Often described as the lungs of Kolkata, the Maidan is the city’s largest urban green space, home to numerous cricket and soccer fields, playgrounds, the flowery Eden Gardens, and several memorials and monuments. The park is an important gathering place in Kolkata, and residents head to the Maidan for entertainment and leisure on the weekends.
Considered one of Kolkata’s most important Jain temples, the Pareshnath Temple is also one of the city’s most extravagant. Composed of four temples located in ornamental gardens, the complex is dedicated to Pareshnath, a Jain tirthankar (spiritual teacher), and attracts thousands of Jain followers and non-Jain visitors each year.
In 1953, the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI was founded in Darjeeling to celebrate Tenzing Norgay’s trip to the summit of Mount Everest alongside Edmund Hillary. Today, the institute has become somewhat of a pilgrimage site for climbers, who come from around the globe to train here.
The Marble Palace, one of Kolkata’s more curious landmarks, was constructed in 1835 by a wealthy merchant and art enthusiast named Raja Rajendra Mullick. Made from more than 90 varieties of marble, the palatial mansion draws inspiration from nearly every cultural influence imaginable, with artifacts from across Asia, Africa, and Europe; they even have authentic Rubens and Renoir pieces on the walls.
Constructed in the early 19th century by British architect Duncan Macleod, Hazarduari Palace is a gargantuan palace museum that showcases a variety of historic relics and art. It’s worth visiting for the grand architecture alone, though the interiors reveal a fine collection of royal treasures, from old weaponry to European oil paintings.
Located in the heart of Kolkata, the MP Birla Planetarium is the largest planetarium in Asia and second-largest in the world. The single-story dome houses a working observatory equipped with a Celestron C-14 telescope. The outer ring of the structure is home to an astronomy gallery with a large collection of paintings and models from some of the world’s most renowned astronomers.
Built in 1926, the Nakhoda Mosque is Kolkata’s principal and biggest mosque, capable of holding 10,000 worshippers. Located in the Chitpur area of Kolkata, this enormous red-sandstone edifice echoes India’s Fatehpur Sikri-style of architecture, with its ornate exterior and green-roofed domes, minars (Indian turrets), and minarets.
Ganga Sagar (Sagar Island, the largest village on Sagar Island 50 miles (80 kilometers south of Kolkata, has long been an important pilgrimage site for Hindus. Each January on Makar Sankranti, pilgrims from around the country gather on the island to take a ceremonial bath in the waters where the Ganges River meets the Bay of Bengal.
Bharat Sevashram Sangha is a Hindu charitable organization headquartered in Kolkata. Visitors to their temple and ashram on the island of Ganga Sagar can learn about the organization’s humanitarian efforts, including disaster relief, healthcare, education, tribal welfare, vocational training programs, and spiritual outreach.
In the southern reaches of Darjeeling, right next to the Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhist Temple, the Japanese Peace Pagoda is one of many Buddhist stupas installed worldwide to promote peace. This beautiful white structure enshrines four images of the Buddha and is a peaceful place to go for a bit of reflection.
The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway—part of the Mountain Railways of India UNESCO World Heritage Site—is the oldest hill passenger railway in the country. The 55 miles (88 kilometers of track connecting New Jalpaiguri with Darjeeling opened in 1881, and the trip up to Darjeeling has changed little since the first journey.
In one of India’s largest cities, it’s hard to find natural places to escape the honk of traffic and press of humanity, but at Kolkata’s New Town Eco Park you can do just that. This 480-acre (194-hectare) urban park has cycling and walking trails, a lake for kayaking and boating, themed zones, and many other activities and facilities.
Just south of Darjeeling, the Batasia Loop is a scenic turnaround point on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway. As the name suggests, it’s where the track—on the Darjeeling Toy Train line—makes a big loop. In the middle of the track stands the Batasia Eco Garden and a war memorial to Gorkha soldiers at its center.
Science City Kolkata is a huge science park, consisting of a museum, outdoor gardens, auditoriums, and a convention center, which is packed with fun interactive exhibits. It’s extremely family friendly, and explores everything from space to ecosystems, dinosaurs, evolution, and much more. You won’t struggle to fill a full day here, which makes the trip from central Kolkata truly worthwhile.
Situated in the Shibpur suburb of Kolkata, this 269-acre (109-hectare) expanse of greenery dates back to the late 1700s, when it was used to study and develop commercial plants for trade under the British East India Company. Early tea-growing experiments here led to the thriving industries in Darjeeling and Assam that remain to this day.
The Quest Mall in Kolkata is a stylish place to shop, eat, or just escape from the hustle of the city outside. The 5-story mall isn’t just home to a wealth of luxury, upmarket clothes and lifestyle brands, but has a multiplex cinema and a food court, which serves a variety of Indian and international fare.
Officially called Jawaharlal Nehru Road, Chowringhee cuts through the heart of Kolkata. Running alongside the Maidan park, this wide avenue is a must for visitors keen to experience the soul of the city through its jumble of colonial-era buildings, shops, markets, and sidewalk stalls.
Located on the Chhotanagpur Plateau on the western end of West Bengal, the Ajodhya Hill and Forest Reserve Area is a natural area popular among hikers, climbers, and eco-tourism enthusiasts. Highlights include scenic viewpoints, waterfalls, and several lakes and dams.
If you're looking for a place to escape the heat of Kolkata, Aquatica Water Park will deliver. This giant park and conference center features a variety of waterslides for visitors of all ages, including a lazy river and a family pool with gentle waves and water features, plus a smattering of fast-paced slides for daring visitors.
