather goods, fabrics, cheese, and cold cuts. Bargain hard. The old fish and meat section is atmospheric

Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity HQ(1 hour)

Mother House on AJC Bose Road — her tomb, museum, and the room where she lived. Free entry. Open 8 AM-12 PM, 3-6 PM. Closed Thursdays

Kalighat Kali Temple(1 hour)

One of the 51 Shakti Peethas — extremely sacred to Hindus. Free entry but chaotic. Avoid touts — go directly to the main entrance. Animal sacrifices happen (not for sensitive visitors). Remove shoes

Lunch at Oh! Calcutta(1.5 hours)

Refined Bengali cuisine — daab chingri (prawns in coconut), bhetki paturi (fish in banana leaf). INR 800-1,200 for two

Kolkata tram ride(1 hour)

India's only surviving tram network since 1902. Route 5 or 25 through the old city. INR 10-20. Slow, creaky, charming

Phuchka and jhalmuri at Vivekananda Park(30 minutes)

Kolkata's version of pani puri — spicier and tangier. INR 30. Jhalmuri (puffed rice snack) INR 20. Southern Avenue area

Rabindra Sarovar lake walk(1 hour)

Peaceful lake surrounded by trees — joggers, rowing clubs, and Tagore's spirit. Free entry 5 AM-5 PM. Near Dhakuria

Mishti doi and sandesh at Balaram Mullick & Radharaman Mullick(45 minutes)

Kolkata's finest sweet shop since 1885. Sandesh (INR 30-50/piece), rosogolla, mishti doi (INR 40). Bhowanipore branch

Lunch at Bhojohori Manna(1.5 hours)

Bengali home cooking — ilish maach (hilsa fish), kosha mangsho (mutton curry). INR 400-700 for two. Multiple branches

Evening: Hooghly river ferry ride(45 minutes)

INR 10-20 from Princep Ghat to Belur Math jetty. Sunset on the river with Howrah Bridge views

Mallick Ghat Flower Market at dawn(1.5 hours)

Start at 5 AM — thousands of flowers traded under Howrah Bridge. Marigolds, tuberoses, and roses in overwhelming quantities. Photography paradise. Free

Ferry to Belur Math(30 minutes)

Headquarters of the Ramakrishna Mission founded by Swami Vivekananda. Stunning architecture blending Hindu, Christian, and Islamic elements. Free. Open 6:30 AM-12 PM, 3:30-8:30 PM

Belur Math exploration(1.5 hours)

The main temple, museum of Ramakrishna and Vivekananda, and serene river-facing gardens

Dakshineswar Kali Temple(1 hour)

19th-century temple complex on the Hooghly where Ramakrishna had his spiritual experiences. Free. 4 km north of Belur Math by auto (INR 50)

Lunch and sweets at KC Das(1 hour)

The family that invented the rosogolla in 1868. Their Esplanade shop is the original. Rosogolla INR 25/piece, Bengali thali INR 300-500

Last sandesh boxes from Balaram Mullick(30 minutes)

Gift boxes INR 200-500. They last 2-3 days unrefrigerated

Final kathi roll at Nizam's or Kusum(30 minutes)

One for the road. Kusum at Park Circus is the other legendary option (INR 80-150)

Transfer to CCU airport(1 hour)

Pre-paid taxi INR 350-500. Allow 2 hours before domestic flights

Airport transfer(1 hour)

Pre-paid taxi INR 350-500. Ola/Uber INR 250-400

Indian Coffee House(45 minutes)

Filter coffee INR 30 in the legendary debate hall since 1942

Park Street food crawl(2.5 hours)

Flurys, Peter Cat chelo kebab, Mocambo

Victoria Memorial(2.5 hours)

INR 500 foreigners. Tue-Sun 10 AM-5 PM

St. Paul's Cathedral(45 minutes)

Gothic Revival. Free

Lunch at 6 Ballygunge Place(1.5 hours)

Bengali thali INR 450-600

Kumartuli(1.5 hours)

Clay idol sculptors. Free

Indian Museum(2 hours)

INR 500 foreigners

Kathi roll at Nizam's(30 minutes)

INR 80-150

Mother Teresa's Mother House(1 hour)

Free. Closed Thursdays

Kalighat Kali Temple(1 hour)

One of 51 Shakti Peethas. Free

Lunch at Oh! Calcutta(1.5 hours)

INR 800-1,200 for two

Tram ride(1 hour)

Route 5 or 25. INR 10-20

Sweets at Balaram Mullick(45 minutes)

Sandesh INR 30-50, mishti doi INR 40

Lunch at Bhojohori Manna(1.5 hours)

Ilish maach, kosha mangsho. INR 400-700 for two

Hooghly ferry ride(45 minutes)

INR 10-20

Mallick Ghat Flower Market at dawn(1.5 hours)

Start 5 AM. Photography paradise. Free

Belur Math(1.5 hours)

Ramakrishna Mission HQ. Free

Dakshineswar Kali Temple(1 hour)

Auto from Belur Math INR 50

KC Das rosogolla and thali(1 hour)

Inventors of rosogolla (1868). INR 25/piece

Marble Palace(1.5 hours)

Eccentric 19th-century mansion packed with European paintings, Venetian mirrors, Egyptian statues, and a private zoo. Free but need a permit from WBTDC tourism office (get the day before). Muktaram Babu Street

Jorasanko Thakurbari (Tagore House)(1.5 hours)

Ancestral home of Rabindranath Tagore, now Rabindra Bharati University Museum. Where the Nobel laureate was born and died. Entry INR 50 foreigners. Tue-Sun 10 AM-5 PM

Lunch at Golbari, Shyambazar(1 hour)

Legendary kosha mangsho (slow-cooked mutton) — arguably the best in Kolkata. INR 200-350. Simple setting, extraordinary food

Sovabazar Rajbari (if open)(1 hour)

18th-century aristocratic mansion, one of many crumbling heritage homes in North Kolkata. Check opening status — some allow visits by request

Evening at Eco Park(2 hours)

480-acre urban park in New Town with replicas of Seven Wonders, boating lake, and cycling tracks. Entry INR 30. Bicycle rental INR 60/hour

Bengali cooking class(3.5 hours)

Learn machher jhol (fish curry), aloo posto (potato-poppy seeds), and payesh (rice pudding). Book via Airbnb Experiences or Calcutta Walks (INR 1,500-2,500). Includes lunch

Tangra Chinatown(2.5 hours)

Kolkata's Chinese community has been here since the 1700s. Chinese-Indian fusion food — chili chicken, fish in black bean sauce. Kim Ling and Beijing restaurants are best (INR 300-600 for two). Visit the Buddhist temple

Evening at Nicco Park(2 hours)

Kolkata's amusement park — rides, games, and snacks. Entry + rides INR 300-500. Salt Lake area

Academy of Fine Arts(1.5 hours)

On the edge of Maidan — rotating exhibitions of contemporary Indian art. Nominal entry fee. Near Victoria Memorial

Lunch at Arsalan(1.5 hours)

Kolkata's most famous biryani — Lucknow-style slow-cooked with potatoes. INR 250-400 per plate. Park Circus branch

Oxford Bookstore & Cha Bar(1.5 hours)

Heritage bookshop on Park Street with an attached tea room. Browse books, sip Darjeeling first flush (INR 200-400)

Evening at Maidan(1 hour)

Asia's largest urban park — cricket, football, horse riding, and Fort William's walls. Walk from Victoria Memorial to Eden Gardens (cricket stadium)

Drive to Chandannagar(1.5 hours)

Hire car INR 2,000-2,500 for the day

Chandannagar Museum and Promenade(1.5 hours)

Former French colony until 1952. The Strand along the Hooghly has French-era lampposts and the Dupleix Palace museum. Free entry. Unique Franco-Bengali architecture

Bandel Church(1 hour)

One of the oldest Christian churches in Bengal (1599), built by Portuguese Augustinian friars. Still functioning. Free entry

Lunch at a riverside fish restaurant(1 hour)

Fresh Hooghly river fish — hilsa or bhetki fry with rice (INR 200-300)

Early drive to Sonakhali/Godkhali jetty(3 hours)

Leave Kolkata by 5 AM. Book through Help Tourism or Tour de Sundarbans (INR 3,000-5,000 per person including transport, boat, lunch)

Boat safari through mangroves(4 hours)

Navigate narrow creeks looking for Royal Bengal tigers (rare but possible), saltwater crocodiles, spotted deer, and Gangetic dolphins. The mangrove ecosystem is mesmerizing

Lunch on the boat or at a lodge(45 minutes)

Bengali fish curry, rice, and dal — usually included in the tour

Late brunch at Flurys(1 hour)

English breakfast and pastries since 1927 (INR 400-600)

South Park Street Cemetery(1 hour)

Atmospheric colonial-era cemetery (1767) with ornate Gothic and Neoclassical tombs overgrown with banyan trees. Free. Rarely visited. One of Kolkata's most hauntingly beautiful spots

Dinner at Bohemian, Park Street(1.5 hours)

Continental and Bengali fusion in a restored heritage building. Live music some evenings (INR 600-1,000 for two)

Dawn at Howrah Bridge from Mallick Ghat(1 hour)

If you missed the 5 AM flower market, this is your last chance

Breakfast at Paramount Cold Drinks(30 minutes)

College Street institution since 1918 — their sherbet and mango shake are legendary (INR 50-100)

Birla Planetarium(1 hour)

Second largest planetarium in Asia. Shows every 30 min (INR 80-150). Near Victoria Memorial

Final sweets shopping at Balaram Mullick(30 minutes)

Gift boxes of sandesh and rosogolla

Farewell dinner at Peter Cat(1.5 hours)

Chelo kebab and cold beer on Park Street — the quintessential Kolkata dining experience

Transfer to CCU airport(1 hour)

Pre-paid taxi INR 350-500

Airport transfer(1 hour)

Pre-paid taxi INR 350-500

Indian Coffee House(45 minutes)

Filter coffee INR 30 since 1942

Park Street food crawl(2.5 hours)

Flurys, Peter Cat, Mocambo

Victoria Memorial(2.5 hours)

INR 500 foreigners

Indian Museum(2 hours)

INR 500 foreigners

Mallick Ghat Flower Market(1.5 hours)

5 AM start

Marble Palace(1.5 hours)

Free but need WBTDC permit

Jorasanko Thakurbari(1.5 hours)

INR 50 foreigners

Lunch at Golbari(1 hour)

Best kosha mangsho in Kolkata. INR 200-350

Eco Park(2 hours)

INR 30 entry. Cycling INR 60/hour

Bengali cooking class(3.5 hours)

Machher jhol, aloo posto, payesh. INR 1,500-2,500

Tangra Chinatown(2.5 hours)

Kim Ling, Beijing restaurants. INR 300-600 for two

Lunch at Arsalan(1.5 hours)

Famous biryani. INR 250-400

South Park Street Cemetery(1 hour)

Colonial-era cemetery (1767). Hauntingly beautiful. Free

Afternoon at Birla Planetarium(1 hour)

INR 80-150

Chandannagar Museum and Strand(1.5 hours)

Former French colony. Free

Bandel Church(1 hour)

Portuguese Augustinian church (1599). Free

Riverside fish lunch(1 hour)

Hilsa or bhetki fry. INR 200-300

Drive to Godkhali jetty(3 hours)

Leave 5 AM. Book via Help Tourism (INR 3,000-5,000 per person all-inclusive)

Mangrove boat safari(4 hours)

Look for Royal Bengal tigers, saltwater crocodiles, spotted deer, dolphins

Train from Howrah to Bolpur(2.5 hours)

Shantiniketan Express or Kaviguru Express. INR 150-400. Book on irctc.co.in

Auto-rickshaw to Shantiniketan(15 minutes)

INR 30-50 from Bolpur station

Check into guesthouse(30 minutes)

Camellia Hotel or Shantiniketan Guest House (INR 1,000-2,500/night)

Visva-Bharati University campus walk(2 hours)

Tagore's open-air university — classes under trees, art galleries, and the poet's house (Uttarayan complex). Entry INR 20 Indians, INR 100 foreigners

Sunset at Kopai River(1 hour)

Sandy riverbed where Tagore walked. Peaceful and beautiful

Kala Bhavan (Art School) visit(1.5 hours)

Tagore's art school — gallery of Nandalal Bose, Ramkinkar Baij sculptures, and contemporary student work. One of India's finest art institutions

Amar Kutir handicraft center(1 hour)

Kantha embroidery, batik printing, and leather work by local artisans. Buy directly from makers (INR 200-2,000)

Sonajhuri Saturday haat (if Saturday)(1.5 hours)

Tribal market under a grove of trees — Santhal tribal jewelry, handwoven textiles, and baul folk music performances. INR 50-500 for souvenirs

Lunch at local Bengali restaurant(1 hour)

Simple fish-rice thali at a Bolpur eatery (INR 100-200)

Ballavpur Wildlife Sanctuary walk(1.5 hours)

Small deer park and forest adjacent to the university. Spotted deer, peacocks. Entry INR 20. Peaceful afternoon walk

Drive from Shantiniketan to Bishnupur(3 hours)

Hire car for the day (INR 3,000-4,000)

Rasmancha and terracotta temples(2.5 hours)

Rasmancha (oldest brick temple, 1600), Jor Bangla (twin-roofed), Shyam Rai (finest terracotta panels). Combined entry INR 300 foreigners. The Ramayana and Krishna scenes carved in clay are extraordinary

Bishnupur baluchari sari shopping(45 minutes)

Famous silk saris with mythological scenes woven in (INR 2,000-15,000). Buy from the weaver cooperative

Light lunch at Cafe Mezzuna, Park Street(1.5 hours)

Italian comfort food for a cuisine change (INR 500-800 for two)

Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Botanical Garden(2.5 hours)

109-hectare garden famous for the 250-year-old Great Banyan Tree (world's widest canopy, covering 14,500 sq m). Entry INR 100 foreigners. Open 10 AM-5 PM. Allow time to reach the Banyan section

Howrah station exploration(45 minutes)

India's busiest railway station — 23 platforms of organized chaos. Just stand on the overbridge and absorb it

Lunch at a Howrah biryani shop(1 hour)

Aminia near Howrah station — Kolkata-style biryani with potato and egg (INR 200-300)

Morning at Rabindra Sadan area(1.5 hours)

Check for any cultural performances or exhibitions. This area is Kolkata's performing arts hub

Baul music experience(2 hours)

Book through Calcutta Walks or local operators — visit a Baul ashram on the outskirts or catch a Baul performance at a cultural center. The ektara music and philosophical songs are mesmerizing

Lunch at Saptapadi, Gariahat(1.5 hours)

Bengali vegetarian fine dining — rare in a city obsessed with fish (INR 300-500 for two)

Gariahat Market(1.5 hours)

Kolkata's best street market for Banarasi saris, Kolkata cottons, and jewelry at local prices. Bargain aggressively

Paramount sherbet at College Street(30 minutes)

Since 1918. Mango or orange sherbet (INR 50)

Last sunset walk along Marine Drive (Kolkata)(1 hour)

Yes, Kolkata has its own Marine Drive — the Strand Road promenade near Eden Gardens

Farewell dinner at Peter Cat(1.5 hours)

Chelo kebab and cold beer on Park Street

Transfer to CCU airport(1 hour)

Pre-paid taxi INR 350-500