If you have been to Kolkata before, you might already be aware of things that we are going to mention below. But have you enjoyed it in the best ways or best places? Surely some activities like shopping, tasting local cuisines, sightseeing, visiting popular places- all of this would have already been checked from your bucket list. But we assure you that there is still so much to do in Kolkata and nearby areas.
And for those who might have done a few of the below listed things in the capital city of West Bengal- we surely have spots that can give you a better enjoyment of the same activity.
So whenever you head to the capital of West Bengal next time, make sure these activities are already on your list and not to forget- the spots that will give you the best of it. So, without further adieu, let’s get started!
1. Raj-era mansions – Check out grand mansions known as baris
It is not a secret from anyone anymore that Kolkata was once the capital of the British empire. The strategic location of this city steered them to take control over a lot of places at once. Therefore, there is no dearth in colonial monuments, buildings, and mansions in the city and around. There are multiple grand mansions in different areas and they are called baris.
Where some of these mansions have been demolished over time, there are still a lot of emphatic buildings still standing. Here are a few of them:
| Name of the Raj-era mansions | Location of the mansions |
| Fort William | Maidan, Fort William, Hastings, Kolkata, West Bengal 700021 |
| Marble Palace Mansion | 46, Opp Ram Mandir, Muktaram Babu Street, Jorasanko, Kolkata, West Bengal, 700007 |
| Belur Math | Belur, Howrah, West Bengal 711202 |
| Writer’s Building | Binoy Badal Dinesh Bag N, Lal Dighi, B.B.D. Bagh, Kolkata, West Bengal 700001 |
2. Street food – Chow down on typical street eats
If you hear someone saying that Kolkata is a hubspot for foodies, they are saying the absolute truth and nothing else. Kolkata is seriously a wonderful and diverse place for food lovers. And the best part is yet to come! You don’t have to spend hundreds and thousands of rupees for the dishes.
As travellers we say, live like a local, stay like a local, and eat like a local! That means, if you wish to taste the best taste of any dish, the best way to do that is to go to the street vendors. From healthy tasty food to fun snacks- you will get a lot of options to choose from. So, here we go!
| Name of the dish | Shop to get the best of it | Location of the shop |
| Kathi Rolls | Zaika shop | Park Street |
| Puchkas | Maharaja Chaat Centre | Vivekananda Park |
| Mughlai Parathas | Anadi Cabin | Jawaharlal Nehru Road |
| Luchi & Alu Dom | BBD Bag | Fairlie Place & Stock Exchange |
| Dragon Chicken | Lord’s More | Opposite South City Mall |
| Mishti Doi | Balaram Mullick & Radharam Mullick | Bhawanipore |
3. Go out for shopping – Trawl bustling bazaars for local fabrics
Visiting a new place and not going out shopping doesn’t sound right? It happens to be a key element for all kinds of travellers. And to the delight of shopaholics, there are multiple markets in the capital city of West Bengal. And with such huge variety, shopping is one of the finest things to do in Kolkata. But the bigger question here is where to go, for what all things.
Don’t worry, we are here to help you out with that! Some of the best marketplaces are mentioned below so that you do not have to ask people around.
| Name of the market | Location | Speciality | Timings |
| New Market | Lindsay Street | Bags, Jewelries, Clothes | 10 am to 8 pm (Monday to Friday) |
| Chowringhee Road Market | Bertram St, Esplanade, Dharmatala, Taltala | Household items, Clothes | 10:30 am to 8:30 pm (Monday to Sunday) |
| Oxford Bookstore | 15 Park Street, Apeejay House Block C, 2nd Floor, Taltala | A huge collection of books | 11 am to 9 pm (Monday to Sunday) |
| Bara Bazaar | Bara Bazar, Barabazar Market | Daily Essentials | 10:30 am to 7:30 pm (Monday to Saturday) |
| Sunshine | 7, Sudder St, Colootola, New Market Area, Dharmatala, Taltala | Notebooks, pants, shawls, embroidery bags | 10 am to 10 pm (Monday to Sunday) |
4. Spectate any sports – Catch a lively soccer or cricket match
For all sport lovers, there are a lot of places where you can head but if you wish to watch a live professional soccer or cricket match, then there is none other place better than the legendary “Eden Garden.” But let’s tell you a new thing, there are more places where you can head for enjoying soccer games and cricket games.
Don’t stress out because we got you covered. Here is a list of such places where you can head to watch a game or so!
| Name of the stadium | Location of the stadium | Capacity of the Stadium |
| Eden Gardens | Kolkata | 66,349 |
| Netaji indoor stadium | Kolkata Police Safe House, Eden Gardens, Strand Rd, Maidan, B.B.D. Bagh, Kolkata, | 12,000 |
| Gitanjali Sports Complex | Rajdanga Sarat Park Road, Gitanjali Rd, Shantipally, Rajdanga Chakraborty Para, Sector B, Kasba, Kolkata | 4000 |
| Rabindra Sarobar Stadium | 5, Sarat Chatterjee Ave, Dhakuria, Rabindra Sarobar, Kalighat, Kolkata | 20,000 |
| Kishore Bharati Krirangan | B-278, Survey Park Rd, Purba Diganta, Santoshpur, Kolkata | 12,000 |
5. Religious shrines – Visit shrines to different faiths
Kolkata is also a wonderful place for pilgrims and there are multiple popular and important temples in the city. These temples are highly revered and they hold a significant and special space in the hearts of the Hindus. So if you have faith in shrines and want to offer your prayers to the lord, then make sure you visit here.
Apart from offering your prayers, the temples are beautifully created and you will love to explore them and witness the beauty of their architecture. Here are some popular temples!
| Name of the temple | Location of the temple | Timings of the temple |
| Birla Mandir | 29, Old Ballygunge Road, Ashutosh Chowdary Avenue, Kolkata | 5:30 am to 11 am & 4:30 pm to 9 pm (Monday to Sunday) |
| Kalighat Kali Temple | Anami Sangha, Kalighat, Kolkata | 5:00 am to 2:00 pm (Monday to Sunday) |
| Dakshineshwar Temple | Eastern Bank of Hogghly River, Kolkata | 5:30 am to 12 pm & 4:30 pm to 8:30 pm (Monday to Sunday) |
| Agni Mandir | Chandni Chawk, Bowbazar, Metcalfe Lane, Kolkata | 5 am to 12 pm & 5 pm to 10 pm (Monday to Sunday) |
| Sri Bal Hanuman Mandir | 358 Block A, Lake Town, Kolkata | 6 am to 8 pm (Monday to Sunday) |
6. Kolkata tram trip – Ride an old-fashioned Kolkata tram
Didn’t we say earlier that to enjoy a city at its best, we need to do things like locals. And to enjoy a city tour in the best way possible you can take a ride in an old-fashioned way. Yes, you heard that right, via trams! That’s one of the uniqueness of Kolkata and surely a USP too. If you are visiting the city, we would suggest that you should not miss out on this amazing experience of sightseeing on trams.
It is a unique and wonderful experience that can’t be expressed to its best and it is better to experience it. Here are some important things that you should be knowing before going for a ride. To book a ride you can login to the website of Kolkata Heritage Tram Tours!
| Name of the tram | Seating Capacity | Cost per person (Estimation) |
| Single Bogey AC | 24 | For 7 hours- 1210 INR
For 4 hours- 1041 INR |
| Double Bogeys Non-AC | 52 | For 7 hours- 539 INR
For 4 hours- 462 INR |
| Single Bogeys Non-AC – Balaka/Ma Sarada | 24 | For 7 hours- 875 INR
For 4 hours- 688 INR |
| Single Bogeys Non-AC | 34 | For 7 hours- 676 INR
For 4 hours- 560 INR |
Conclusion
Now, you might have seen or done some of the above-given activities in Kolkata, but have you done all of them? And more importantly, at the places we have mentioned above? If any of these activities or attractions are missing from your bucket list, then make sure you visit it on your next trip. And that too without a miss! It will give you a better experience and insight of the city.
