Explore Calcutta

This tour of Calcutta has been crafted to get under the skin of the destination, seeing both the main sights, but also allowing you to see how local Calcutta life ticks.  It’s best to begin as early as possible, before the heat builds up (and the traffic!). Head down to the Hoogly River where locals perform their daily early morning rituals before wandering through the aromatic flower market. Your tour of Calcutta continues to Dalhousie Square, seeing the crumbling yet superb architecture such as the Writer’s Building, Governor’s House and almost forgotten Charnock Mausoleum at St Johns Church. You will then head north into ‘Black Town’ and visit Marble Palace, a superb Bengali mansion built in 1835 who collected an wonderfully ecletic selection of works of art, marble sculptures and paintings. Visit Kumartuli, or the Potter’s Market, where giant life-like religious idols are created. Its now time for lunch, and where better than to be hosted by Mr Surojit ‘Bomti’ Lyengar, an art collector and Calcutta socialite who lives in an amazing flat in Chowringhee and is a delight to hear about local Calcutta life and the art world. After lunch, head south and visit the Victoria Memorial; the British answer to the Taj Mahal and the moving Park Street Cemetery. It’s now time for tea, and we suggest working your way to the Flury’s Tea Room to end your day.

Itineraries

Slowly down the Ganges – Holy India

Calcutta - Patna - Ganges River - Varanasi - Delhi  

Drift slowly down the Ganges right in the heart of this magical corner of spiritual India, from Varanasi to Patna.

12 days from £1795 p. p.

Darjeeling & Sikkim: Hidden India

Calcutta - Darjeeling - Biksthang - Sikkim - Darjeeling - Calcutta  

In recent years, there have been some wonderful developments in luxury tourism to Sikkim; the chance to get completely off-the-beaten track in style.

14 days from £4885 p. p.

Tea & Tiffin: Colonial India

Bombay - Shimla - Delhi - Lucknow - Calcutta - Darjeeling  

Delve into India’s colonial past on a private specialist tour which uncovers the history and architecture of the Raj. Visit hill-stations, imperial cities and tea-estates.

15 days from £3995 p. p.

Related Hotels

Glenburn Penthouse Calcutta India Millis Potter

The Glenburn Penthouse

$ $ $ $ $ Calcutta & North East India  

The Glenburn Penthouse in Calcutta is an exquisite eight-room boutique hotel, offering staggering views over Calcutta’s colonial cityscape.

View hotel

The Rajbari Bawali

$ $ $ $ $ Calcutta & North East India  

The Rajbari Bawali is a lovingly restored 250 year old neo-classical palatial heritage hotel located an hour’s drive south of Calcutta.

View hotel
The Oberoi Grand, Calcutta, India

The Oberoi Grand

$ $ $ $ $ Calcutta & North East India  

The Oberoi Grand is a luxury colonial city hotels and the Grand Dame of Calcutta, located right in the heart of the city on Chowringhee Road.

View hotel