You might not see Kolkata as a very happening metropolitan where the nightlife would be breath-taking and discos and clubs would be jam-packed every evening. However, if you look beyond that, you will notice that not all places are known for their adrenaline-inducing nightlife. And hence, the exceptions are known for their tranquillity where you can soak in the cultural burst.
Kolkata is one such place where you find hospitality and calmness more than anything else. The people dwelling in the city do not have a very sprinting life and things go slow and steady. Here you will seldom find the monotonous life of a busy working person taking a toll on his/her life. Instead, with a slow pace of life, a small cup of tea on the roadside holds the longest conversations, and so does each and every picnic spot near Kolkata.
Planning a trip to Kolkata? Well, there are many things that you should keep in mind. Firstly, the life of most of the individuals is slow, where they give more importance to enjoying life than going through the monotonous routine.
Secondly, since the people are more laidback in areas that would stress them out, a warm smile is something that you will notice more often than not.
Thirdly, that warm smile is a lot more than just a simple gesture, and soft-spoken people occupy a major part of the city (though you might come across some brash radical people around too).
With this short little buildup to the real hearty city of joy Kolkata actually is, let’s know more about this old city and everything it has on offer.
The Best Time to Visit Kolkata
If you are planning to book a Kolkata tour package for yourself, make sure you get the timing bang on. The city does suffer from some extreme climate that might put you off if you are not very accustomed to such changes.
As for an example, summers are sultry and the beat down hard and the average temperature lingers around 38-degree Celsius throughout the hottest months (May and June). Monsoon starts from late June or early July and extends up to September (maybe more). July and August are the wettest months and the downpour is heavy more often.
However, pre-winter and winter are the best seasons to make a short trip to Kolkata. Novembers are pleasant and the actual winter sets in from the start of December. The second half of December and the first half of January experience the coldest nights where the temperature falls to a minimum of 9-degrees.
Heritage places to visit in Kolkata
Kolkata is so very full of heart-warming places (though not happening) that have a very rich history to speak about. Some of the most popular tourist attractions in Kolkata include the following:
Victoria Memorial
Not a lot needs to be said about the
Fort William
The Fort William dates back to the British Raj and is known to be a major armored fortress since then. It is situated on the bank of the river Hooghly (a distributary of the river Ganga) and was built by East India Company.
However, today the fortress is under the Indian Army, serving as the base for the Eastern Command. The security is extremely tight and civilians aren’t allowed to enter inside the fort.
Places to visit in Kolkata for a one-day trip
Besides some of the heritage sites and buildings, Kolkata also happens to have a lot of leisure places like amusement parks and picnic spots. If you are making your to-do list, make sure include:
Nicco Park
Nicco Park is one of the best amusement parks in Kolkata and registers a huge footfall throughout the year, especially every weekend. There are some breath-taking rides in the park-like Cyclone (a roller-coaster), Cable Car (ropeway) and Sky Diver. Besides these, children would enjoy the Toy Train, Carousel, Striking Car and Lazy River Ride.
The park also includes a water theme park called Wet-o-Wild, which is presently the second biggest water park in the city after Aquatica.
Eco-Tourism Park
The Eco Park in Kolkata is one of the latest additions in the tourist attractions’ list but is hugely popular as a picnic spot. It is constructed with a lot of greenery of flower gardens and artificial rain forests. It has a huge lake which allows motor-boating too. You can stay here right from the opening hour (afternoon) and have your lunch in any of the food stalls.
And yes, don’t forget to try the double-bicycle here. It is situated nearly on the outskirts of Kolkata and a cab ride would take over 30 minutes from the central city. However, if you are planning to drive yourself, be a little extra careful. Though you need to go through a highway, there is a very strict speed-limit and over speeding might get you penalized.
Other popular places in Kolkata
Kolkata isn’t only about the heritage and the amusement; it is about the abundance of culture as well. The Kolkata Kali Mandir is one of the most popular places of devotion for the natives here and remains crowded throughout the day. People pray here with intentions in their minds while many families consider that marriage here is a great thing to do with an abundance of blessings from Goddess Kali.
But if you are wondering that the city lacks the modern-day fun factor, it has your back covered. Kolkata is the home for a good number of Inox multiplexes and major shopping malls like South City Mall, Mani Square, City Centre (1 and 2), Acropolis, etc. And yes, not to forget that the Cinépolis in Lake Mall, Kolkata is another thriving hangout spot among youth.
What you should not miss
How can you miss Bengali Sweets when you are in Kolkata? A range of Bengali delicacies is waiting for you. Roshgulla, Malai Cham Cham, Kalo Jamoon, Kheer Kadam, Sandesh, are a few to name. Try them in K.C. Das or Kamadhenu or Balaram Mullick & Radharam Mullick. Apart from these, there are many Mishti Bhandars that have a legacy and are best known for particular sweets.
Hence, you can never know enough about Kolkata until you make a visit yourself. It is the perfect combination of nightlife, amusement, culture, and heritage in the perfect proportion. And very rightly so, not all places can be Kolkata, not all places can be the City of Joy.
