Holidays in Kolkata

Tourist Places to see in and around Kolkata

If you wish to take a break from the hustle and bustle of Calcutta then too there are several options. Shanti Niketan located 136 km northwest of Calcutta was the residence of Rabindranath Tagore and is a renowned university. Then there is the unexplored holiday destination of Bishnupur. The terracotta temples attract innumerable tourists. Balucheri saris, the rare ganijifa, delicately carved shells and bell metal artefacts make excellent souvenirs from Bishnupur. Towards north of Calcutta is the world famous Dakshineshwar Temple that is dedicated to Goddess Kali. Ramakrishna Paramhansa, the spiritual guru of Swami Vivekananda, spent most of his life here. Close to the Dakshineshwar Temple is the Belur Math. Belur Math is the headquarters of Ramakrishna Mission where people across castes and creed come. The Botanical Gardens in Shibpur besides Hoogly River are also worth visiting.

The Botanical Gardens in Shibpur besides Hoogly River are also worth visiting. The chief attraction in the botanical gardens is the 250-year-old banyan tree. Bandel, 43 km from Kolkata is worth visiting for Bandel church. Chinsura at a distance of 46 kilometres from Kolkata is home to a Dutch factory that was built in 1628. Just 25 kms. from Kolkata is Chandernagar that was once a French settlement. Quai Dupleix, Eglise Du Sacre, and image of Joan of Arc are the must visits here. The ethnic food of Kolkata is not to be missed. Sweet curd and mishti doi is regular with all meals. For usual meal will include boiled rice with fish curry, saag, and mutton kalia. Rasgullas and Chumchums are the Bengali sweets that are popular across India.