KOLKATA POST TOUR 2 NIGHTS

Following breakfast on board your Pandaw ship, disembark and transfer to the meeting hotel where your river cruise adventure ends. Sbagata and welcome to Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal. Experience Indian life at full pace in this colourful and cultural city, perhaps India’s most soulful city and certainly the most over looked. During the British Raj, Calcutta as it was known, was the Jewel of the East and the capital until 1911. Discover Tagore, India’s greatest poet, Victorian buildings, an ancient potters village and sample some of the city’s best food.

If your room is available, check-in and freshen up before travelling to North Calcutta. Passing several universities and academic institutions stop off at the Marble Palace one of the more unusal Bengali mansions of this area. Built by a wealthy Bengali merchant, Raja Rajendra Mullick, in 1835, still today some family members reside here. With a Neoclassical style, this fascinating and ornate home, houses an eclectic mix of statues, porcelain, Belgian glass chandeliers and English, Dutch and Italian paintings.

Continue on to the home of the multi-talented poet, novelist, musician, painter and playwright, the famous Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore. His grandfather Dwarkanath Tagore built this grand mansion in the 18th century, and the museum showcases the life of the family in 19th century, and their involvement in the Bengali Renaissance.

Head into the artisan hub of Kumartuli or the Potters’ Market. Wander the winding lanes and watch as idols of Hindu gods and goddesses are created out of river clay, bamboo and straw before being painted and elaborately dressed for the city’s numerous festivals.

Return to your hotel where the afternoon is at leisure. You may choose to step out to explore the lively atmosphere of New Market with its many vendors and shops; visit CIMA, the Centre for International Modern Art and admire the latest exhibition or take High Tea at Flurry’s, an old Calcutta institution on Park Street.

Meals: none
Accommodation: The Lalit Great Eastern Hotel / Premier Room

Immerse yourself in city life with an early morning visit to the vibrant flower market, one of Asia’s largest. Wind through the mountains of marigolds and jasmine and watch as people buy flowers for temple offerings and prayers. Stroll down to the river to witness a traditional Akhara (subject to timing). Step inside and watch men of all ages practice a traditional form of wrestling known as kushti or pehlwani.

Follow in the footsteps of the British Raj with a walking tour of colonial Kolkata. See Dalhousie Square, now known as B.B.D. Bagh, in the political heart of the city. Admire the colonial buildings, including the prominent Writers’ Building the former HQ of the East India Company, and step inside St John’s Church with its painting of The Last Supper, with the city’s residents dressed as the apostles. In the gardens discover the monument built by Lord Curzon to the Black Hole of Calcutta.

Sample traditional recipes from both sides of the border as wella s Anglo-Indian and colonial cuisine with lunch at Oh! Calcutta.

Later, experience the serenity of the Victoria Memorial with a stroll through the splendid gardens. Admire the domed white marble hall built in memory of Queen Victoria and discover Victorian memorabilia and British Raj-era paintings. End the day in the Maidan, the city’s largest urban park and the "lungs of Kolkata”, watching as people come together over a game of cricket.

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch
Accommodation: The Lalit Great Eastern Hotel / Premier Room

Following a leisurely breakfast, relax before transferring privately to the airport for your onward journey.

Meals: Breakfast