European Calcutta Tour

Dalhousie Square, now known as B. B. D. Bagh was what was once the central business district. It was the nerve centre of Job Charnock’s Calcutta.
Rudyard Kipling in his “A Tale of Two Cities” writes :

“Thus the midday halt of Charnock -- more's the pity! Grew a City.
As the fungus sprouts chaotic from its bed, So it spread --
Chance-directed, chance-erected, laid and built On the silt --
Palace, byre, hovel -- poverty and pride -- Side by side;”

This tour – which serves as a wonderful introduction to the city - takes you through the hows and whys of Calcutta helping you retrace the steps that gave birth to this second city of the Empire. Liberal doses of history with lots of photographic opportunities makes this heritage site a must do if you visit Calcutta. Calcutta which was once tipped as not only the handsomest town in Asia but one of the finest in the world is an enigma waiting to be discovered.

Come and see the past come alive on this tour with us.

Recommended start times:

Summers : 6:30 a.m. Winters : 7:00 a.m. Can however be scheduled throughout the day till about 2.00 p.m. This tour is available throughout the year.

Duration of tour:

Approximately 3 hours.

Meeting point:

Across the Great Eastern Hotel.
See map below.

Tariff:

Shared tour: INR 2,000 (adults) & INR 1,200 (children below 12 years)
Pickup and drop off (within city limits): INR 1,000 extra per person

Private tour: INR 4,000 (adults) & INR 2,400 (children below 12 years)
Pickup and drop off (within city limits): INR 1,000 extra per person

Minimum pax requirement: 2 adults

Cancellation policy: Full refund 1 week prior. No refund if less notice is given.

Note: A shared tour is one which may have more people from other groups joining in while a private tour will be limited to your own group.

Shared tours could have up to 10 plus people. If you want to experience the tour at your own pace or are looking to photograph exclusively then we recommend a private tour. A private tour is subject to availability.

Inclusions:

Water, some local snacks and all entries.

Itinerary:

We will be witnessing history as told by the great buildings like Great Eastern Hotel, Dead Letter Office, Currency Office, St. Andrew’s Church, Writers Building, General Post Office, Royal Insurance Building, Lal Dighi / Tank Square, Standard Life Insurance Building, Government House, St. John’s Church, Job Charnock’s Mausoleum, Holwell Monument. (Some buildings have entry restrictions due to Covid)

Special Instructions:

Wear comfortable footwear. Some areas could be noisy but then again if you are already in India, you are ready for this! We recommend an early morning start to avoid noise, heat and chaos and to appreciate the beauty of this place.

If you are interested in this tour please use the form to contact us. Alternatively, you could also email us or use the contact us page.

Please let us know the total number of people interested in the tour, the preferable dates (give us options so we can best accommodate you), whether you require pick up and where you are staying here in Calcutta.

We shall share booking details and payment options once the tour is confirmed.