I’m not one to visit places for a day. My trip to Kolkata was merely a stopover on my journey from Mumbai to Pelling, Sikkim. So I hadn’t really done any research because… why make big plans for 24 hours, right? I decided to just ‘wing it,’ as all the cool kids say these days.
My first time in Kolkata
We landed in Kolkata at midnight and booked an Uber to an Airbnb we had reserved. Upon reaching, we skimmed through Swiggy to quickly order in from whatever restaurant was open at that ungodly hour. Turns out, we found Kathi Rolls from a place called Jabbr Afghani – not too bad for our first meal here. I hadn’t had REAL Kathi rolls in Kolkata before, so had nothing better or worse to compare it to, hahaha.
If you’re visiting Kolkata to sight-see, it is recommended to book your stay in and around Park Street, which is where all the action is. However, I just went with an affordable, comfy-looking Airbnb and it was only the next morning when I looked around the neighborhood to find that this area we were staying in, called Salt Lake, was a quiet, upscale, residential area – at quite a distance away from the main hustle-bustle. Perfect! Far away from the action, yet peaceful enough to catch up on life as a digital nomad!
Things to do in Kolkata
Mullick Flower Ghat
I woke up bright and early, excited to spend the day exploring a new city! First stop, Mullick Ghat Flower Market, a 130-year-old flower market on the banks of the river Hooghly. A street photographer’s paradise, Mullick Ghat is one of the largest flower markets in Asia. Be warned, it is very messy, very crowded, and the sights and sounds of flower vendors + labourers carrying kilos of flowers on their heads, yelling as they get people to move out of their way is a sensory overload!
The ground beneath my feet was a mucky green carpet of rotting leaves, but I loved every minute I spent here, in this maze of a place. There are photographs to be clicked everywhere you look and it is fascinating to watch how flowers make their way from these poor vendors to the swankiest of hotels in the city.
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I followed some people as they entered a narrow alleyway leading to an indoor stone structure of sorts, another section of the flower market.. and as I made my way to the other end, the magnificent Howrah Bridge came into view, spanning the width of the Hooghly River, who’s waters were just meters away from my feet. I stepped onto the ghat to watch people release flowers into the water or take a dip – a part of their daily worship, which surprised me, as the ghats and river itself seemed extremely dirty… with visible garbage floating on the surface.
Visit Flurry’s
I spent around an hour and a half at the flower market and then I decided to Visit Flurys, an iconic heritage café on Park Street, for breakfast. Flurys, a charming 90-year-old establishment with a bon vivant ambiance, is regarded as a must-visit spot in Kolkata… a rite of passage, if I may call it that.
Fudgy rum balls, pastries, patties, cubed cakes, and more, lay tantalizingly in the display case. The expansive restaurant is full of patrons sipping coffee in ivory mugs, nibbling on French Toast or sandwiches, or indulging in chocolate-topped pastries. We ordered an English Breakfast, Pancakes and coffee, and while it is quite an expensive tearoom, the quality was worth paying for. I overheard an old lady at the next table telling her (bored-looking) grandkids that she used to visit Flurys 60 years ago, after college, for tea and toast – and would pay Rs. 10, a steep price to pay back then.
Victoria Memorial
It goes without saying that The Victoria Memorial is an un-missable attraction in Kolkata, and because it was located a mere 2 km from Flury’s, that’s where we headed next. One glance at this grand structure, and you will see how the city’s colonial past still shines bright. The majestic white-marble palace features a mix of Indian and British architectural styles.
It was around 1 PM and terribly hot and humid, so we quickly walked around the lawns, spent some time marveling at intricate statues, and had a glimpse of the museum before we left. If you’re a history lover, ensure you save the entire day to spend here. With 25 themed galleries, this is an archive of the rise and fall of Imperialism.
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Take a ride in a yellow cab
Thus far, we had gotten around using Uber, but decided it was time to ditch it and take a ride in a typical yellow taxi – the way to go in Kolkata! Offering the same old-world charm as the kaali-peelis (black and yellow cabs) do in Mumbai, these Ambassador cars can be spotted all over the city. Quite the experience it was as drivers refused to go by meter and when we finally found one that did, he took the longest route possible! A friend in Kolkata later offered me a tip, “Don’t ask them for the fare, don’t ask them to go by meter. They will know you’re an outsider and scam you. Just get in.”
China Town
We hailed this yellow cab to head to yet another popular place in Kolkata – China Town. Another warning, there are TWO Chinatowns. The new one is basically a string of Chinese Restaurants, and the old one (Tiretti Bazaar) is where you can indulge in street-side shopping, and eat dumplings, momos, sticky rice, and chicken pies made by home cooks.
Since we didn’t know this, the yellow taxi we hailed took us to the new one – so that was a complete waste of time and money, as we were in no mood to dine at a Chinese restaurant. Oh well, as first-timers to a city, such goof-ups are a part and parcel of the trip, Amirite?
Visit Cafes
Safe to say, we were pretty exhausted after half a day of exploring Kolkata, and we decided to take it easy for the remainder of our time there. When you’re in a metro city, there’s no dearth of cute places to chill out. I caught up with 2 friends at 2 really wonderful cafes – 8th Day Café at Ballygunge (delicious coffee, wonderful selection of baked goodies, great ambiance) and Café Sienna on Park Street.
I loved Café Sienna so much and would highly recommend you to visit. The hot chocolate was divine, the hand-cut fries with Parmesan were OMG-so-good… and the whole industrial-like, spacious setting with eclectic décor made this a cafe I wanted to work out of for hours and hours! (I’m weird like that – I like to work out of fabulous places!) But yes, pleeeeasseeee visit Sienna Café, no matter how long or short your trip to Kolkata is for!!
Eat Kathi Rolls
Lastly, I also had amazing Kathi Rolls (better than the ones we had at midnight) at Kusums on Park Street. This little street food place in Kolkata is a takeaway joint that churns out really filling Kathi rolls by the dozen! Tell them to go easy on the chilly sauce, though!
Visit Balram Mullick
Whether you like your kathi rolls spicy or not, you can pay a visit to Balram Mullick for a taste of Bengali sweets – because you can’t leave Kolkata without Mishti Doi and Roshogullas… can you? I’m sure there are better places to try Bengali sweets at, but you’ll find these franchise stores at every street corner, so it’s a safe bet. Taking a tin of Roshogullas home is a good idea, needless to say.
Well, that’s how I spent my first visit to the City Of Joy! It’s a fascinating place, it really is – and I am yearning to back. But for now, I’ve got to jump into my car and head on to Sikkim! Wish me luck!
Byyyeee!
