Dates are flexible. This day-by-day plan is provisional until you choose exact travel dates.
Start at Victoria Memorial when it opens, usually at 10 a.m. (the gardens open earlier; check the current schedule, as the museum is closed on Mondays and national holidays). Allow about 2½ hours for the galleries and a relaxed garden walk. Museum entry is typically around ₹30 for Indian visitors and more for foreign visitors; confirm current rates and any ticketing requirements before you go. If it’s a Monday, enjoy the grounds and exterior, then save the galleries for another day. From the memorial, walk into the Maidan for an easy hour among the open lawns, with the memorial’s marble dome as your backdrop. Stick to established paths, carry water, and use a ride-hail or taxi rather than trying to cross busy roads at random.
Head to Indian Museum in Esplanade by taxi or ride-hail—allow roughly 10–20 minutes, depending on traffic. Give the galleries about two hours; it generally opens from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and is closed on Mondays, so check before setting out. Admission is modest for Indian visitors, with higher rates for foreign visitors; verify the current fee at the entrance. For lunch, choose a nearby café or restaurant around Esplanade, then continue to New Market, a short ride or walk away. Spend about 1½ hours browsing its covered lanes for textiles, leather goods, and snacks. Bargaining is normal at many stalls; keep small notes handy and take care around the busy entrances.
Finish at Flurys on Park Street, about a 10–15-minute ride from New Market in ordinary traffic. Settle in for tea, pastries, or a light meal; budget roughly ₹500–1,000 per person. It’s a popular stop, so allow a little time for a table during the evening rush. If the memorial or museum is closed when you visit, don’t try to cram both into the day—enjoy the outdoor stops and check their weekly schedules to plan a return.
Start at Jorasanko Thakur Bari, Rabindranath Tagore’s ancestral home, and allow about 1½ hours for the house and museum. Check the current hours before setting out: it is generally closed on Mondays, and last entry may be earlier than closing time. Then take a short taxi or auto-rickshaw ride to Marble Palace on Muktaram Babu Street; allow another 1½ hours to see its ornate rooms and eclectic collection. You’ll need to arrange the required visitor permission in advance, and access can be restricted. Its visiting days and hours can also vary, so confirm both the permit and opening before building your day around it.
From Marble Palace, take a taxi or auto-rickshaw to Kumartuli—allow roughly 15–25 minutes, depending on traffic—and spend about 1½ hours among the sculptors’ workshops. You’ll see artisans shaping clay figures; ask before photographing people or work in progress, and remember that activity and access vary by season. Take a relaxed lunch nearby, then continue by taxi to Sovabazar Rajbari, allowing roughly 15–25 minutes on the road. Plan about an hour to appreciate its courtyard architecture, but treat entry as subject to access rather than guaranteed.
Finish at Indian Coffee House on College Street, a short taxi ride from Sovabazar Rajbari in typical traffic. Settle in for an hour amid the bookshops and lively student chatter; budget roughly ₹200–500 per person. Kolkata traffic can be unpredictable, so leave a little slack between stops, and verify access and opening times for the heritage sites before you go.
Go early to Kalighat Kali Temple to avoid the worst of the queues; allow 1½–2 hours, and check current visitor arrangements before setting out, especially if you hope to enter the inner shrine. The temple itself is generally free, but offerings are optional. Keep valuables secure, and don’t hand money to unofficial guides or priests who approach you outside. Afterward, spend about an hour at Kalighat Temple Museum; confirm that it is open to visitors and check its hours before you go, as access and schedules can vary.
For a change of pace, take a taxi or auto-rickshaw to Rabindra Sarobar in Dhakuria—roughly 20–35 minutes, depending on traffic—and leave about 1½ hours for a shaded lakeside stroll. It’s a welcome breather from the temple crowds; stick to the paths and follow any posted access rules. Grab lunch nearby before heading on, or eat later if you’d rather keep the walk unhurried.
Continue by taxi to Birla Mandir in Ballygunge, usually around 15–25 minutes from the lake. Allow about an hour for the marble architecture and carved details; check the current visiting hours before you go, since temple access may pause between sessions, and follow its rules on shoes, photography, and belongings. Finish with Bengali home-style cooking at Bhojohori Manna in southern Kolkata. Budget roughly ₹400–800 per person; a short wait is possible at peak dinner time.
Start around Howrah Bridge while the light is soft and the riverfront is already waking up. Take in the bridge from the approaches and riverbank rather than stopping on the bridge itself; it’s a working, busy thoroughfare. Then wander through Mullick Ghat Flower Market, just below it. The market is at its most vivid in the early morning, with wholesale trading, tight lanes and baskets of marigolds and roses—wear shoes you don’t mind getting dusty and keep your phone and wallet secure in the crush. Allow 30–45 minutes for the bridge views and about an hour for the market. A short taxi or app cab from central Kolkata is usually the simplest way to reach this area; allow extra time for Howrah-side traffic.
Continue to Armenian Ghat, a historic riverside landing place a short ride from the market. Give yourself about 45 minutes to look around and watch the river activity; access and upkeep can vary, so treat it as a brief, atmospheric stop rather than a fully serviced attraction. Carry water, and use a taxi or app cab between stops rather than trying to navigate the crowded market lanes with luggage or valuables.
Leave a restful gap through the hottest part of the day, then head to Prinsep Ghat for the promenade and views of Vidyasagar Setu. Late afternoon is the most comfortable time to stroll; allow about 1½ hours, and check locally for any current access arrangements. Finish with dinner aboard The Floatel, a permanently moored hotel on the Hooghly. Budget roughly ₹1,000–2,000 per person before any extras, and call ahead to confirm restaurant hours, availability and whether a reservation is needed. Take a cab between the ghat and the hotel; riverfront traffic can make the drive slower than the map suggests.
Begin at St. John’s Church in B.B.D. Bagh. Its pale stone exterior and quiet, leafy grounds feel a world away from the busy office district outside; allow about an hour to see the church and historic memorials. It is generally open during daytime hours, but access can vary around services or events, so check locally before setting out. From here, Raj Bhavan is a short walk: admire the grand former Government House from the public perimeter, as entry is restricted and visitor access should not be assumed.
Continue on foot to Writers’ Buildings, the imposing red-brick landmark associated with Bengal’s colonial administration. It remains a working government complex, so treat this as an exterior stop and follow any security instructions; allow around 30 minutes. The B.B.D. Bagh streets are busy with office traffic, so use crossings and leave a little extra time between stops. A taxi or app cab can take you from here to St. Paul’s Cathedral near the Maidan in roughly 15–25 minutes, depending on traffic.
Spend about an hour at St. Paul’s Cathedral, taking in its Gothic Revival architecture and stained glass. Visiting hours can shift around worship, so check before you go and dress respectfully; donations are welcome, while any admission arrangements may vary. Take a taxi or app cab to Mocambo on Park Street—usually a 10–20-minute ride, though congestion can stretch that. Settle in for its old-school Continental-influenced cooking and a relaxed dinner; budget roughly ₹800–1,500 per person, and consider reserving at busy times. Park Street is pleasant for a gentle post-dinner stroll, but keep an eye on traffic and belongings.
Start at Gariahat Market while the stalls are lively but before the midday crush. Give yourself about 1½ hours to browse clothes, household goods and the pavement stalls; bargaining is normal, and small cash helps for snacks and modest purchases. From Gariahat, take a short taxi or app cab to the Birla Industrial & Technological Museum in Ballygunge. Allow around two hours for the hands-on galleries. Check the museum’s current hours and ticket prices before you go, as schedules can change; expect a modest entry fee.
Have lunch near Ballygunge—6 Ballygunge Place is best saved for dinner, so try a simple Bengali thali or a quick meal around Gariahat Road before continuing. A taxi or auto-rickshaw will take you to Deshapriya Park in Kalighat; plan roughly 15–25 minutes, depending on traffic. Spend about 45 minutes unwinding in the neighborhood green space, keeping expectations relaxed: it’s a local park, not a formal garden attraction.
Continue by taxi or auto to Dakshinapan Shopping Centre in Dhakuria, allowing about 15–25 minutes in traffic. Its state emporiums are a good place to browse textiles, crafts and regional specialties; shop hours vary, so check locally and leave about 1½ hours. For dinner, head back to 6 Ballygunge Place in Ballygunge. Budget roughly ₹700–1,300 per person, and consider calling ahead at busy times. Order Bengali classics to share; the rich mustard and poppy-seed dishes are especially satisfying after a day on your feet.
Give Science City a full morning—about 2½–3 hours for the galleries, hands-on exhibits and outdoor attractions. It’s on the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass, so a metered taxi or app cab is the easiest way to arrive; allow extra time for traffic. Check the current opening schedule and ticket options before you go: general admission and individual attractions may be priced separately, and popular experiences can mean a queue.
Walk or take a short cab to Milan Mela, nearby on the bypass. It’s an exhibition and fairground rather than a year-round attraction, so check whether an event is actually running; if not, keep this to a brief break rather than expecting regular displays or food stalls. Then take a cab to Eco Park in New Town—traffic can make this a 30–45-minute hop. Set aside about two hours for the lakeside paths and gardens. Check the park’s current hours and entry arrangements before setting out; boats and other activities, where operating, cost extra.
From Eco Park, it’s a short cab ride to Mother’s Wax Museum. Allow about an hour for the displays, and verify opening hours and ticket details on the day, as schedules can change. For your final dinner, book or call ahead at Beijing Restaurant in Tangra—the historic Chinatown district—then allow roughly 30–45 minutes for the drive, depending on traffic. Set aside about 1½ hours for the meal; budget around ₹600–1,200 per person, excluding drinks, and ask staff for house specialties if you’d like to try Kolkata-style Chinese cooking.
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