Kolkata Travel Guide 2026
Your complete guide to Top 10 restaurants, hotels, and things to do in Kolkata. Things to Do, Eat & Stay — plus curated category hubs for West Bengal, India.
Former capital with trams, bookstalls, old clubs, and strong intellectual traditions.
Quick Summary
🗓️ Best time to visitOctober – February
💰 Daily budget₹1,600 – ₹5,500
⭐ Top attractionVictoria Memorial
🍽️ Must tryKathi rolls, biryani, mishti doi
🌡️ ClimateTropical wet-dry, humid summers
🗺️ Best forCulture, heritage, street food
Quick facts
Pop. ~4.5M (2011)200 km² (80 sq mi)IST (UTC+5:30)CCUEast India Company trading post; long…
Stats from public records. Verify before travel. Last reviewed 2026.
See all facts
| Population | approximately 4.5 million (2011 census) |
|---|---|
| Area | approximately 200 km² (80 sq mi) (core corporation, order-of-magnitude) |
| Elevation | approximately 5–10 m |
| Founded / established | East India Company trading post; long literary and arts center |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
| Nearest airport | Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport (CCU) |
| Languages | Bengali, English, Hindi |
| Nicknames | City of Joy |
Explore categories in Kolkata
Top places, ranked lists, and details by category.
🗺️ Explore & Visit
🌿 Outdoors & Culture
At a glance
- Last updated: April 2026
- 21 active categories and 210 ranked listings.
- Overall city score: 7.3/10.
- Cost level: $$.
- Top categories: Restaurants & Food (10), Hotels & Accommodation (10), Tourist Attractions (10), Street Food (10).
Weather & best time to visit
Jan
79 / 55
Feb
84 / 61
Mar
93 / 72
Apr
97 / 79
May
97 / 81
Jun
93 / 81
Jul
90 / 79
Aug
90 / 79
Sep
90 / 79
Oct
90 / 75
Nov
84 / 64
Dec
79 / 55
- Peak season
- October–March for comfortable walking; winters are mild and pleasant.
- Off-peak
- April–June is very hot and humid; monsoon brings heavy rain.
- Rainy season
- June–September (monsoon); humid and wet. Cyclones possible in May and October–November.
- Pack tip
- Light, breathable clothes; umbrella. Warm layer for winter evenings. Comfortable shoes for walking.
Food & Local Cuisine
- Roshogolla and sandesh
Bengali cheese balls in light syrup and milk-based sweets. Balaram Mullick, KC Das, and countless sweet shops.
- Phuchka (pani puri)
Hollow puris with spiced tamarind water and potato. Dacres Lane and street corners.
- Kathi roll
Paratha wrapped around kebabs, egg, or veggies. Nizam's invented it; now found everywhere.
- Macher jhol and ilish
Fish curries and hilsa preparations. Bengali seafood at its best.
- Misti doi
Sweetened fermented yogurt in earthen pots. Breakfast or dessert staple.