SUCCUMB TO THE MAGIC OF
HISTORIC KOLKATA
EXPERT LED SIGNATURE TOUR - DISCOVER KOLKATA THROUGH THE EYES OF
SOMEONE WHO NOT ONLY KNOWS THE CITY BUT LOVES IT DEEPLY
11 - 14 DECEMBER,2024
3 NIGHTS/4 DAYS
Overview
India’s Third-Largest City Is A Daily Festival Of Human Existence, Simultaneously Noble And Squalid, Cultured And Desperate, Decidedly Futuristic Though Still In Transition. By Its Old Spelling, Calcutta Readily Conjures Images Of Human Suffering To Most Westerners – Although That’s Not A Complete Picture Of This 330- Year-Old Metropolis. Locally, Kolkata Is Regarded As India’s Intellectual, Artistic And Cultural Capital. The Self-Made Middle Class Drives The City’s Core Machinery, A Nascent Hipster Culture Thrives Among Its Millennial Residents And Its Dapper Bengali Gentry Frequent Grand Colonial-Era Clubs.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Our Expert Guide/Storyteller offers more than just tours; she brings Kolkata to life, making each visit a personalized experience. As a guide in Kolkata, she introduces travellers to the city beyond the well-trodden paths, showcasing its hidden gems and vibrant stories. Her tours are perfect for anyone exploring Kolkata and seeking to see beyond the obvious attractions.
- She is a dedicated Kolkata tourist guide with over three decades of experience in the Indian textile industry and a profound connection to local artisans. Her deep commitment to Kolkata’s heritage, culture, history, and vibrancy makes her an unparalleled Kolkata local guide. For the past many years, she has been exploring every facet of the city, leveraging her extensive family history and a wide range of connections to become a renowned Calcutta guide.
- Our day will start at around 9:30 am and drop off will be between 5:50 – 7:00 pm. We begin early to avoid the heat and traffic. This is the best time for a Kolkata city tour through this vibrant and bustling city.
- Our expert guide will try to fit in some of the recommended places for shopping at the end of the day (for those interested).
- Tea and Snacks on board the Sunset Cruise over the Hoogly River on day 1.
- Lunch and Tea on 2nd and 3rd day at some of Calcutta’s Classic and Heritage Tagged Restaurants.
- 3 days of Calcutta sightseeing with our Renowned Expert Guide.
- Travel in a small group accompanied by one of us.
Trip Schedule
Sunset Boat Cruise up the River Hooghly to Belur Math and visit to its sprawling complex.
- Airport pick up and Private Transfer to Hotel.
- Check-in and relax.
- Meet in the hotel lobby for Orientation and Story of Calcutta by our Expert Guide.
- At 4pm we will head out for a sunset boat cruise up the River Hooghly. Discover an unseen side of Kolkata, with a view of the myriad activities on the river’s ‘Ghats’.
- Take in the glory of the setting sun on river Hooghly, while sailing upriver to BelurMath, the international headquarters of the Ramakrishna Mission, while the city’s iconic Howrah and Vidyasagar Setu bridges loom overhead all light up on the return trip. This Cruise is the perfect start to our three-day tour of Kolkata.
From Village Life to the First City of the British Empire in 300 Years – A Historical Journey through Kolkata’s Streets, Markets and Heritage Buildings. Colonial Calcutta – Explore – St John’s Church, Dalhousie Square, Jewish Synagogues, Victoria Memorial, St Paul’s Cathedral and Alipore Jail Museum.
- Today, we will flit around the city taking in the legacy left behind by the former colonial power.
- As we explore this side of the city, we will understand why they said the sun never sets on the British Empire and how they reached the peak of their prowess and made more than enough show of it.
- Lunch at Mocambo / Eau Chew (Chinese) (included).
- Our day concludes with Tea at Flury’s Tea Room (included) a historic Calcutta establishment on Park Street, near the Oxford Bookshop, where we can browse a delightful collection of books on Calcutta and India.
(Both Calcutta classics and Heritage tagged Restaurants).
- Overnight at hotel in Kolkata.
Bengali Calcutta (Kolkata Bengali Itihas)
The Bengal Renaissance – The Birth of Modern India in the 19th Century Explore the colourful wholesale Flower Market, Jain Temple, Jorashanko Thakur Bari (House of Rabindranath Tagore), Mothers House, Marble Palace and Netaji Bhavan (house of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose).
- Lunch at Bomti’s” provides a unique window into the traditonal Calcutta lifestyle, which is now regretably fading. Mr. Surojit ‘Bomti’ Iyenger, an art collector and socialite, warmly welcomes guests to his charming apartment in a historic building on Chowringhee. Guests can savour authentic, home-cooked Bengali dishes, accompanied by fresh Darjeeling tea, while enjoying Bomti’s insights into Bengali Art and Modern Kolkata, with some pieces available for purchase.
- Tea at a Calcutta Dhaba or Sweet Shop.
- Overnight at hotel in Kolkata.
- Half day Free at Leisure (Museums, Art Galleries, Boutiques and Bazars).
- Group departures to the Airport for return flight.