Calcutta Holidays 2012

Calcutta at a Glance

Capital of West Bengal and on the east bank of the Hooghly River lies the city of Calcutta. It is the centre of commerce, education and culture as well as India’s oldest and sole river port.

Explore Calcutta

Well known for its contribution to the arts, Calcutta has a wide range of attractions to appeal to visitors from all over the world.

• The National Library of India is India’s second largest library of national, historical importance as it is used to collect, disseminate and preserve printed materials produced in India.
• The Bengali Cinema Industry is of cultural and historical significance, dating back to the 1890’s, when the first steps in modern cinema were being taken in the film industry. It makes an important contribution to the Indian film industry and is nicknamed Tollywood!
• The Calcutta Academy of the Fine Arts is one of the oldest fine art societies in India. Established in 1933, it was originally in a room loaned by the Indian Museum.
• The Marble Palace of Calcutta is one of its tourist hotspots. From fine pieces of art through to its zoo, it is a great attraction for the whole family.
• The Birla Planetarium is one of the largest museums in Asia. It is a centre of science, communication and environment and demonstrates India’s contribution to world science.

Why a Holiday to Calcutta?

• Famous for its Bengali cuisine, Calcutta is a great place to enjoy some of the region’s finest cuisines. Its sweets are among the most popular in India. Misti doi (sweetened curd) is among the must try delicacies offered in the region. Another key element of Calcutta’s cuisine is macher jhol, a rice and fish curry, generally accompanied by desserts such as roshogolla (cottage cheese with semolina and cooked in sugar syrup) and sandesh (a milk and sugar dessert).
• Chinese food is also popular in this region, as well as Thai, Tibetan and Anglo-Indian. You can also, of course, try northern and southern Indian cuisines too. For something completely different, our experts also recommend that you head to Goa to sample some of the finest Indian cuisine on some of its most famous beaches.