Kolkata travel guide

Kolkata is a city of ornate Raj-era balconies, elegant gardens, cavernous bookshops, graceful churches, packed temples and mammoth monuments.

Although its problems of overpopulation and poverty are well documented, its faded decadence and historical, cultural and religious buildings are among the lesser-known highlights that astonish first-time visitors.

Kolkata originally emerged as a prominent city in Indian history when it became a British trading port and a significant commercial centre during the British Raj.

Today, it continues to remain significant; a city with a soul, a fabled past and a rich artistic tradition. The city's reputation as the cultural and intellectual capital of India is thanks to its most famous sons, Nobel Prize-winning poet Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) and renowned film director Satyajit Ray (1921-1992).

Meanwhile, the rise of modern sky rise offices and glossy shopping malls has enhanced Kolkata's appeal as a city that has just as much to offer visitors as any other metropolis in India.