There are different weekend getaways from Kolkata where you can visit, which are not far away from the city. You can also drop in various places of tourist interest and other famous places. But if you wish to spend your weekend in a relaxed manner, then you can opt for some of the weekend retreats near the city.
Famous weekend getaways from Kolkata
Chandannagar
Chandannagar is a perfect weekend getaways from Kolkata, which was formerly a French colony, which is located 30 kilometers away from the city and can be reached either by road or by rail from Kolkata, which is an hour’s distance.
It is located in the banks of River Hoogly, which is a heritage town as it has a number of ancient churches, buildings etc which reflects the French connection of the place. Some of the places where you can drop in are:
- Chandannagar Stand
- Sacred Heart Church
- Ancient Temples
- The Underground House
Sunderbans
If you wish to enjoy of the estuary then you can visit Sunderbans which is one of the preferred weekend destinations for all nature lovers. It is one of the largest delta and mangrove forest in the world and it is where the three river confluences, namely Ganga, Meghna and Brahmaputra.
Sunderbans is the place where you can find the famous Royal Bengal Tiger and it is an animal reserve where you can see different types of wild animals including reptiles and birds. If you are lucky enough, you can also see crocodiles and sharks in the river.
You can reach Sunderbans by bus or by train. After reaching a certain station, you can avail country boats to reach Sunderbans. There are different tourist lodge and guest houses where you can stay, but it is better to book in advance before you drop in, as it is always crowded with tourists, both domestic and international.
Shantiniketan
Shnatiniketan is one of the popular tourist destinations near Kolkata. This place was the abode of Rabindranath Tagore, the famous poet laureate. This place was formerly known as Bhubandanga, which was named after the famous dacoit named as Bhuban. You can visit the school and university campus which was built by Tagore and different museums where you can have a look at the various items and artifacts that were used by Tagore and which are related to the history of the place.
You can reach Shantiniketan either by road or by rail. If you wish you can also avail direct bus also to reach the place and there are different hotels, lodges, resorts etc where you can put up according to your budget.
Digha
Digha is one of the perfect weekend getaways from Kolkata which is four to five hours journey and can be reached either by car or by bus and regular bus services are available from different parts of the city. If you want to travel by train then it is better to reserve your tickets in order to avoid the weekend rush.
You can enjoy in the beaches and amidst the pine forests. If you wish you can also opt for country boat rides, as the sea waters are not so rough. Some of the nearby places to Digha are:
- New Digha Beach
- Aquarium of Zoological Survey of India
