The thought behind creating a 5-day itinerary shaped because of a visit from friends in Bangalore. As someone who left her “home” (Calcutta) at 18 to pursue Graduation in Bangalore, I usually invest time to explore this city whenever I visit it (which has been pretty frequent recently).
Since our friends (my husband’s colleagues) were also working night shifts I was responsible to prepare an itinerary that suited their schedule. So, I sat with them and offered these diverse options!!
1. Indian Museum
The ninth oldest museum in the world and the largest museum in India, there is a collection of the pre-historic Siwalik fossils, and also a section dedicated on Evolution of Man. But the highlight is the 4000-year-old Mummy. The place is humongous, and you will need a good 3 hrs (if you are like me who loves to stand and appreciate the intricacies of the artifacts) or maybe done in an hour (if you are like my husband who doesn’t even give the eye enough time to send sensory signal to the brain to register the item in front of the eyes!!). They should also employ guides for better understanding of the artifacts. The last time I had visited, I got to see all the displays unfortunately this time around most of the displays were not on display due to some renovation work.
You can book tickets online through https://indianmuseumkolkata.org/ticket-booking
Timings – 10 am to 6pm (closed on Mondays)
Entry Fee – INR 50 for adults
INR 20 for children above 5 years
INR 100 for Photography Charges/ Camera
Phone – 033 2252 1790
How to reach – Cab (Uber or Ola), local bus, or take the Metro and alight at Park Street station which is closer than walking from Esplanade.
2. Victoria Memorial
Walking distance from Indian museum, this is one place that everyone has heard of, but may not have entered the marble building that was built to commemorate Queen Victoria. This place has been my go-to for morning walks during school days because the garden opens at 5.30 am and the place is covered in canopy, so you won’t feel the heat (sunrise is early). Suggest to visit this place at dusk since the entire architecture is lit up and exudes magnificence. Tickets can be booked online through https://www.victoriamemorial-cal.org/home/content/en
Timing – Garden – 5.30 am to 6.15 pm (except Mondays and National Holidays)
Gallery – 10 am to 6 pm (except Mondays and National Holidays)
Entry fee – INR 10 for only Garden
INR 20 for Indian tourists and INR 200 for foreign tourist to visit museum
Phone – 033 2223 1890
How to reach – Cab (Uber or Ola), local bus, or take the Metro and alight at Rabindra Sadan Metro station and walk up the rest.
3. South Park Cemetery
Located in the heart of the city, and the pub hub – Park Street, this cemetery houses nearly 1900 graves that represent an eclectic mix of designs influenced from European gothic to classical antiquity to Indo-Saracenic styles all jumbled in a maze of obelisks, cairns, urns, and sarcophagi. The moss-covered path might reflect on the poor maintenance of the park but it was in the monsoon so the mosses decided to add colour to the path!!
Timing – 10 am to 5 pm
Entry fee – INR 10 (last time I visited)
How to reach – Book a cab (Ola or Uber) or take the Metro and alight at Park Street Metro station and take a 20 min walk.
4. Jorsanko Thakurbadi
Never really visited this place until recently when I got to go while chalking out our friends’ itinerary. Situated in North Calcutta, this is the ancestral home of Kobi Guru Rabindranath Thakur. Spread over a massive 35,000 sq.m this is the place where the author of Gitanjali and the Nobel Prize winner for Literature breathed his last. The entire residence has been converted into a museum with his accolades and poetic excellence adorning every corner. Several section of this mansion has been catalogued as per his visit to other countries. Having grown up reading his poems and proses, it brought back a lot of memories and even a tear or two escaped by eyes. It was overwhelming!!
Timing – 10.30 am to 5 pm (closed on Mondays and other Holidays)
Entry fee – INR 20 for Indian adults
INR 10 for Indian students
Free Entry for physically challenged, street children and students upto 5th standard
INR 30 for SAARC adults
INR 20 for SAARC students
INR 150 for Foreign adults
INR 100 Foreign students
INR 50 for Light & Sound show
INR 50 Camera charges (Photography is allowed only outside the museum building and prohibited inside)
Phone – 033 2269 5242
033 2269 6610
How to reach – Easiest way to reach is to take the Metro and get off at Girish Park station which is the nearest to Jorasanko Thakurbari or book a cab.
5. Princep Ghat
Iconic place with a stunning view of the Hooghly Bridge and known for its spectacular backdrop for pre-wedding photoshoots. You can take a half an hour boat ride for INR 400. And also walk along the different ghats and reach Babu Ghat and take a cab or bus back to your accommodation. No entry fee required.
6. Acharya Jagadish Chandra Botanical Gardens
If you would love to take a stroll amidst nature, this is the place to be. Around 40 minutes from the city center, this is the oldest Botanical Garden of India that spreads over an area of 109 hectares (270 acres) and hosts rarest of plant species from Nepal, Brazil, Penang, Java and Sumatra. And not to forget “The Great Banyan Tree” which is the largest banyan tree in the world, spread over an area of 18, 918 sq.m with 3772 aerial roots and the highest branch length of 24.5 metres.
Timing – 5 am – 7 am for morning walkers
9 am – 5 pm for visitors
Closed on Modays
Entry fee – INR 10 for Indians
INR 100 for Foreigners
Phone – 091673 23135
How to reach – Best way to reach is by local bus or by cab
7. Science City
Managed by the national Council of Science Museums, Ministry of Culture, Science City Kolkata is the largest science centre in Indian subcontinent. Attractions like Dynamotion Hall, Space Odyssey (Time Machine, Reflections and 3D Theatres), Maritime Centre, Earth Exploration Hall, Butterfly Nursery, Outdoor Science, Science on a Sphere and other space brings a lot of visitors throughout the year. Feels like a child – I wanted to get on all the rides and also take pictures everywhere. Eventually my husband had to hold my hand so that I didn’t wander off anywhere!! In case you want to check the rates and book your tickets online, visit https://sciencecitykolkata.org.in/
Timing – 10 am – 6 pm
Entry fee – Every section has a separate fee all tickets can be bought at the entrance.
How to reach – Best way is to travel by bus or cab
8. Eco-park
Located in New Town area (21km from city centre) that has developed significantly over the years, this park is an exception to the concrete construction that fills the New Town area. Spread over an area of 194 hectares (480 acres) that includes a 40 hectare (100 acres) water body, this recreational open space offers a variety of activities that might itself need two or more days to cover. They have so much to offer that mentioning it here would take the article to a good 5000+ words thesis. To know more please visit https://www.ecoparknewtown.com/
Timing – 2.30 pm to 8.30 pm (Closed on Mondays)
Entry fee – Different for different activities
Phone – 086971 18121
How to reach – Best way to reach is by cab or bus
9. East Kolkata Wetlands
Bordering Salt Lake Township on the eastern fringes of Kolkata city this is the largest wastewater-fed aquaculture system in the world. You can visit this place to sit in tranquility and also witness local fishermen at work. A pretty picnic spot which you can use without littering the place and cleaning up after you (you need permission from Fisheries Department). And enjoy fresh fish cutlet from a close-by snack centre run by the Fisheries Department.
Open area with no entry fee or timing (but advisable to visit before evening as that area gets dark and is a quiet inaccessible neighborhood – you have to walk a lot before you reach an auto or taxi stand!).
In case you find places of faith interest you then these are the below you can visit:
10. Dakhineshwar Temple
I would suggest skipping this. Although it exudes a serene aura of spirituality but its overtly crowded especially over the weekends might interfere with that sense of spirituality.
11. Kalighat Temple
Right in the heart of the city, not just popular among Ma Kali devotees but everyone, this is a place I have been going to since childhood (I stay near very close, also my friend is from Shebayat family – they are the Temple Trustees). Closed for around 3 hours in the afternoon when bhog is offered to Ma, the temple opens again at 3 pm
How to reach – Easiest way to reach is by bus – get off at Kalighat bus stop (in front of Greek church), cross the road and walk straight into a broad sub-street. Or alight at Kalighat Metro station and walk up.
12. St. Paul’s Cathedral
Right across Victoria Memorial, the Indo-Gothic Cathedral which is the largest church in Kolkata and the first Anglican cathedral in Asia stands on Cathedral Road (isn’t a mystery where it got its name!). Dedicated to Paul the Apostle, this cathedral was built to accommodate the growing number of Calcutta’s growing European community in the 1800s. I was supposed to
Timing – 10 am to 6 pm
Worship timings:
Weekdays:
•6.30 am: Matins
•7.00 am: Holy Communion
•6.30 pm (only on Wednesdays): K-3 Evenings (Bible study)
Sundays:
•7.30 am: Eucharist Service
•8.30 am: Sung Eucharist Service
•10.30 am: Bengali Service
•6.00 pm: Evening Evangelistic Service
Entry fee – Recently started charging INR 10 for maintenance
Phone – 03322232802
How to reach – By cab or take the metro, get off at Rabindra Sadan Metro Station and walk up the rest.
13. Maghen David Synagogue
Located at the junction of Brabourne Road and Canning Street, the largest synagogue in Kolkata is situated right in the middle of the largest wholesale market of Kolkata – Barabazar Market. Built in the Italian Renaissance style with brick red finish by Elias David Ezra in fond memory of his father David Joseph Ezra, this synagogue is distinguished by its tall spires and fascinating interiors.
Timing – 10 am to 5 pm (except Fridays and Saturdays and a photo ID is required for entry)
Entry fee – A meagre amount for maintenance
How to reach – By cab, local bus service or my metro. Central metro station is the closest to get off and then walk the rest of the way.
14. Beth El Synagogue
Literally meaning “House of God”, this synagogue was built by the influential David Joseph Ezra (he was appointed as the Honorary Presidency Magistrate), whose son, built the Maghen David Synagogue. Large chandeliers hanging from the well-preserved interiors of the synagogue, a large stained-glass window with lancet that allowing flood of light to enter and Jewish symbols adorning a traditional façade – everything reminds you of the culture of “Baghdadi Jews” who migrated to Calcutta in the late 18th century via Surat and decided to make Calcutta their home!
Timing – 10 am to 3 pm
Entry fee – Maybe a meagre amount for maintenance
Phone – 033 2245 6532
How to reach – By cab, local bus service or my metro. Central metro station is the closest to get off and then walk the rest of the way.
15. Nakhoda Mashjid
The principal mosque of Kolkata in the Burrabazar area for being the largest, it was built by Abdur Rahim Osman who hailed from Kutch region of Gujrat. This monument can accommodate around 10,000 devotees during prayer meetings. They do hold exhibitions inside the mosque where you can buy exquisite ornaments and outside the mosque a platter of food and various other items for sell, awaits you. A must-visit iconic structure if you are visting Kolkata. This places comes alive during Ramadan when people from all over the city flocks to get a little taste of everything this space has to offer!!!
A visit to Calcutta remains incomplete without indulging in the delicacies that this “Sweet City” has to offer which does not limit to only sweets. But this article can only take this much. Keep checking this space and I will sure be back with the must-try eating joints in Calcutta!
I hope you all found this information useful. Follow this space for regular content on local travel, local cuisine and transport!
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