I wrap up my City of Joy series with this last post sharing a four – day itinerary for Kolkata. KOL is a getaway for those who enjoy art, architecture, culture, food & heritage. Detailed descriptions & reviews of each of the attractions are given in my earlier blog posts.

Day 1

1. Arrive early in Kolkata & check in at your hotel.
2. Have an early lunch & gear up for quite a bit of walking.
3. Drive to the Victoria Memorial Hall. The gardens & museum are open till 5 PM. So, take your time to see each & every artefact, & to roam around in the glorious gardens.
4. Walk to the Saint Paul’s Cathedral next door (~10 minutes). It is open till 6 PM.
5. Have dinner at any of the iconic restaurants in Park Street – Flury’s/ Mocambo/ Trincas/ Moulin Rouge/ Peter Cat (~15 minutes)
6. Call it a night at your hotel.

Day 2

1. After an early breakfast, drive to the Mother House. It opens at 8 AM. Spend some time in meditation at the Mother’s Tomb.
2. Head to the Howrah Bridge (~30 minutes) & do an end – to – end walk on it. Enjoy the quintessential yellow taxis plying on the Bridge.
3. Take a lunch break.
4. Visit the Dakshineswar Kali Mandir (~45 minutes from Howrah Bridge). Take your time to complete the darshan & then see all the pilgrimage spots within the premises.
5. Make your way to the Belur Math by either boat or car (~15 minutes).
6. At Belur Math, spend some time meditating at the Sri Ramakrishna Mandir. Then, walk around the campus to see all the other temples & holy spots.
7. End your evening with some fun at one of the many bars in Kolkata.
8. Return to your accommodation.

Day 3

1. After breakfast, drive to the Jorasanko Thakur Bari, the ancestral home of Rabindranath Tagore. It opens at 10:30 AM. Gurudev is the star of Bengal Renaissance. Spend at least two hours here to know more about Tagore’s life.
2. Take a lunch break.
3. Head to the Birla Mandir (~40 minutes from Jorasanko Thakur Bari). It opens at 4:30 PM. Enjoy seeing the magnificent architecture.
4. Visit the Prinsep Ghat (~25 minutes). Walk & click your way through the Prinsep Memorial & the Prinsep Ghat Station. Then work off that lunch by taking a long walk on the Prinsep Ghat. Closer to sunset, take a boat ride & enjoy the sun going down while you’re cruising on the Ganges.
5. Return to your accommodation & spend the night at leisure.

Day 4

• After breakfast, check out from your accommodation & drive to Gallery Sanskriti & Kaee Contemporary. These open at 11 AM. Spend time understanding the art on display.
• Take a lunch break & then head to the airport.

Accommodation Recommendation

Fairfield By Marriott

I’d a great time at Fairfield. The location was perfect – not far from either the airport or the heart of the city. All amenities were taken care of. Both Kava & Vertex were a foodie/ drinker’s delight. Sunipa at Kava took great care of me & arranged a special dinner too for me, so that I could taste Bengali cuisine.

My room had a first-class view of the Biswa Bangla Gate & the Newtown skyline. My only peeve was that the hotel allowed guests in the swimming pool without proper swimwear. I wanted to use to the pool but got disgusted seeing men in their underwear using the pool, instead of swimming trunks.

While I like to maximize my trips with as much sightseeing as I can, I don’t believe in overdoing it. I recommend the same – don’t treat sightseeing as a competition or a checklist. So, even if you don’t manage to see a few of the above, it’s okay.

It’s more important to enjoy yourself. Happy sightseeing!