3 Days in Kolkata—A First-Timer’s Guide to the City of Joy

Last updated on June 4th, 2026 at 05:01 pm

Reading Time: 7 minutes

I was 23 years old the first time I boarded a plane.

That wasn’t the most interesting part of this trip.

The most interesting part was my grandfather — sitting next to me. It was his first flight too. He was 75.

His career had started in Kolkata many decades ago, when he was probably 15 years old. He had come to this city as a child to work. Served many years here, and then came to Delhi.

Since then he never came back to Kolkata.

When I decided to visit Kolkata, there was only one person I wanted to take along.

So there we were, two first-timers on a flight to Kolkata, to explore the city of joy.

My Kolkata Trip at Glance

Trip duration	3 days
Best time to visit	November to March
Distance from Delhi	1,500 km — 2 hours by flight, 20 hours by train
Stay area	Bhowanipore — central, well-connected
Must visit	Victoria Memorial, Howrah Bridge, Princep Ghat
Known for	Food, colonial architecture, culture, literature
Budget per day	Rs. 1,000–2,000 per person

How Kolkata Happened

I had been thinking about visiting somewhere.

Kolkata wasn’t the obvious choice for most people my age. But for my Dada, it was his city memory. So, I decided to refresh his childhood memories and explore Kolkata in 3 days.

I booked flights, found a room in Bhowanipore on Booking.com. I choose Bhowanipore because it comes under old Kolkata and I wanted to feel the heritage.

So, we had planned 3 days in the Kolkata city.

How to Reach Kolkata from Delhi

By flight

The fastest and most practical option. Delhi to Kolkata takes approximately 2 hours. Fares range from Rs. 3,000–7,000 depending on how early you book. IndiGo, Air India, and SpiceJet operate multiple daily flights.

We left from Delhi at 9:30 AM and reached Kolkata by 11:40 AM.

By train

By train it takes approximately 20 hours, several trains run daily including the Rajdhani Express. A good option if you’re not in a rush and want to experience the journey slower. The fares for sleeper class start from Rs. 800.

Note – Must check the prices before finalising the budget of your journey.

Arrival in Kolkata — The Yellow City

The first thing I noticed after landing in Kolkata is the color yellow.

Yellow taxis everywhere. Not scattered, genuinely everywhere. The city is painted yellow in a way that no other Indian city is.

From the airport, we booked a cab to our hotel in Bhowanipore which costed approximately Rs. 400–500 for the 25 km ride. The old streets, the colonial buildings, the contrast of dark walls and yellow taxis.

It looked like a different era of India.

We dropped our bags and went straight out.

Best Time to Visit Kolkata

I went to Kolkata in September. It was very humid.

I fell November to March is ideal to explore Kolkata. The weather is pleasant, temperature ranges between 15–27°C. This is the sweet spot. Durga Puja in October is arguably the best time to experience the city’s culture, though it’s significantly more crowded.

Avoid April to October if you can. Kolkata in summer is genuinely brutal, hotter than Delhi on some days, with humidity that makes it feel worse.

Monsoon (June to August) brings relief from the heat but flooding in low-lying areas is common.

If you want to visit a place to experience monsoons, I recommend visiting the Andaman in September.

Day 1 — Victoria Memorial and Howrah Bridge

Victoria Memorial

It’s about 2–3 km from Bhowanipore. We took a cab to reach there.

It’s built in white Makrana marble to commemorate Queen Victoria, it’s one of the most well-maintained colonial monuments in India. The building is striking, large, symmetrical, with a garden all around that gives it space to breathe.

The museum inside has portraits, artefacts, and historical exhibits about Bengal and British India. Worth time if you’re interested in history. Well-lit, well-maintained, genuinely interesting.

The Entry fee for Victoria Memorial is Rs. 20 for Indians (museum) 

Timings are from 10 AM to 5 PM. It’s closed on Mondays 

Tip: Don’t touch anything inside. The security takes this seriously.

Howrah Bridge

From Victoria Memorial we made our way by walking towards the Howrah Bridge.

The Howrah Bridge is not just a landmark, it’s the symbol of Kolkata in the same way the Gateway of India is the symbol of Mumbai.

Standing on it in the evening with the googly river below — that’s Kolkata.

No entry fee. Open all day. Go at sunset.

Countless of vehicles pass from Howrah Bridge, every day.

Day 2 — Museum, Park Street and Princep Ghat

Indian Museum

The Indian Museum on Chowringhee Road is the oldest and largest museum in India. It was established in 1814.

We reached there pretty early around 9:30a.m, half an-hour before the opening time. And waited there for quite some time.

The Entry fee to the Indian Museum is Rs. 50 for Indians. 

Timings are from 10 AM to 5 PM, and it stays closed on Mondays.

For more info, you can visit here.

Park Street

Park Street is Kolkata’s most famous eating and nightlife stretch.

It’s lined with iconic restaurants, some of which have been operating for decades. Mocambo and Peter Cat are the most talked-about. Peter Cat’s Chelo Kebab is specifically worth going for.

Even if you don’t eat at the restaurants, walking Park Street in the evening is its own experience. The crowd, the lights, the mix of old Kolkata culture and modern city energy.

Eden Gardens

Eden Gardens is one of the most famous cricket stadiums in the world with a capacity of 66,000 people.

If there’s no match on, you can visit the ground during certain hours. For any cricket fan, just standing at the boundary rope is worthwhile.

Note: Check for match schedules before planning. During IPL or international matches, the area around Eden Gardens gets very crowded.

Princep Ghat

End the evening at Princep Ghat, there’s a riverside promenade on the banks of the Hooghly.

The monument here was built in 1843 in memory of James Prinsep. The ghat itself is quieter than the city around it — a place where Kolkata residents come to sit by the river in the evening.

Boat rides are available from the ghat. The view of Howrah Bridge from the water is one of the better photographs you’ll take in Kolkata.

Day 3 — Eco Park and New Kolkata

City Centre 2

City Centre 2 is in New town area of Kolkata. It’s useful for a morning visits, coffee, or a break from the outdoor heat.

We went to see the mall and had something for breakfast.

Eco Park

Eco Park is a large recreation park in New Town. It is one of the biggest parks in India at approximately 480 acres.

It has replicas of the Seven Wonders of the World built within the park. It’s not of exact same size, but accurate enough to be impressive.

Also, there are other activities like boating, cycling tracks, food stalls, and enough open space to spend a full afternoon.

The entry fee is nominal, it’s Rs. 30–50 per person.

It’s a good option to relax and calm down. And gives you a version of Kolkata that’s completely different from the heritage city you’ve explored over the previous two days.

A Bit About Eco Park

The Eco-park of Kolkata has an Island inside the Park. The Park is spread along 480 acres and 104 acres of the water body, and inside there’s an island.

The Park is so huge that it took us 3hrs to take a complete one round, exploring step by step.

To reach this hidden Island, you need a boat ride to get because it’s in the middle of the water. The ride would cost you on a 30min – 2hr, depends on the time you choose.

For 30 min it will be around Rs 200 – Rs 250.

The Park is so neat and clean, and well-developed, and its fantastic location will make you fall in love with this Park of Kolkata’s new town city.

Food in Kolkata — What to Eat

• Kati rolls from the original Nizams near New Market — this is non-negotiable.

• Mishti doi and Rosogolla from any reputable sweets shop — Balaram Mullick, K.C. Das, and several local shops near Park Street.

• Street food near Howrah Bridge — jhal muri, puchka, and alu kabli. Kolkata street food is at a level that’s hard to match.

• Park Street restaurants for a proper sit-down meal. Peter Cat’s Chelo Kebab is the specific recommendation.

Where to Stay 

Bhowanipore is centrally located and budget-friendly. Rs. 800–1,500 night for a clean, comfortable guesthouse. New Market area is another good option. It is well-connected and close to the main attractions.

Getting Around

Kolkata has Metro — one of the oldest in India. Clean, affordable, and the easiest way to move across the city. Yellow taxis are available everywhere. Ola and Uber also operate normally.

Mobile Network

Airtel and Jio both work well across Kolkata.

FAQ — Kolkata

How many days are enough for Kolkata? 3 days covers the main attractions comfortably.

Is Kolkata safe for solo travel? Yes, it’s one of the safer large Indian cities for solo travellers.

What is Kolkata famous for? Victoria Memorial, Howrah Bridge, Durga Puja, Bengali sweets, the tram system, and a rich literary and cultural heritage.

What is the best area to stay in Kolkata? Bhowanipore and New Market area for budget travellers. Park Street area for mid-range. Both are well-connected to major attractions.

Final Thoughts

Kolkata turned out to be a memorable one. I hadn’t expected these moments from my Kolkata trip.

What I’ll remember most about this trip isn’t any monument or restaurant.

It’s my grandfathers emotions, that 75 years old person emotion, looking out the plane window on his first flight, returning to the city where everything had started for him.

Some trips are about places. Some are about the person you take with you.

This one was both.