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The offbeat places in Kolkata offer many hidden treasures with its exquisite heritage, rich culture, and beauty. However, tourists must expand beyond popular tourist spots because the city has many offbeat and interesting places. There is something for anyone, whether you are a resident who wants to know his city better or a traveller interested in visiting its lesser-known parts. Explore these ten offbeat destinations in Kolkata that are completely off the beaten track. Each place promises a surreal experience.
Top 10 Offbeat Places In Kolkata
Discover Kolkata’s charm with these top 10 offbeat places in Kolkata that blend history, spirituality, and scenic beauty.
1. Territy Bazar
Photo: Deklanşör / Pexels / Image For Representation Only
Territy Bazar, known as ‘Kolkata’s Chinatown’ is a place visited by both tourists and locals. For anyone looking for a genuine Chinese-style breakfast signature, this place is a hotpot that serves a full range of dishes, from steaming fish ball soup to deep-filled momos. Settled in the 18th century, this group of Chinese immigrants has been instrumental in defining Kolkata’s multi-faceted cuisine culture. With time, while meandering through the active and clamouring bazaar, one could see structures, workmanship, and epic transforming the entire area.
Location: Terita Bazar, Tangra, Kolkata, West Bengal
Timings: 10 AM – 8:30 PM
2. South Park Street Cemetery
Photo: Soumyajit Sanyal / Wikimedia Commons
This ancient graveyard is one of the finest tourist attractions in Kolkata. It was first established in 1767 and pleasantly stands intact to this date. South Park Street Cemetery is of notable recognition for its rich and highly styled resting places and architecture from the colonial period. Strolling through this extremely silent environment gives the viewer an interesting insight into the life of the British colonists and their kin, such as Warren Hastings, the first British governor of Bengal. This sanctuary pauses the gritty city life and reveals breathtaking sights from Kolkata’s past.
Location: Park Street, Kolkata
3. College Street And Coffee House
Photo: Luke Chesser / Unsplash / Image For Representation Only
The College Street area — referred to conveniently as ‘Boi-para’ or Book-zone — brings with it the quintessential feature of Kolkata’s literary ambience. This place is stacked with several booksellers, from big publishers to petty hawkers, uniquely making it the biggest second-hand book market. The British-era College Street houses notable colleges like the University of Calcutta and Presidency University. The most celebrated is the Coffee House, which has been a home for artists, intellectuals, and writers for many decades now. This street epitomises Kolkata’s character, set amid books, coffee, and much more.
Location: Central Kolkata, West Bengal
Timings: 11 AM – 7 PM
4. National Library
Photo: Biswarup Ganguly / Wikimedia Commons
India’s largest library, situated at Belvedere Estate, Alipore, has the possession of about 2.2 million and counting books and manuscripts. Founded in 1953, the neoclassical structure and national importance of the National Library make it an attractive spot for lovers of history and books. Away from the traffic congestion of Kolkata, one can view the rare collections or take a walk on the vast lawns, making it one of the less popular tourist places in the city.
Location: Belvedere Road, Alipore, Kolkata
5. Mallick Ghat Flower Market
Photo: Bernard Gagnon / Wikimedia Commons
This flower market has been operating for the last 150 years and is said to be the biggest in Kolkata. It is located under the famous Howrah Bridge. The atmosphere is fit for a film with breathtaking rows of beautiful flowers. From simple everyday marigolds to orchids, the market offers so much that you’ll never forget it. It is best to visit the flower market in Kolkata at sunrise to witness the beauty of the market when it is in its primal form.
Location: 1, Strand Bank Road, Fairley Place, B.B.D. Bagh, Kolkata
Timings: 5:30 AM – 8 PM and 6 AM – 7:30 PM
6. Princep Ghat
Princep Ghat is a famous historical site that attracts locals and tourists alike. Built during British rule in the year 1841, it’s a lovely spot to view the sun setting over the Howrah River. It’s a lovely place to take long walks or go on boat rides. The perspective from the ghat of Vidyasagar Setu is enthralling and attracts many tourists who aim to capture ‘the shot’. It cemented Vidyasagar Setu as one of Kolkata’s best places to visit.
Location: Fort William, Hastings, Kolkata
7. Rabindra Sarobar Lake
Photo: Kinjal bose 78 / Wikimedia Commons
Formerly referred to as Dhakuria Lake, this communal lake, located in the southern part of Kolkata, is also a peaceful green paradise where people can spend their leisure time. This lake, named after Rabindranath Tagore, has well-maintained parks around it and, therefore, is a nice place for exercising, watching birds, or even just relaxing and having something to eat. Ragondabar sometimes visit in winter and bird lovers can expect to see them on the spot. There is also a Japanese Buddhist temple nearby, which is the only temple in Kolkata.
Location: Dhakuria, Kolkata
8. Marble Palace
Photo: Mjanich / Wikimedia Commons
An architectural wonder of the 19th century, the Marble Palace was built by Raja Rajendra Mullick in 1835 on Muktaram Babu Street. Its marvellous marble works, exquisite European sculptures, paintings and vintage furniture reflect the glory of ‘Calcutta’, now Kolkata. In stark contrast to their luxury, this mansion can be termed as a concealed treasure, where some of the privileges lived up to the scale of the wealthy of Kolkata during that time. The Marble Palace is a living monument that binds a passage in history with its brick-and-mortar.
Location: Muktaram Babu Street, Kolkata
9. Indian Botanical Garden
Photo: Paul Hamilton / Wikimedia Commons
Housing more than 12,000 plant species, the Indian Botanical Garden stretches over 109 hectares across the Hooghly River in Howrah and is famous for its wide variety of flora. Set up in 1787, the garden has historical importance because of its work in tea cultivation research and collections of plants from exotic places. Its most admired hallmark is the giant banyan tree, which has one of the biggest-sized canopies in the world. Such a green escape is ideal for plant enthusiasts searching for unusual species and tranquillity from the sounds of the city.
Location: Shibpur, Howrah, West Bengal
Timings: 8 AM – 5:30 PM
10. Town Hall
Photo: Titofoodie / Wikimedia Commons / Image For Representation Only
Situated in Esplanade, this former Town Hall, now The Kolkata Museum, was built in 1813. Once used as a public meeting place, it now displays the colonial past of Kolkata through its large collection of exhibits. Its impressive architecture and displays outlining the city’s history make it the perfect place for any history buff. Visiting the Town Hall is similar to experiencing the history of struggles and culture of the locals as it feels like one is in a time machine with the town hall’s surroundings.
Location: Esplanade, Kolkata
Timings: 10 AM – 5 PM
The offbeat places in Kolkata offer a broader perspective of the city, not just its known sites. Engaging with these local sites provides an experience richer than the beaten tourist paths and realistically represents Kolkata’s variety, history, and nature. There is no place like Kolkata, and TripXL is here to plan your trip and to let you have excellent experiences. Come and have a fun-filled adventure with us as you explore an entirely different side of the city.
