Kolkata—once the capital of British India—thrums with old-world grandeur and streetwise creativity. You’ll wander from the marble halls of Victoria Memorial to book-laden College Street, sip single-estate Darjeeling tea, and drift past flower-laden ghats at dawn. This 14-day itinerary layers Kolkata’s cultural heart with the wild beauty of the Sundarbans and the cool slopes of Darjeeling and Kalimpong.

Expect a flavorful education: biryani with saffron rice, melt-in-mouth sandesh, flaky kathi rolls, and river fish cooked with mustard. Bengal’s past lives in tram tracks and raj-era clubs; its present sings in indie art cafes and live-music pubs. Travel is straightforward: flights and comfortable trains connect Kolkata to the Himalaya; boats take you deep into mangrove tiger country.

Before you go, check India’s e-visa requirements and current advisories. The best months are October–March for Kolkata and the Sundarbans; Darjeeling is crisp and clear from October–April (pack layers). Carry cash for markets; ride the Metro or app cabs for efficiency; and start your days early to catch the magic light on Howrah Bridge.

Frankfurt (Departure Hub)

Begin in Frankfurt am Main, a convenient long-haul gateway with easy airport access. If time allows, stretch your legs along the Main, pop into the Museumsufer, or try classic apfelwein in Sachsenhausen before your overnight to India.

• Book flights FRA → CCU: Most itineraries are 1-stop via Istanbul, Doha, Dubai, or Delhi. Typical total travel time is 12–16 hours; return fares often run ~$650–1,050 in economy. Search and compare on Omio.
• Stay if you have a layover: Browse city stays via VRBO Frankfurt or Hotels.com Frankfurt.

Kolkata

Kolkata rewards unhurried travelers. Raj-era boulevards, tramlines, and coffee houses meet a fierce literary and culinary scene. Sunrise over Howrah Bridge and the Malik Ghat flower market is the city’s daily overture.

Don’t miss Victoria Memorial’s galleries, the Indian Museum’s fossils and Gandhara sculptures, Dakshineswar Temple and riverside Belur Math, and College Street’s bookstalls with filter coffee at Indian Coffee House. Hop a vintage tram if schedules line up—one of the last in India.

• Where to stay: Find central stays in Ballygunge, Park Street, or near Esplanade via VRBO Kolkata and Hotels.com Kolkata.
• Getting around: Metro Line 1 covers the north–south spine; app cabs (Uber, Ola) are plentiful. Expect 30–60 minutes to cross town by car.

Days 1–2: Arrive, Riverfront, and Park Street Classics

Shake off jet lag with a sunset stroll along Prinsep Ghat and a ferry hop beneath Howrah Bridge. The city glows as boats and trains trace the Hooghly’s edges.

• Breakfast/coffee: 8th Day Cafe & Bakery (sourdough toasts, cinnamon rolls, specialty coffee); Flurys (an institution for rum balls and almond croissants).
• Lunch: Peter Cat on Park Street (chelo kebab—saffron rice, buttered egg, and skewers—since the 1960s); Mocambo (old-school Continental and prawn cocktails with a Calcutta twist).
• Dinner: 6 Ballygunge Place (refined Bengali thalis—mustard fish, kosha mangsho); Oh! Calcutta (modern takes on daab chingri and smoked hilsa).
• Night: Someplace Else (live rock shows); The Grid (Topsia microbrewery; try the witbier with Bengali bar snacks).

Days 3–4: Heritage, Markets, and Street Food

Start pre-dawn at the Malik Ghat flower market—thousands of marigold garlands under the steel ribs of Howrah Bridge. Later, browse the Indian Museum and the marble-domed Victoria Memorial.

• Neighborhoods: Kumartuli (idol-makers’ studios; go mid-morning), College Street for bookstores (add coffee at Indian Coffee House with waiters in turbans), and South Park Street Cemetery for mossy Indo-Gothic epitaphs.
• Street eats: Kathi rolls at Nizam’s (invented here), puchka at Vivekananda Park (ask for tok-jhaal-mishti balance), and kati kebabs at Kusum Rolls (Park Street).
• Sweets: Balaram Mullick & Radharaman Mullick (narom sandesh, baked rasgulla); Nahoum & Sons in New Market (Jewish bakery famed for plum cake).
• Chinatown morning: Tiretta Bazaar for early dim sums on Sundays (be there 6–8 am for pork baos and momos).

Days 5–6: Arts, Temples, and North Kolkata Nostalgia

Ride a tram if running between Ballygunge and Tollygunge; then head north for temple and river life. The city’s spiritual pulse threads along the Hooghly.

• Temples & river: Dakshineswar Kali Temple (vibrant courtyards), boat across to Belur Math (serene Ramakrishna Mission HQ blending temple and monastery).
• Modern culture: CIMA Gallery or Experimenter for contemporary art; Academy of Fine Arts for local exhibitions.
• Dine: Arsalan (Kolkata-style biryani—light, fragrant, with a signature potato); Suruchi (home-style Bengali veg thali); Bohemian (Bengali ingredients with playful twists).

Sundarbans (Overnight Mangrove Safari)

The Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve is a waterworld of mangroves, mudflats, and elusive Royal Bengal tigers. The draw is the quiet—kingfishers, crocodiles, and honey-gatherers slipping through creeks.

• Getting there: From Kolkata, drive ~3–3.5 hours to Godkhali jetty via Canning, then 1–2 hours by boat to your lodge or houseboat. Most tours include hotel pickup in Kolkata.
• Time & cost: A 2D/1N shared tour typically runs ~$120–180 per person; private boats ~$300–500 total depending on comfort and season.
• Permits & season: Permits handled by operators; October–March is best. Monsoon (Jun–Sep) brings rough waters and reduced visibility.
• Stay: Search bases and outposts via VRBO Sundarbans and Hotels.com Sundarbans (most stays are rustic eco-lodges).

Days 7–8: Creeks, Watchtowers, and River Meals

Glide past Sajnekhali and Sudhanyakhali watchtowers scanning for deer and crocodiles. Even if the tiger stays unseen, you’ll collect kingfisher flashes and monkey chatter.

• Activities: Dawn and dusk boat safaris, village walks to learn about honey collection and crab fishing, stargazing from the deck.
• Food: Onboard Bengali meals—mustard bhetki, prawn curry, steamed rice, and posto (poppy seed) veggies. Evenings are for hot chai and stories.

Darjeeling

Darjeeling floats on cloud ridges, fragrant with tea. British-era schools, monasteries, and the UNESCO-listed toy train stitch together epic views of Kanchenjunga at sunrise.

• Getting there from Kolkata: Fly CCU → IXB (Bagdogra) ~1h15, then 3–4 hours by jeep to Darjeeling; typical airfare ~$35–90 one-way. Book domestic flights via Trip.com Flights or Kiwi.com.
• Train option: Vande Bharat/express from Howrah to New Jalpaiguri (NJP) in ~6.5–8 hours, then 2.5–3 hours by road; AC Chair Car ~$8–25. Check schedules on Trip.com Trains.
• Where to stay: Choose a heritage stay near The Mall or a tea bungalow just outside town via VRBO Darjeeling and Hotels.com Darjeeling.

Days 9–10: Tea, Toy Train, and Sunrise

Wake at 4 am for Tiger Hill; if the sky is kind, Kanchenjunga blushes pink, sometimes with Everest peeking. Later, ride the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway’s steam-hauled toy train to Ghum and the photogenic Batasia Loop.

• Tea & sights: Happy Valley Tea Estate tours (plucking to tasting). Himalayan Mountaineering Institute and adjacent Padmaja Naidu Zoo (look for red pandas) for alpine lore.
• Eats: Keventers (breakfast platters on a terrace with valley views), Glenary’s (bakery downstairs, Continental dining upstairs), Kunga (Tibetan thukpa and momos), Sonam’s Kitchen (hearty breakfasts and pancakes).
• Evening: Stroll The Mall, detour to the Japanese Peace Pagoda for quiet views.

Kalimpong (Easy Day Trip from Darjeeling)

Sleepier than Darjeeling, Kalimpong charms with orchids, monasteries, and wide horizons. It’s a gentler counterpoint to your mountain days.

• Getting there: 2–2.5 hours by car from Darjeeling each way; roads can be foggy—start early.
• Highlights: Deolo Hill (picnic lawns and paragliding in season), Durpin Monastery (Zang Dhok Palri Phodang’s murals and prayer wheels), Pine View Cactus Nursery, and colonial-era cottages.
• Cafes: Art Cafe (espresso and valley views), Cafe Kalimpong (waffles and local bakes), Za Khang (Tibetan fare).
• Optional overnight: Browse VRBO Kalimpong or Hotels.com Kalimpong.

Days 11–12: Back to Kolkata

Drive to Bagdogra and fly back to Kolkata (~1h15). Or take an evening train from NJP to Howrah overnight if you prefer rail romance.

• Book transport: Use Trip.com Flights for IXB → CCU or Trip.com Trains for NJP → Howrah.
• Food crawl 2.0: Arsalan (biryani round two), Aminia (another local biryani stalwart), Mitra Cafe (kobiraji cutlet—crackly egg-net crust), and Paramount Sherbet (College Street legacy for summer coolers).
• Evening: River cruise from Millennium Park at sunset (tickets on-site), then Park Street’s live music.

Shantiniketan (Tagore’s University Town)

Shantiniketan, founded by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, is where classes once met under trees and art spilled into daily life. The air feels quieter; the red earth, more vivid.

• Getting there: Morning train Howrah → Bolpur Shantiniketan ~2–3 hours; AC Chair ~$4–9. Check times on Trip.com Trains. Driving takes ~3.5 hours each way.
• What to see: Visva-Bharati campus walk (Uttarayan complex and murals), Kalo Bari (black basalt art), Amar Kutir crafts cooperative, and the Sonajhuri Haat (Sat–Sun) for Baul folk music and handmade goods.
• Eat: Bonolakshmi (rustic Bengali thalis with seasonal vegetables, luchis, and mishti doi). For sweets, try local jolbhora sandesh and nolen gur delicacies in winter.
• Stay if you linger: Check VRBO Bolpur or Hotels.com Bolpur.

Days 13–14: Farewell, Final Flavors, and Flight Home

Back in Kolkata, squeeze in a last museum stop or a tram ride, then a sweets run: Balaram Mullick for baked rosogolla and sandesh to-go. Linger over coffee at Wabi Sabi (crafts-and-cafe concept) or Blue Tokai’s roastery before the airport.

• Airport transfer: CCU is ~45–75 minutes from central Kolkata by car depending on traffic. For your long-haul back to Frankfurt or onward, compare fares on Omio.

Practical Notes

• Money: ATMs are common; small notes are handy for cabs and markets. Taxis and app cabs accept cards in-app.
• Connectivity: Local eSIMs are widely available; hotel Wi‑Fi is standard in Kolkata and Darjeeling.
• Health & safety: Bottled or filtered water only; carry mosquito repellent for Sundarbans and the riverfront.

This two-week route stitches together India’s intellectual capital, its tidal wilderness, and Himalayan tea country. You’ll leave with marigold-scented mornings, steam-train whistles, and the taste of mustard and jaggery on your tongue—memories that linger long after your flight home.