New Market, Lindsay Street, has a plethora of shops selling clothing, jewellery, household goods, and everything else imaginable. Good for bargains, chaotic and atmospheric, with tenacious touts ready to grab you as you enter. A great place for buying fabric and there are plenty of inexpensive tailors to sew up whatever your heart desires.

The Dakshinapan Shopping Centre, Gariahat Road, contains dozens of government emporiums selling local goods at fixed prices, while Swabhumi, near the Hyatt Regency, is a cultural centre cum shopping plaza selling clothing and crafts. The latter is slightly twee, but there is a commendable selection of local (good value) jewellery and silk shirts.

Central Cottage Industries Emporium, 7 Jawaharlal Nehru Road, is good for buying quality handicrafts from around India and fixed prices makes life easier. Artisana, 13 Chowringee Terrace, 1/F, was created by the Crafts Council of West Bengal, a non-profit organisation promoting craftworkers and weavers of India. Women's Friendly Society, 29 Park Lane, is a co-operative selling exquisitely embroidered clothing and table linen made by destitute women.

The eastern end of BB Ganguly Street, near Sealdah station, has a string of tiny jewellery stores, selling mainly very ornate gold and silver pieces. The lively Park Street has a wide range of small independent outlets, including an array of fabric and sari shops, restaurants and bookshops.

Oxford Bookstore, 17 Park Street, is one of Kolkata's best; modern and airy, with an excellent range of publications, from fiction to pictorial. It has a charming little cafe, plus regular talks and activities.

The vast Music World, 18G Park Street, has CDs and DVDs of Indian contemporary, regional and classical music, plus music from all over the world. Planet M, 22 Camac Street (Block B), is also recommended for its wide range of CDs.

Larger shops are usually open around 1000 to 1800. Some close for half a day on Saturday. Most are closed on Sunday, especially around Park Street.