All along the Hooghly riverbanks, strung along leafy cobbled promenades, lie a number of ghats or piers, which make for an excellent outing in the early mornings or late evenings. While most of them serve as operational jetties for ferries, many double as places of intense human ritual, from bathing, praying and physical training to playing cards, socialising and even cremating the deceased. Photography isn't prohibited but is a sensitive issue, so ask before you get clicking.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
2.98 MILES
The incredible Victoria Memorial is a vast, beautifully proportioned festival of white marble: think US Capitol meets Taj Mahal. Had it been built for a…
4.34 MILES
Despite being an awkward journey by public transport, Kolkata’s lovely 109-hectare Botanical Gardens makes for a great place to escape from the city’s…
3.11 MILES
Set very attractively amid palms and manicured lawns, this large religious centre is the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Mission, inspired by 19th-century…
1.14 MILES
Countless clay effigies of deities and demons immersed in the Hooghly during Kolkata’s colourful pujas (offering or prayers) are created in specialist…
0.73 MILES
Built in 1835 by a raja from the prosperous Mallick family, this resplendent mansion is as grand as it is curious. Its marble-draped halls are overstuffed…
0.62 MILES
The stately 1784 family mansion of Rabindranath Tagore has become a shrine-like museum to India’s greatest modern poet. Even if his personal effects don’t…
2.05 MILES
India's biggest and oldest major museum celebrated its bicentenary in February 2014. It's mostly a lovably old-fashioned place that fills a large…
2.66 MILES
A vast expanse of green in the heart of the city's brick-and-mortar matrix, the Maidan is where Kolkata's residents congregate for walks, spirited cricket…
Nearby Kolkata (Calcutta) attractions
0.28 MILES
Howrah Bridge is a 705m-long abstraction of shiny steel cantilevers and rivets, which serves as a carriageway of nonstop human and motorised traffic…
0.29 MILES
Near the southeast end of Howrah Bridge, this flower market is fascinatingly colourful virtually 24 hours a day. However, if you visit at daybreak, you'll…
0.35 MILES
This bathing ghat has a great sunset view of Howrah Bridge. Access from Strand Rd is along the same footbridge that leads to the flower market. It gets…
4. Armenian Church of Nazareth
0.56 MILES
Hidden away amid the bustle of Old China Bazaar St, the 1707 Armenian Church is considered to be Kolkata’s oldest place of Christian worship. It has a…
0.62 MILES
The stately 1784 family mansion of Rabindranath Tagore has become a shrine-like museum to India’s greatest modern poet. Even if his personal effects don’t…
0.66 MILES
Commonly called the Portuguese Church, this imposing 1797 cathedral was founded by Portuguese merchants after they settled in Kolkata. The graceful ash…
0.7 MILES
This 1825 structure is one of Kolkata's smaller synagogues, and is almost hidden behind a plethora of market stalls selling trinkets and bindis. To enter,…
0.7 MILES
The spectacular Maghen David Synagogue looks very much like a large sturdy church with its red-and-yellow brickwork, spired tower and trefoiled windows…