All direct flights to Kolkata from the UK & Ireland

Mark Says

Calcutta (Kolkata) is known as the “City of Joy”, though some have found its crowded and noisy streets somewhat closer to joyless. That’s a rather harsh assessment of what is - along with Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai - one of India’s four biggest cities. Indeed, Calcutta was once the greatest metropolis in the East, the jewel in the colonialists’ crown, and much evidence of that past remains today. Most notable is the striking, white-marbled Victoria Monument, currently housing a range of memorabilia from the age of empire.Calcutta can also claim a substantial cultural and architectural legacy. The Indian Museum is the oldest in the country, dating from 1874. Eden Gardens plays home to both some stunning parkland and a world-famous cricket ground. And the Howrah Bridge, spanning some 450 metres across the Hooghly River, is the busiest bridge in the world. Of course, Calcutta boasts significant spiritual activity, too, much of it centred around the Kali Mandir, a temple to the goddess Kali, and the Belur Math, a church, temple and mosque all under the one roof. Calcutta takes to the streets in late September/early October to celebrate Durga Puja, four days of worship and praise-giving conducted in a carnival-esque atmosphere. Many Western visitors prefer to arrive in the city at around this time of year, as during the “winter months” temperatures still get up to 27°C. Compare that with an average high of 38°C during the summertime, and pack appropriately…