Kolkata - The Cultural Capital of India

Quick Facts

Situated at: West Bengal
Also Known As: Capital of West Bengal, Cultural Capital of India, City of Joy
Major Attractions : Victoria Memorial, Howrah Bridge, Birla Planetarium, Indian Museum, Eden Garden, Zoological Garden, Dalhousie Square, St.Paul's Cathedral, Nakhoda Mosque and Sunderbans.
Suitable Season To Visit: October to April

Previously known as Calcutta, Kolkata is the capital of West Bengal state. Set on the banks of the River Hoogly, Kolkata is one of the four metropolitan cities of India. Kolkata has also served as the capital of India during the British rule till 1911 and even one can see the colonial imprints on streets of the city. Fondly referred to as the ‘Cultural Capital of India’, Kolkata is famous for its old culture and traditions, delectable Bengali cuisines and colourful festivals. Kolkata is also famous for its dazzling markets, where shoppers can buy shoes, clothes and several other items at reasonable rate.

Kolkata is well-connected by air, rail and road with important places of West Bengal and rest of the country. For accommodation the hotel has numerous hotels ranging from five stars to economic hotels. Also called the city of joy and offers a lot to please the visitors.


Some of the tourist attractions of the city are:
Victoria Memorial: Victoria Memorial is an elegant edifice built in while-marble. Victoria Memorial was built in the memory of Queen Victoria. Constructed in the year 1921, with an attempt to match the Taj Mahal, Victoria Memorial presents an excellent combination of classical European architecture and Mughal architectural style. The white marble memorial has a fine collection of rare items belonging to the British Raj.

Howrah Bridge: An engineering marvel, Howrah Bridge is a hanging bridge, without any pylon in the river. Hawrah Bridge is the principle landmark of the city, runs over the Hoogly River and connects the Hawrah Junction with the city.

Birla Planetarium: One of the biggest planetariums of Inda, Birla Planetarium is a fine place for entertainment and infotainment. Birla Planetarium hosts regular astronomical shows in Hindi, Bengali and English. Astronomical shows are held on held on all weekday (closed on Mondays).

Indian Museum: Indian Museum was constructed in 1875, in the Italian style of architecture. The museum has six sections for Art, Archeology, Anthropology, Geology, Zoology and Industry (Economic Botany). The museum has a rare collection of antiques including more than 54000 coins, some over 2400 years old.

Eden Garden: Eden Garden one of the biggest cricketing ground of the world is one of the prime attractions of Kolkata. Supposed to be the largest in Asia, Eden Gardens has a seating capacity of more than one lakh spectators.

Alipore Zoological Garden: Alipore Zoological Garden, popularly known as Chidiakhana is situated near the National Library at Belvedre Road. The Chidiakhana is home to Lions, tigers, giraffe and other anima specias. Avian species also live in the zoo.

Dalhousie Square & Writers' Building: Dalhousie Square is the administrative centre of the city, having a lake at its centre. Writer's building is the prime attraction here, which represents rare Gothic-style architecture. Till the mid-19th century, the Writer's building was the place of residence for the junior servants of the East India Company. Presntly the Writers building houses the Secretariat of West Bengal Government.

Fort William: Fort William is one of the most impressive edifices of British Raj in Kolkata. Built of brick-and-mortar in the shape of an irregular octagon, the fort has six gates namely Chowringhee, Plassey, Calcutta, Water gate, St Georges and Treasury Gate. Fort William also has a museum with a fine collection of arms, armours, swords, muskets and machine guns. Now the fort serves as main hub of the Indian army in Eastern India.

Sunderbans Tiger Reserve: Situated at a distance of 112 kms from Kolkata, Sunderbans is World's largest mangrove forests and delta. Sunderbans houses the biggest colony of the Royal Bengal Tigers. The Tiger Reserve also houses Chital Deer, Rhesus Monkey, Ridley Sea Turtle, King Cobra, Rock Python, Crocodiles Water Monitor and several other bird species.

Weekend Getaways from Kolkata

Once the capital of India Kolkata is one of the four metros of India. Kolkata is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. During the British regime Kolkata was one of their important centres and they built a number building here. Victoria Memorial is one of the treasures of British East India Company. Besides, the city has a number of museums, colonial buildings, metro railway and many other attractions. Kolkata also makes an ideal base for visiting the nearby places like Sunderbans, Shanti Niketan etc. So, when visit Kolkata, don’t forget to pay to places located close to the city.

Bakkhali (130 kms, Driving time +5 hours ) : One of India’s most secluded beach, Bakkhali boasts of a beautiful casurina tree lined white sand beachfront. Visit Bakkhali during your Kolkata trip. When you are at Bakkhali sit quietly on the beach and enjoy the various moods of the sea. Also catch a spectacular sunset at Bakkhali that will be a long lasting treasure for you. If you like seafood, then Bakkhali is your paradise because here you can find a variety of sea-fish. If you are traveling Bakkhali in winter, you can also see hordes of migratory birds.

Sunderbans (131 kms, Driving time +4 hours ) : If you have a long dream of seeing the Royal Bengal Tiger moving freely in the natural habitat, than Sunderbans is a perfect place for you. Originally the Sunderbans is an estuarine mangrove forest that was turned into a tiger reserve. Besides Royal Bengal tiger, you can see wildanimals like barking deer and spotted deer, monkeys, civet cats, monitor lizards and otters. Sunderbans is also home to aquatic wildlife such as olive ridley turtles, estuarine crocodiles, river terrapins, gangetic dolphins, black finless porpoises, catfish, mudskippers, crabs, shrimps and lobsters.

Bishnupur (151 kms, Driving time +4 hours ) : After experiencing Kolkata’s scorching heat and inhaling dust particles, visit the peaceful town of Bishnupur which is like a breath of fresh air. Surrounded by verdant fields all round, Bishnupur beckons you to a quick getaway with a difference. Here you will see the unique terracotta temples built by the Malla kings to celebrate their love for Krishna, the Blue God.

Digha (187 kms, Driving time +5 hours ) : An ideal beach for a fun-filled holiday Digha offers a fine combination of sun, sea and sand. Once called the "Brighton of the East" by Warren Hastings, Digha is a perfect place for a great weekend or honeymoon. You may visit Digha almost all through the year because it never remains much crowded and it will surely mesmerize you with its serene beauty.

Murshidabad (211 kms, Driving time +6 hours ) : A place of historic importance, Murshidabad was once the last capital of independent Bengal. Established by Nawab Murshid Quli Khan, Murshidabad witnessed the last days of the Mughal rule in India before it became part of the British Empire. Even today Murshidabad is dotted with several beautiful monuments of 18th century.

Shantiniketan (213 kms, Driving time +7 hours ) : Far from the hustle and bustle of Kolkata, Shantiniketan is a quiet place and provides you a welcome break. Shantiniketan is known for nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore’s dream Vishva Bharati University.

Chandipur (240 kms, Driving time +7 hours ) : Chandipur is a beautiful, peaceful seaside resort having a fine silvery beach. Everyday at low lite the sea in Chandipur recedes for 5 km, coming back to original position only when the high tide comes in. Due to this unusual phenomena at Chandipur you will find miles of fine silvery sandy beach, littered with shells and driftwood.