Leisure · couple · 17–20 Apr 2023

Kolkata

The City of Joy

Dates

17–20 Apr 2023

Duration

4 days

Travelers

couple

Budget

INR 40,000

Includes flights, for 2

Victoria MemorialDakshineshwar TemplePark Street

Mon 17 Apr

Arrive → North Kolkata & Park Street

12 stops

FlightMorning

Depart Dhaka DAC — US-Bangla Airlines to Kolkata CCU. ~1 hr flight.

Flight~10:00 AM

Arrive Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport (CCU). Clear immigration + bags.

Transport10:30 AM

Uber/Ola: CCU → FabHotel Mayfair Tower. ~45 min, INR 600–800.

Rest11:30 AM

Check in: FabHotel Mayfair Tower, Kolkata.

Food12:30 PM

Lunch near hotel — Bengali thali or kati roll from a local restaurant. INR 150–250/person.

Activity2:00 PM

Jorasanko Thakurbari — the ancestral home of Rabindranath Tagore, now a museum. INR 10/person. Beautiful terracotta architecture; manuscript and painting collections. ~1 hr. Take metro to Girish Park.

Activity3:15 PM

Marble Palace (optional) — 19th-century mansion with marble floors, European art, and a private zoo. Free but advance permission required through WBTDC. A 5-min walk from Jorasanko.

Transport4:30 PM

Uber to New Town/Rajarhat. ~30 min, INR 200–300.

Activity5:00 PM

Biswa Bangla Gate — the iconic golden V-shaped gateway, symbol of a resurgent West Bengal. Free. Illuminated after dark. Great photo spot on the New Town action area road.

Activity5:30 PM

Eco Park, Rajarhat — 480-acre urban park with themed gardens, a lake, boating, cycling, and replicas of the Seven Wonders. INR 30/person entry. Boat ride INR 50/person extra.

Transport8:30 PM

Uber to Park Street. ~30 min, INR 200–300.

Evening9:00 PM

The Lords and Barons, Park Street — one of Kolkata's most celebrated pubs. Live music, craft beer, classic cocktails. Park Street is the soul of KOL nightlife.

Full text · 4 days · couple · leisure

Itinerary

Day 1 — Arrive → North Kolkata & Park Street

Mon 17 Apr

  1. MorningFlightDepart Dhaka DAC — US-Bangla Airlines to Kolkata CCU. ~1 hr flight.
  2. ~10:00 AMFlightArrive Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport (CCU). Clear immigration + bags.
  3. 10:30 AMTransportUber/Ola: CCU → FabHotel Mayfair Tower. ~45 min, INR 600–800.
  4. 11:30 AMRestCheck in: FabHotel Mayfair Tower, Kolkata.
  5. 12:30 PMFoodLunch near hotel — Bengali thali or kati roll from a local restaurant. INR 150–250/person.
  6. 2:00 PMActivityJorasanko Thakurbari — the ancestral home of Rabindranath Tagore, now a museum. INR 10/person. Beautiful terracotta architecture; manuscript and painting collections. ~1 hr. Take metro to Girish Park.
  7. 3:15 PMActivityMarble Palace (optional) — 19th-century mansion with marble floors, European art, and a private zoo. Free but advance permission required through WBTDC. A 5-min walk from Jorasanko.
  8. 4:30 PMTransportUber to New Town/Rajarhat. ~30 min, INR 200–300.
  9. 5:00 PMActivityBiswa Bangla Gate — the iconic golden V-shaped gateway, symbol of a resurgent West Bengal. Free. Illuminated after dark. Great photo spot on the New Town action area road.
  10. 5:30 PMActivityEco Park, Rajarhat — 480-acre urban park with themed gardens, a lake, boating, cycling, and replicas of the Seven Wonders. INR 30/person entry. Boat ride INR 50/person extra.
  11. 8:30 PMTransportUber to Park Street. ~30 min, INR 200–300.
  12. 9:00 PMEveningThe Lords and Barons, Park Street — one of Kolkata's most celebrated pubs. Live music, craft beer, classic cocktails. Park Street is the soul of KOL nightlife.

Day 2 — Monuments & Riverside

Tue 18 Apr

  1. 9:00 AMFoodBreakfast at a Park Street bakery or hotel — pav bhaji or toast + chai. INR 100–150/person.
  2. 11:00 AMActivityIndian Museum, Park Street — oldest and largest museum in India (est. 1814). Fossils, Egyptian mummies, Mughal miniatures, and the famous Bharhut Gallery. INR 20/person. ~1.5 hrs.
  3. 12:30 PMActivityVictoria Memorial — stunning white marble monument built for Queen Victoria. Museum inside with colonial-era paintings and artefacts. INR 200/person (foreign visitor). Gardens free. ~1 hr.
  4. 2:00 PMFoodEsplanade — lunch at a local dhaba or Peter Cat (famous for chelo kebab, INR 400–600/person). Browse the busy pavement stalls and New Market entrance street.
  5. 3:30 PMActivitySt Paul's Cathedral — 1847 Gothic Revival cathedral, the oldest of its kind in the subcontinent. Free. Stained-glass windows, Florentine frescoes, peaceful interior.
  6. 4:30 PMActivityPrincep Ghat — scenic riverside promenade on the Hooghly with Victorian arches and boat views. Free. One of Kolkata's most romantic sunset spots. ~1 hr.
  7. 6:30 PMActivityBirla Mandir (Lakshmi Narayan Temple), Ballygunge — ornate white marble temple built in 1970. Free. Open until 9 PM. Serene atmosphere after a busy day.
  8. 8:00 PMFoodDinner at Ballygunge — Mitra Café (iconic since 1963: kosha mangsho, mustard fish), or Oh! Calcutta for refined Bengali cuisine. INR 500–800/person.

Day 3 — Colonial Heart & Sacred Temples

Wed 19 Apr

  1. 9:00 AMFoodBreakfast — mishti doi and luchi from a neighbourhood sweet shop. INR 80–120/person.
  2. 11:00 AMActivityBBD Bagh (Dalhousie Square) — Kolkata's colonial core. Writer's Building (1777), GPO, St John's Church, Raj Bhavan. Free walking exploration. ~1 hr. The most concentrated cluster of British-era architecture in India.
  3. 12:30 PMActivityNew Market (Sir Stuart Hogg Market, 1874) — sprawling indoor-outdoor market: textiles, leather, spices, sweets, street food. Free entry. Great for gifts and local snacks.
  4. 2:00 PMFoodLunch near New Market — roll from Nizam's or Shiraz Hotel (legendary biryani). INR 200–400/person.
  5. 3:00 PMRestReturn to FabHotel Mayfair Tower. Rest and freshen up before the temple run.
  6. 4:00 PMTransportUber/Ola to Dakshineshwar. ~30–40 min, INR 250–350.
  7. 4:30 PMActivityDakshineshwar Kali Temple — famous riverside temple where Sri Ramakrishna served as priest. Free. The nahabatkhana, 12 Shiva temples, and the main Kali shrine. Deeply spiritual atmosphere on the Hooghly. Remove footwear.
  8. 6:00 PMTransportFerry launch: Dakshineshwar → Belur Math. INR 5–10/person. ~15 min across the Hooghly — a memorable river crossing at dusk.
  9. 6:15 PMActivityBelur Math — the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Mission, blending Hindu, Christian, and Islamic architectural motifs. Free. Grounds open till 7:30 PM. Serene riverside setting.
  10. 8:00 PMFoodDinner back near hotel — Bengali fish curry or chowmein from a Kolkata-Chinese eatery on the way. INR 200–350/person.
  11. 10:00 PMEveningINOX multiplex — latest Hindi or English film. INR 250–350/person. Book tickets online beforehand to secure seats.

Day 4 — Departure

Thu 20 Apr

  1. 9:00 AMFoodLast breakfast in Kolkata — rosogolla and toast at a sweet shop. INR 80–120/person.
  2. 10:00 AMActivityFinal stroll and last-minute shopping on Park Street or New Market. Pick up mishti doi, sandesh, and mustard oil to bring back.
  3. 12:00 PMFoodFinal lunch — Arsalan or Shiraz Hotel biryani. INR 250–400/person.
  4. 2:00 PMTransportCheck out of FabHotel Mayfair Tower. Uber to CCU airport. ~45 min, INR 600–800.
  5. 3:00 PMActivityArrive CCU (Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport). Check-in + immigration + security. US-Bangla Airlines return flight.
  6. ~5:00 PMFlightFlight departs CCU — US-Bangla Airlines to Dhaka DAC. ~1 hr.
  7. ~6:00 PMFlightLand Dhaka DAC — Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Terminal 1.

Flights

Outbound · DAC → CCU
Mon 17 Apr · US-Bangla Airlines
Return · CCU → DAC
Thu 20 Apr · US-Bangla Airlines · ~5:00 PM depart

Accommodation

FabHotel Mayfair Tower · Kolkata
3 nights · 17–20 Apr · INR 2,000/night (total INR 6,000)

Route

  1. DAC
  2. Kolkata · via flight
  3. DAC

Budget estimate · INR

Flights — round trip (for 2)
INR 22,000
Accommodation — 3 nights (for 2)
INR 6,000
Transport within Kolkata (for 2)
INR 2,500
Entry fees & INOX (for 2)
INR 2,000
Food — 4 days (for 2)
INR 5,000
Shopping & miscellaneous
INR 2,500
Total estimate
INR 40,000

Includes flights, for 2

Notes

Currency
1 USD ≈ INR 82 · 1 BDT ≈ INR 0.73 (approx, Apr 2023). Carry INR cash — most street vendors, autos, and small eateries don't accept cards.
Transport
Use Uber or Ola for comfortable point-to-point travel (INR 200–800 per trip). Kolkata Metro is cheap (INR 5–25) and fast for central corridors. Yellow Ambassador taxis are iconic but negotiate the fare upfront.
Marble Palace
Prior written permission needed from the Mullick family via WBTDC (West Bengal Tourism). Apply at least a day ahead. Visit is free once permitted.
Dress Code
Remove footwear at all temples — Dakshineshwar, Belur Math, Birla Mandir, Jorasanko. Carry a small bag for shoes. Light, breathable clothing recommended for April heat (32–38°C).
Food
Must-try: kosha mangsho (dry mutton curry), shorshe ilish (hilsa in mustard sauce), chelo kebab at Peter Cat, Park Street. For sweets: rosogolla, sandesh, mishti doi from KC Das or Balaram Mullick.