Classic Kolkata Tour (8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.)

A classic Kolkata day tour takes you for a day tour inside the city covering prominent locations in the city. After you have woken up from a good night's sleep, had your bath followed by a sumptuous breakfast, your designated vehicle would be ready for taking you around the city. A knowledgeable English speaking guide will accompany you.

The proposed route can be as follows. The guests may modify this as per their requirements.

A. We start from Hotel at 08:00. Driving via Science City, Park Circus crossing and Mallick Bazar, we reach Mother's house. Mother Teresa honoured in the Roman Catholic Church as Saint Teresa of Calcutta was an Albanian-Indian Roman Catholic nun and missionary. She founded the Missionaries of Charity, a Roman Catholic religious congregation in 1950, who provided homes for people who are dying of HIV/AIDS, leprosy and tuberculosis. After her death, a portion of Missionaries of Charity was reserved for visitors to pay their respect to Mother Teresa.

B. Driving through S. N. Banerjee Road, we cross Esplanade the most happening part of the city as we drive past Metropolitan Building, Akashbani, Town Hall, Raj Bhawan and Treasury building to reach St. John's Church near Dalhousie Square. The St. John's Church is the third oldest church of Kolkata after Old Mission Church and Armenian Church. An original Parish Church of Bengal, it became the principal Cathedral of Calcutta in 1815, and remained so until the consecration of St. Paul's Cathedral in 1847.

C. The church is located at B.B.D. Bagh or Dalhousie Square which has the largest cluster of European Building in the State. The space was originally named for James, Marques of Dalhousie, who served as the Governor-General of India from 1847 to 1856.

D. Driving past important buildings of Dalhousie squares like Writers Building and General Post Office, we head towards Howrah Bridge alias Rabindra Setu. For interested tourists we take a visit to the Mullick Ghat to get a closer look to the Hooghly River and the bridge. Otherwise we drive on the bridge and cross the river. Howrah Bridge is a bridge with a suspended span over the Hooghly River which was commissioned in 1943. It is busiest cantilever bridge in the world. The bridge serves as the gateway to Kolkata, connecting it to the Howrah Station. Crossing the bridge, we drive past the Howrah Station, which is the oldest and largest railway complex in India, serving the twin cities of Howrah and Kolkata. It was opened to the public in 1854.

E. We drive past the Hooghly River, viewing the skyline of Kolkata besides the river. Driving on the foreshore road, we get on the Second Hooghly bridge alias Vidyasagar Setu and drive back to Kolkata. Vidyasagar Setu is the longest cable-stayed toll bridge in India. Named after the educationist reformer Pandit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, the bridge was completed in 1992. Vidyasagar Setu is a cable-stayed bridge, with 121 cables in a fan arrangement. Driving on the Vidyasagar Setu gives a great view of the city and the river.

F. After entering Kolkata alighting from Vidyasagar Setu, we drive to the Prinsep Ghat to get a close view of the bridge and visit James Prinsep's memorial. James Prinsep was an English scholar who was the founding editor of the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal and is best remembered for deciphering the Kharosthi and Brahmi scripts of ancient India.

G. From Prinsep Ghat we drive on Red Road which was built in 1820. One can get a lovely view of Kolkata Maidan while driving on this road. Maidan is the largest urban park in Kolkata, often referred as the "Lungs of the city". This includes numerous play grounds, including the famous cricketing venue Eden Gardens, several football stadiums, and the Kolkata Race Course. The Maidan is lined up with statues and some outstanding architectural works, the most notable being the Victoria Memorial.

H. After a sumptuous lunch at a restaurant at Park Street - the downtown area of Kolkata, we drive to St. Paul's Cathedral. Built in 1847, the church is noted for its Gothic Architecture designed to meet the requirement of Indian climate. It is the seat of the Diocese of Calcutta. The Cathedral was built to replace St. John's Church as the Cathedral. The Cathedral is surrounded by a well maintained Garden.

I. In the line of the Cathedral lies the Victoria Memorial Hall. Built in the memory of Queen Victoria (1819-1901), Victoria Memorial Hall is a large marble building in Kolkata. It was constructed between 1906 and 1921. The mansion a museum in its interiors and is surrounded by a sprawling Garden and a water body. There are interesting statues in the garden as well, including that of Queen Victoria.

J. We drive to Millennium Park to relax around river front. It is a huge private park in Kolkata, along the Strand Road on eastern shore of Hooghly River. The park has landscaped garden along with Children's amusement rides. One can also book short trips on Hooghly River in luxury boats from Millennium Park.

K. As the tour ends we go for some shopping in Esplanade and /or New Market area.

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Vintage Kolkata Tour (8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.)

Vintage Kolkata tour is meant for those who want to visit the diverse culture of the city through its built heritage. After you have woken up from a good night's sleep, had your bath followed by a sumptuous breakfast, your designated vehicle would be ready for taking you around the city. A knowledgeable English speaking guide will accompany you.

A. The tour begins at 8:30 a.m. You will be picked up from your hotel. We will drive past Science city, Park Circus, Rabindra Sadan to reach Victoria Memorial Hall. Built in the memory of Queen Victoria (1819-1901), Victoria Memorial Hall is a large marble building in Kolkata. It was constructed between 1906 and 1921.

B. We visit St. Paul's Cathedral. Built in 1847, the church is noted for its Gothic Architecture designed to meet the requirement of Indian climate. It is the seat of the Diocese of Calcutta. The Cathedral was built to replace St. John's Church as the Cathedral. The Cathedral is surrounded by a well maintained Garden.

C. We drive to the Prinsep Ghat to visit James Prinsep's memorial. James Prinsep wasan English scholar who was the founding editor of the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal and is best remembered for deciphering the Kharosthi and Brahmi scripts of ancient India. There is the beautiful Prinsep Ghat nearby. At present there is 2-kilometre stretch of the beautified riverfront from Princep Ghat to Babughat

D. From Prinsep Ghat one can get a view of Vidyasagar Setu or Second Hooghly Bridge. We drive from Prinsep Ghat to the bridge. We get view of the Second Hooghly bridge alias Vidyasagar Setu. Vidyasagar Setu is the longest cable-stayed toll bridge in India. Named after the educationist reformer Pandit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, the bridge was completed in 1992.

E. From Prinsep Ghat we drive on Red Road which was built in 1820. One can get a lovely view of Kolkata Maidan while driving on this road. Maidan is the largest urban park in Kolkata, often referred as the "Lungs of the city". This includes numerous play grounds, including the famous cricketing venue Eden Gardens, several football stadiums, and the Kolkata Race Course. The Maidan is lined up with statues and some outstanding architectural works, the most notable being the Victoria Memorial.

F. We drive past Akashbani, Town Hall, Raj Bhawan and Treasury building to reach St. John's Church near Dalhousie Square. The St. John's Church is the third oldest church of Kolkata after Old Mission Church and Armenian Church.
The church is located at B.B.D. Bagh or Dalhousie Square which has the largest cluster of European Building in the State. The space was originally named for James, Marques of Dalhousie, who served as the Governor-General of India from 1847 to 1856.

G. From Dalhousie Square we drive to Marble Palace via Central Avenue. Marble Palace is a nineteenth century mansion. The mansion is famous for its marble walls, floors, and sculptures, from which it derives its name. The house was built in 1835 by Raja Rajendra Mullick, a wealthy Bengali merchant with a passion for collecting works of art.

H. From Marble Palace, the next destination is Jorasanko Thakurbari. Originally the ancestral home of the family of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, it is presently located in the campus of Viswabharati University.

I. We take break for lunch. We drive to Millennium Park to relax around river front. It is a huge private park in Kolkata, along the Strand Road on eastern shore of Hooghly River. The park has landscaped garden along with Children's amusement rides. One can also book short trips on Hooghly River in luxury boats from Millennium Park.

J. We go for some shopping in Esplanade and /or New Market area. Tour ends.

North Kolkata Tour (8:30 am to 5:30 pm)

This is a special tour which will be focused in the Northern Part of the city. This needs to be booked one day in advance to get permission to visit Sovabazar Rajbari. After you have woken up from a good night's sleep, had your bath followed by a sumptuous breakfast, your designated vehicle would be ready for taking you around the city. A knowledgeable English speaking guide will accompany you.

A. We start our tour at 08:30 am. The first destination will be Shovabazar Rajbari as its Thakurdalan alias place of worship gets closed by 10:00 am in the morning. The two houses of the Shobhabazar royal family in Kolkata was built by Raja Nabakrishna Deb (1737-97), founder of the Shobhabazar Rajbari. Raja Nabakrishna Deb celebrated Durga Puja in 1757 on a grand scale after the British defeated Siraj-ud-Daulah at the battle of Plassey. Lord Clive and Warren Hastings were in the list of invitees.It was here that the first civic reception of Swami Vivekananda after his return from Chicago Parliament of Religions was organised in 1897 by Raja Binoy Deb Bahadur.

B. From Sovabazar Rajbari, we visit Kumortuli. The potter's den where the artisans creates life size clay figures of Hindu God and Goddesses as well as other idols too. You can take a look round Kumortuli potter's den and also visit several historical building like Madan Mohan Mitra temple.

C. The Kumortuli Ghat is nearby, where we take a stroll around Ganges.

D. We reach Chitpur road alias Rabindra Sarani. Here after alighting from the vehicle, we take a brisk walk to check out colossal mansions of North Kolkata like Khelat Ghosh's house, Ghoriwala Mallick house, Lohia Matri Sadan, Jorasanko Rajbari - the abode of descendants of millionare Naku Dhar.

E. From Rabindra Sarani, we visit the Ramdulal Dey Sarkar's Thakurbari. He was the first he first Bengali entrepreneur who became a millionaire.

F. We drive to the Swetambara Jain Temple on Dinendra Street, which is a fine example of Jain architecture.

G. We break for lunch. Post lunch, we drive to Marble Palace via Central Avenue. Marble Palace is a nineteenth century mansion. The mansion is famous for its marble walls, floors, and sculptures, from which it derives its name. The house was built in 1835 by Raja Rajendra Mullick, a wealthy Bengali merchant with a passion for collecting works of art.

H. From Marble Palace, the next destination is Jorasanko Thakurbari. Originally the ancestral home of the family of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, it is presently located in the campus of Viswabharati University.

I. We Go to New Market for shopping. Tour ends.
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Religious Tour ( 8:30 am to 5:30 pm)

A.This is a special tour which is tailor made for those who are interested in Ramakrishna and Vivekanada. Ramakrishna was an Indian Hindu mystic and saint in 19th century Bengal.Ramakrishna was influenced by several religious traditions, including devotion toward the goddess Kali, Tantra (shakta), Vaishnava (bhakti) and Advaita Vedanta. Reverence and admiration for him among Bengali elites led to Swami Vivekananda founding the Ramakrishna Math,

B.We start the tour from Swami Vivekananda's ancestral house at Bidhan Sarani, which is also a cultural centre.

C.We visit Balaram Mandir at Baghbazar. Apart from being a temple it is a branch of Ramakrishna Mission and Ramakrishna Math The centre was started in 1922 in the house of Sri Balaram Basu, one of the chief lay disciples of Sri Ramakrishna. The place has been sanctified by the numerous visits of Sri Ramakrishna, his disciples, and Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi. It was here that the Ramakrishna Mission Association was born.

D.After visiting Sister Nivedita's House at near by Bose Para Lane, we will visit Mayer Bari. Sister Nivedita was the prominent disciple of Swami Vivekananda. At present, one can enter the house only for certain days of the year including her birthday on 28th October, as because renovation work is still going on. Mayer Bari' is the house where Ma Sarada, or Sarada Devi, the wife and spiritual counterpart of Sri Ramakrishna, had spent 11 years of her life.

E.From Mayer Bari, we will visit Mayer Ghat where Ma Sarada used to take bath during her staying near the ghat from 23 May, 1909 to 20 July, 1920. Kolkata Municipal Corporation has renovated this ghat.

F.From Mayer Ghat, we visit Dakhineswar Temple (8 Km from Kolkata), founded by Rani Rashmoni of Janbazar where Ramakrishna used to worship as a priest.

G.From Dakhineswar Temple we visit Belur Math ( 13 km from Kolkata). This is the headquarters of the Ramkrishna Mission and Math and is also the center of the Ramkrishna Movement. This was built by Swami Vivekananda who was a disciple and an ardent follower of Ramakrishna Paramhandsa. When Swami Vivekananda went to Colombo in 1897, he ordered the building of two missionaries, one at Belur and the other near Almora.

Lunch at Belur Math. Return to Kolkata
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KOLKATA HALF DAY TOURS

Popular Calcutta Tour
We start with Victoria Memorial, followed by St. Paul Cathedral. Then we drive past Academy, Rabindra Sadan and Birla Planeterium to reach Prinsep Ghat to take a look James Prinsep's Memorial and Prinsep Ghat from you get clear view of Second Hooghly Bridge.

British Kolkata Tour
This includes visiting Victoria Memorial, St. Paul Cathedral, St. John's Church, a small stroll at Dalhousie Square, Metclaf Hall museum ending at Prinsep Ghat

Sutanuti Tour
This includes visiting areas in North Kolkata like Sovabazar Rajbari, Kumortuli Potter's Den, Balaram Mandir, Mayer Bari and Mayer Ghat

Chitpur Tour
We walk on the oldest street of Kolkata visiting Nakhoda Masjid, Jain Temple, Marble Palace and Jorsanko Thakurbari

KOLKATA WALKING TOURS

1. Dalhousie Square Walk
Highlights of the walk
Mansions which showcase finest example of fusion architecture from colonial era. Nowhere in Kolkata, within such a small area you see such a plethora of colonial age architecture. The visitors are virtually taken back to the colonial era as the history is slowly being unfolded before them as they walk past mansions like the Writer's Building, General Post Office, Currency Building, St, Andrews Church, Standard Assurance building, Governor's house. The Tour ends with a visit to the interiors of St. John Church.

2. Confluence of Culture Walk
Highlights of the walk
A. Chinese Temples, Jewish Synagogues, Parsi Fire Temple, Portuguese church and Armenian Church.
B. A taste of local Chinese breakfast


3.College Street Walk
Highlights of the walk
A. Walking besides some of the legendary colleges and Universities as their history unfolds with the narrative tales. Looking into old books at College Street book shops,
B. Residing places of notable stalwarts like Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay and Aurobindo Ghosh.
C. Several memorials including a Bengali War Memorial
D. Tasting local cuisines from famous eateries in the area


4. Sovabazar Kumortuli Walk
Highlights of the walk
A. Interiors of Sovabazar Rajbari
B. Several heritage buildings in Sovabazar and Kumortuli area.
C. Kumotuli Potter's Den , where artisans create life like idols out of clay.