An iconic landmark of Kolkata, Howrah Bridge is a massive steel bridge constructed over the Hooghly River. It is considered to be among the longest cantilever bridges in the world. Also known as Rabindra Setu, it connects Howrah and Kolkata. It carries daily traffic of over 100,000 vehicles and countless pedestrians and is as historic as it is grand. The opulence of the bridge, however, comes alive in the night time as it is all lit up. You can also take a ferry ride as it runs between Kolkata and Howrah, from the launch ghat. The view of the city from the ferry, especially in the night, is priceless, to say the least. Howrah Bridge was the third longest cantilever bridge at the time of its construction, but now it is the sixth longest one of its types. It was renamed as Rabindra Setu on June 14, 1965, after the name of Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore. It spreads about 1500 ft over the Hooghly River and is 71 ft wide. There is a total of 8 lanes of strand road, bicycles, and pedestrians. What makes this bridge unique is the fact that it was built without a single nut or bolt and is held together by rivets.

The famous Dakshineswar temple which houses the Goddess Kali was founded by Rani Rashmoni following a dream she saw when she was about to start on her pilgrimage to Benaras. A long term plan of the Rani materialized which she had longed to perform when her husband died with unfulfilled wish of constructing a Kali temple. A dynamic woman, Rani Rashmoni took over the administration of the enormous estate her husband left her. The benevolent administrator, Rani Rashmoni was always in conflict with the stringent British laws and policies. People honored her and loved her for her daring and benevolent spirit. Dakshineswar temple, bathing ghats, a way from Subarnarekha River to Puri, Imperial Library (present National Library) and Hindu College (present Presidency College) are the testimonials to her benevolent nature.

The Indian Botanical Gardens are most famous for the Great Banyan Tree,which boasts of having the largest canopy in the world. The official name of the Garden during the Company's rule was 'The Hon'ble Company's Botanic Garden, Calcutta', subsequently, it was renamed 'The Royal Botanic Garden, Calcutta' in the early 1860s. At present, it is officially called 'Indian Botanic Garden, Howrah', but is known generally as the 'Calcutta Botanic Garden' in India and abroad. [source: Banglapedia] The gardens were originally founded in 1786 by Colonel Kyd, containing about 12,000 living plants and over two and half million dried plant specimens in the herbarium collected from all over the world. This is the oldest of all the Botanical Gardens in India. It was from these gardens that the tea now grown in Assam and Darjeeling was first developed. Trees of the rarest kinds, from Nepal, Brazil, Penang, Java and Sumatra can be found here. There are towering Mahogany trees, an avenue of Cuban Palms and an Orchid House. Mango and Tamarind trees shade the grassy lawns. Col. Alexander Kyd of the East India Company developed it for the collection of plants, indigenous to the country and for the introduction and acclimatization of plants from foreign parts. It remains opened from sunrise to sunset. This ethereal ambience is ideal for fun, fiesta and frolics.There is a serpentine lake where boat­ing is possible. Botanics posseses a priceless collection of books in its library.

Located in the heart of the City of Joy - Kolkata, St Paul's is an Anglican cathedral that operates under CNI – Church of North India. It is a must-visit for those who seek enriching historical and architectural pleasure on their vacation trips. In the heart of the city, this colossal structure reminds you of the colonial times and takes you down the memory lane. Travellers keep this among the top few must-visit places when they come to Kolkata. It looks most beautiful during the Christmas holidays, when the cathedral, the garden around it as well as the surrounding streets are all bathed in light and festivities. Primarily built to accommodate the ever-increasing Christian community in Calcutta, it is the first Episcopalian church in Asia. The building follows Indo-Gothic style and its structure is complete with a cascading white edifice, towering spire and colourful tinted windows. Inside, it has a huge nave, majestic altar and chancel, along with carvings and paintings depicting great moments and events of Christian history. The cathedral complex also houses several memorabilia of past congregants and a library where books as old as the church's foundation time still exist donated by founding member Bishop Wilson.

A visit to the Birla Planetarium is an exciting way to ignite your interest in science and the motion of planets. People, especially astronomy lovers, arrive from all over the world to experience the amazing shows organized here. A trip here includes a tour of the planets, where interesting details about them and the other fascinating celestial bodies present in our universe are discussed. Silence rings loud while the show goes on, which in itself is a testament to the mesmerising effect of the shows here. Pictures of famous astronauts and other celestial bodies are put on display in the hallway. One can have a look at them after attending the show.

Kalighat Temple is located in Kolkata, West Bengal. One of the 51 Shakti Sthals of India, it is one of the most visited Kali temples in India. The spot is where the toes of Sati's right foot fell during Shiva's Tandava dance. It is said that Kalighat was where Chowranga Giri, a Dasanami monk, worshipped Ma Kali with great austerity and has thus been known as a religious centre for Ma Kali worship for centuries. This 200-year-old temple embodies the principle that only divine knowledge can subsume sodomized ego, akin to an Asura. This transcendence will lead to moksha, as Ma Kali guides all through their devoted worship of her.

"Sab tirath bar bar, Gangasagar ekbar", may we visit other holy places several times - but a visit once to Gangasagar is worth a life-time, keeping it in mind Hindus from all over the world, from Nepal, Thailand, West Indies, Canada, Japan, far from Australia and from every state of India reaches the confluence of Ganges at Sagar Sangam situated in southern part of West Bengal in India. Gangasagar or Sagar Island is an island in the Ganges delta, lying on the continental shelf of Bay of Bengal about 100 kms (54 nautical miles) south of Kolkata. The island is large with an area of 224.3 kms. Gangasagar is a charming tourist destination, which attracts both pilgrims and adventure lovers. Located on an island in the Sundarbans, Gangasagar offers the charms of an un-spoilt beach on the estuary of the river Ganges. Gangasagar offers acres of silver sand and clear blue sky, and the calm sea for visitors who would like to spend their weekend in tranquility.

Zoological Garden or Zoo in Kolkata is one of the prime tourist spots in the city. The Alipore Zoological Garden first opened its gate on the 1st of May, 1876 and since then has remained an absolute favorite of children. The history of Alipore Zoo Garden dates back to as early as 1842, when the curator of Bengal Asiatic Society, Dr John McCleland came up with a plan for the establishment of a zoological garden in Calcutta. However, this did not materialize and was followed by the plan of Dr. Joseph Bart Fayrer (the president of Asiatic Society of Bengal) in 1867. This plan drew great public attention but failed due to a lack of space. For the same reason the plan of Carl Louise Schwendler, the postmaster to the Govt. of India failed in 1873. At last, in 1875 the Lt.Govt. of Bengal Sir Richard Temple took the initiative. The land on Alipore Road was chosen and approved leading to opening gates to the public on 1st May, 1876.

The history of the origin and the growth of the Indian Museum is one of the remarkable events towards the development of heritage and culture of India. Founded in 1814 at the cradle of the Asiatic Society of Bengal (at the present building of the Asiatic Society, 1 Park Street, Kolkata), Indian Museum is the earliest and the largest multipurpose Museum not only in the Indian subcontinent but also in the Asia-Pacific region of the world. With the foundation of Indian Museum in 1814, the Museum movement started rolling in India and through the years from then, got a new fillip and great momentum. Since then, it has so magnificently developed and culminated into the fruitful existence of more than 400 museums in the country. The movement, which was started in 1814, in fact was the beginning of a significant epoch initiating the socio-cultural and scientific achievements of the country. It is otherwise considered as the beginning of the modernity and the end of mediaeval era.