2 Best Sights in Kolkata (Calcutta), India

The promenade between the restored Prinsep Ghat (steps leading into the river), north to Outram Ghat and then Babu Ghat, has been spruced up to attract tourists and others seeking some spectacular photo ops. You'll find it under Vidyasagar Setu, the newer bridge that crosses the Hooghly. The stretch has sweeping views of the riverbanks, old warehouses, the beautiful cable bridge, and steamers and smaller ships. There's a park at one end, with some food stalls favored by families; privacy-starved couples head to the quieter sections. The area is well policed and illuminated in the evenings, so if you feel adventurous, try a joyride in an oar-boat, as much an icon of the old city as the Howrah Bridge itself. Avoid late nights, though—stick to sunsets and sunrises.

Maidan, the green lungs of the city, and loved and prized by its people, stretches from the governor's house in the north to the National Library in the south, the Hooghly in the west, and the iconic Victoria Memorial in the east. The historic fields were created when the forests around the water bodies in the area were cleared out for the British army stationed at Fort William. The Maidan is now home to cricket fields, Eden Gardens, clubhouses of popular football (soccer) leagues, stadiums, monuments, statues of both British generals and Indian leaders, and a racecourse. Mornings see fitness enthusiasts and sports teams take to the grounds, while evenings are for families and couples enjoying the pony rides and fountains.