Kolkata itinerary

Plan 01

1 day in Kolkata

1. 01

   Day 1: South Kolkata heritage and river

   Start early at Victoria Memorial (coolest hours) and spend an hour inside. Walk or take a cab to St. Paul's Cathedral nearby. Have lunch on Park Street or in a Bengali restaurant in the old town. In the afternoon, head to Kalighat Temple to see the busy devotional life (remove shoes at the entrance, dress modestly). End at Howrah Bridge around sunset and walk across to see the Hooghly River change colour. Finish with dinner at a local restaurant, perhaps trying rosogolla, luchi and aloo dum, or fish curry.

Guides for the stops on this route

Plan 02

2 days in Kolkata

1. 01

   Day 1: South Kolkata and the colonial south

   Arrive early at Victoria Memorial and spend an unhurried two hours exploring the grounds and galleries. Walk to St. Paul's Cathedral and the surrounding heritage precinct. Lunch on Park Street or in the old city. In the afternoon, visit Kalighat Temple and then take a taxi to Alipore Zoo or Thanthania Wildlife Sanctuary, depending on time. Sunset from Howrah Bridge if energy allows.

2. 02

   Day 2: North Kolkata temples and river

   Start at Dakshineswar Kali Temple on the east bank of the Hooghly. Spend two hours here, observing the morning rituals and the temple structure. Return across the river and visit Belur Math (headquarters of the Ramakrishna Mission) if interested in Bengali philosophy and architecture. Afternoon in Kumartuli neighbourhood to watch idol makers at work. Return to the south for dinner, perhaps at a historic restaurant like Peter Cat or Arup Kumar on Park Street.

Guides for the stops on this route

Plan 03

3 days in Kolkata

1. 01

   Day 1: South Kolkata and colonial heritage

   Begin at Victoria Memorial early and spend time with the building and its surroundings. Walk to St. Paul's Cathedral. Lunch on Park Street. Afternoon visit to Kalighat Temple and a stroll to South Park Street Cemetery (a fascinating British-era burial ground). End with Howrah Bridge at sunset and dinner in the old city.

2. 02

   Day 2: River, temples and philosophy

   Early start to Dakshineswar Kali Temple on the east bank for morning aarti. Cross to Belur Math, the serene headquarters of the Ramakrishna Mission. Late lunch and afternoon rest. Visit Jorasanko Thakur Bari (Rabindranath Tagore's ancestral home) if you have energy and are interested in literary history. Evening stroll through Kumartuli and dinner in old Kolkata.

3. 03

   Day 3: Neighborhoods, markets and city life

   Morning at Indian Museum (cool and informative, especially the sculpture and natural history wings). Late morning in New Market or Gariahat for shopping and local life. Lunch at a Bengali sweet shop (mithai dokan). Afternoon at Rabindra Sarovar (a lake with a calm atmosphere) or Birla Planetarium if weather is very hot. Final evening at Nicco Park or browsing the old bookstalls of College Street before a farewell dinner.

Guides for the stops on this route

Pacing

Make the plan work for everyone

• The Victoria Memorial and Indian Museum are cool, level and manageable. Spend time there on very hot afternoons rather than walking outdoors.
• Temples involve stairs and crowds. Dakshineswar and Kalighat have queues, especially mornings and weekends. Ask about side or senior entrances, and go early if possible.
• The monsoon (June to September) brings humidity and heat; avoid these months if possible. October to March is far more comfortable for walking.
• Hire a car and driver for the whole day. Taxis and autos are plentiful, but a private car gives you a cool, private space and avoids the stress of navigating markets.
• The metro is efficient and not crowded, but staircases can be steep. Howrah and Sealdah stations are the busiest; travel mid-day rather than rush hours.
• Carry water, a hat, sunscreen and an umbrella (sun + monsoon). Temple floors and heritage marble can be very hot underfoot; wear socks or slip-ons that are easy to remove.