Situated on the Eastern bank of the Hooghly River, Kolkata is famous for its many historical landmarks and vibrant Durga Puja celebrations. This city also offers great shopping, dining, and nightlife experiences. While visiting Kolkata’s popular attractions such as Victoria Memorial, Howrah Bridge, Dakshineswar Kali Temple, Park Street, etc., is among the best things to do, exploring its offbeat places is worth your time. So, here we can come up with some of the unique things to do in Kolkata to make your trip even more memorable.
Explore Kumortuli
If you are an art lover, then you must take a tour of Kumartuli when you are in Kolkata. Commonly called the Idol-making Lane of Kolkata or Potters Colony, Kumartuli is where most artists proficient in carving earthen sculptures live. Stroll through the lanes of Kumortuli that house countless idol-making studios, where you can see several idols of Gods and Goddesses in making. You can watch artists working on their craft and creating huge idols of various deities with exquisite craftsmanship.
Tour the Marble Palace
Constructed by a wealthy merchant named Raja Rajendra Mullick in the 19th century, Marble Palace is a beautiful mansion well preserved to this day. Surrounded by lush green manicured gardens, the lavish mansion is built using different types of marble. It features stunning neoclassical architecture blended with traditional Bengali elements. The heirs of the royals still live in this place. However, visitors are permitted to take a tour of Marble Palace and explore the interesting collection of paintings, portraits, sculptures, and other artworks inside the palace.
Visit Swami Vivekananda’s Ancestral House
Kolkata, often referred to as the Cultural Capital of India, is the birthplace of many notable personalities who have left their mark in various fields ranging from science to art and literature to philosophy. Swami Vivekananda is one of the eminent Indian philosophers from Kolkata. For someone interested in his deep philosophy, taking a tour of the ancestral house of Swami Vivekananda is the best thing to do. You can go on a guided tour and learn a little about how Narendranath Dutta turned into the great influential philosopher Swami Vivekananda. Book your flights to Kolkata from LAX at Indian Eagle as soon as your itinerary is planned because booking in advance is the best way to get the cheapest flights!
Shop for books at College Street
Kolkata boasts of the largest second-hand book market in India – College Street. Interestingly, this is also regarded as the largest second-hand book market in the entire world. So, all those book lovers, you cannot simply leave Kolkata without indulging yourself in book shopping at College Street. Hundreds of bookshops (including publishing houses) and street stalls dot this old street; each offering a vast variety of books ranging from academic ones to literary masterpieces. There is fiction as well as nonfiction, contemporary novels as well as classics, international bestsellers as well as regional classics. Needless to say, College Street is a paradise for book lovers.
Check out Birla Planetarium
The largest planetarium in Asia and the second-largest in the world, Birla Planetarium is a must-visit for all space and science enthusiasts visiting the city. It is situated close to many popular Kolkata attractions such as Victoria Memorial and St. Paul’s Cathedral. The planetarium was opened in the year 1963 by the then Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru. Besides offering interesting galleries and astronomy shows, it also hosts many programs in various languages such as English, Hindi, and Bengali. Watching their sci-fi themed show revolving around space is one of the unique things to do in Kolkata. Book your flights to Kolkata from San Francisco (or any other US city) at Indian Eagle as soon as your itinerary is planned because booking in advance is the best way to get the cheapest flights!
Other unique experiences in Kolkata include going on a ride in the ionic trams of the city, exploring Chinatown, boating at Babughat, walking through the South Park Street Cemetery, visiting ancient churches like Armenian Church and St. John Church, and checking out the 200-year-old banyan tree at the Indian Botanical Gardens.
If you have already visited the top tourist places in Kolkata, plan your next trip around these offbeat experiences. Indian Eagle, a reputed flight booking agency, is known to offer cheap flight tickets to Kolkata from San Francisco and other US cities. So, plan your trip soon, book flight tickets, and fly down to the City of Joy to enjoy a great holiday.
