Formerly known as Calcutta until 2001, when it was changed to match Bengali pronunciation, the capital of the state of West Bengal lies along the eastern bank of the unusually-named Hooghly River (the westernmost distributary of the Ganges). Don’t miss the chance to cross over it on the Howrah Bridge, one of the world’s longest cantilever bridges.
Also worth seeing are the Victoria Memorial, an imposing museum made from white marble which now contains galleries and exhibits of paintings, sculptures, and more, the beautiful Botanical Gardens, home to over 12,000 perennial plants, and Fort William, the first British stronghold in the nation, which dates from 1696.
There are more lovely green spaces to be found at the likes of the New Town Eco Park, filled with stunning green meadows, lush gardens, lakes and trees, and Maidan, originally developed as a parade ground for the British forces, and now home to the famous cricketing venue, Eden Gardens, several football grounds, and the Kolkata Race Course.
