Being my hometown, roaming as a tourist is not always my idea when it comes to Kolkata. My Kolkata visits meant hopping on in a yellow taxi and hopping off to some relatives place. However, this year was different, my partner in crime was transferred to Kolkata and so we decided to go on a voyage. Going on a voyage meant by doing all the necessary touristy things, from visiting Victoria Memorial to clicking selfies by the Ghats of Ganga.
Stay
I stayed in New Town, in my friends flat. It is one of the newest development in the city and being close to the airport, makes it an ideal place to stay. It is the emerging IT and residential hub along with many interesting attractions near to its vicinity.
Day 1
Waking up by the smell of freshly made momos
Being a hardcore momos fan, Terreti market was the first on my list. Kolkata’s very own China Town will leave you spellbound by their amazing delicacies like Chicken Momos, Pork Momos, Shu Mei, Sausages, Prawn wafers etc… My vegetarian friend didn’t find the place much appealing looking at those pork sausages and fish hanging from the roof and hence I was left all alone with the tasting task. I tried their chicken wontons (It was 9 a.m. and that was the only dish left!).
What next?
After a soulful breakfast at the Terreti, it was time for some sightseeing. We headed to Kolkata’s goofiest place, the South Park Cemetery. It turned out rather nice with all those stunning Gothic & Indo-Saracenic tombs and greenery.
Next up on our sightseeing tour was The Victoria Memorial Hall. One of the most iconic structures in the city and my favourite too! The memorial hall had two galleries one on the ground floor and other on the roof. After climbing 100 odd steps, we reached the roof gallery that displayed the complete journey of Queen Victoria’s reign in India through beautiful oil paintings.
As summer was approaching, the weather was turning hotter every minute. We decided to rest by the lakeside and observe the nature for a while.
After recharging ourselves, we started walking towards this beautiful church just next to the Victoria Memorial. St. Paul’s Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral church, known for its Gothic architecture. The compound was very calm and peaceful and what most caught our eyes was the three stained glass windows inside the church out of which two frescoes displayed the Florentine Renaissance style.
Lunch
My friend being a Biryani lover suggested to dining at Nawwarah’s, a Moroccan themed fine-dining restaurant & lounge in Ballygunge. Every preparation here was a perfect blend of spices and flavours.
Post lunch sightseeing
The Eco Park in New Town is one of the recently added attractions in Kolkata and is already making buzz across town. It took us nearly 3 hours to see the whole place and we found the Seven Wonders Park being the best among all the great parks. The stunning miniatures of the Seven Wonders of the World were overwhelming and worth a 1000 clicks!
Dinner
After all that walk, it was time to refuel with some great food. Haka was our place to dine in. The restaurant was pocket-friendly and we had a great time feasting on prawns, wine, and choco fudge.
After Dinner Gossip Session
The night was rather pleasant and more than that were the vibes of City Center 1. The lively ambience made us stay for a little longer is when we realized that it has crossed mid-night and so we headed back to our nests thinking about what more awaits…
Day 2
Breakfast at Flurys
Breakfast took us to the Flurys – one of the oldest places in Kolkata. We knew their Omelette and sandwiches are the best going so there was no need to look any further for our breakfast fix.
By the bank of Ganga
After a king size breakfast, we headed to the Princep Ghat. Walking by the riverside was truly refreshing. We stayed there for a while looking at the ferries going back and forth between the Vidyasagar and Howrah Bridge.
From there we headed to one of the holiest places in the city, the Dakshineshwar temple. As it was a Sunday, the place was flooded with devotees. The temple remains closed from 12:30 p.m. until 4 p.m. and so we weren’t able to see the temple from inside but we did spend some time sitting by the bank enjoying the view and serenity of the river Hoogly (traditionally called Ganga).
Lunch
How could I have missed Jhal Muri, Egg Roll and Mutton Chop in Kolkata? Therefore, for lunch, we chose to eat like a local and went on an eating spree around the Jadavpur market. Our lunch ended at Denzong, a tiny Tibetan café serving amazing dim sum and spring rolls.
The last stop
The National Library was our last stop of the day and the amazing trip. My mom suggested the library, and it was worth a visit. In such a technologically driven world, it felt good to be surrounded by paper books and journals. We didn’t get to see the old building as restoration work is going on but we saw its beauty from outside.
Dinner
Finally after a day full of adventure it was time to enjoy the nightlife of Kolkata. We went on dining at the JW Kitchen and danced our hearts at the famous pub Roxy at the Park Hotel.
48 hours is never enough to see an entire city as big and diverse as Kolkata. Suggest me what more I can do on my next visit to the City of Joy in the comment section below.
