Places To Visit Near Kolkata In Winters | Short Winter Trips From Kolkata

Weekends are fun. They become more fun if we add a little spice to the usual weekends by a party or a quick trip to a beautiful place nearby. We bring to you a list of getaways from Kolkata that’ll serve your wanderlust well !

Before we begin, here is a little flowchart to help you decide. Have a great trip :)

1. Mandarmani: For the beach outing near Kolkata in winter

Like feeling good? Chilling on a calm beach? This is the one of the best places to visit near Kolkata in winter ! Some three hours from Kolkata, Mandarmani is a sweetheart beach destination which can take your stress away and prove to be an idyllic paradise worth a visit in the winter. With waves lower than the other beach resorts on the Bay of Bengal, this is one of those places where walking barefoot on the beach is going to prove therapeutic!

Mandarmani is just 170 km from Kolkata and one can take a bus or a cab to reach Mandarmani in approximately 4 hours via NH6 and SH4

2. Gangasagar: For a spiritual getaway in Winter near Kolkata

A religious getaway that is every bit as loved as it is popular in Hindu mythology, Gangasagar is a beautiful place to visit in winter is concerned. Around Makar Sankranti, the biggest fair in eastern India called the Gangasagar mela is held in this estuary of the Ganges. On the auspicious occasion of Makar Sakranti, thousands of pilgrims gather here to take a dip in this confluence of the Ganges and the Bay of Bengal.

Distance from Kolkata: 135 km. However, to visit this place from Kolkata, one has to reach Harwood point by taking a Kakdwip bound bus. From Harwood point, one will have to cross the river Muriganga by a boat and reach Kachuberia. From Kachuberia, there will be a bus taking you to Gangasagar (30km, 1 hour). The total time would be approximately 5 hours.

Alternatively, you can take a bus till Namkhana from Kolkata and then take a boat from Namkhana to Chemaguri. Chemaguri is just 10 km from Gangasagar and you can find buses to take you to Gangasagar from Chemaguri.

3. Raichak: Ideal for a day trip from Kolkata in Winter

The ultimate retreat for the weekend to pamper yourself silly, Raichak is one of the favorite places to visit near Kolkata in winter. Located on a river bend some 50 km away from Kolkata and 15 km from Diamond Harbour, and situated on the Raichak Jetty, this used to be home to a Dutch Fort built in the 18th century. It was taken over by Radisson group and converted into a beautiful hotel. Walk around in the idyllic surroundings overlooking the river, relax and pamper yourself in the hotel’s God-awesome spa and play some golf if you wish. This is one winter visit that’ll please you to the very core!

Raichak is located around 50 km from Kolkata and it takes roughly two hours in total, making it suitable even for a day trip.

4. Tarapith: For the religiously inclined

The name Tarapith is derived from Maa Tara, another form of the Goddess Kali. Tarapith is a pilgrim center dedicated to the fearsome Mother Goddess, who inspires Tantric rites and practices, with a tantric temple dedicated to the Goddess and a cremation ground attached. This is one of those holidays where believers will bask in the power of the Goddess and explorers will find sheer thrill in the mythical nature of this little town in the Birbhum district of West Bengal.

Distance from Kolkata: 220 km

5. Mukutmanipur: For a quaint little outing from Kolkata for Winter

Mukutmanipur is a beautiful getaway in the Bankura district of West Bengal at the confluence of the rivers Kangsabati and Kumari. A huge water reservoir was planned at Mukutmonipur to provide irrigation facilities to agricultural villages nearby. The Mukutmonipur dam however, coupled with the scenic surroundings of hills and a green garland, makes for a very picturesque setting for a quiet holiday in the cold months of the year. Relatively close to Bishnupur, these two are places to visit near Kolkata in winter, and can be covered in a single trip.

Distance from Kolkata:204 km

6. Jairambati- Kamarpukur: Religious visit near Kolkata for Winter

Jairambati and Kamarpukur, situated 7 km away from each other, are always visited in the course of a single trip. Kamarpukur is the birthplace of Sri Ramkrishna Paramhansa, an ardent devotee of the Goddess Kali. Jairambati is the birthplace of his wife, Maa Sarada. It boasts of a beautiful temple called the Matri Mandir, which was built on the exact spot where the Holy Mother was born. Kamarpukur has a Ramkrishna Math which is an ideal spot for spiritual relaxation and meditation. Both temples are beautiful places to visit in the colder months as summers are very relentless in both villages. Visitors should make sure they can savour the lunch and dinner at both temples, which is served as a prasad and every bit as delicious as it is of spiritual significance. Enjoy the feel of village life and uplift your soul on this trip.

Distance from Kolkata: 103 km

7. Shantiniketan: For the joy of culture and heritage

Home to Rabindranath Tagore and his vision in the form of Viswa Bharati University, Shantiniketan is a peaceful retreat near Kolkata in the winter. Visit the Poush Mela (at the time of Makar Sankranti) which is celebrated to welcome the Spring and revel in the joy of the cold spring of Shantiniketan. Visit the history-laden museums and parks in and around Shantiniketan to feel the culture of the little village.

Distance from Kolkata: 166 km

8. Bishnupur: For the love of terracotta temples

A cosy little town to visit near Kolkata, almost bordering on the definition of a village, Bishnupur is an ideal place to spend at least one winter weekend. Stroll along the narrow alleys of the town, visit the old temples and palaces, click a lot of pictures, eat freshly harvested sugarcanes and drink freshly harvested date syrup. Visit at the time of the Sankranti mela (mid January) and pick up artifacts like terracotta and mud figurines and the local Baluchari sarees.

Bishnupur from Kolkata is 135 km and it takes around 3 hour to reach here.

9. Jamshedpur: For a city getaway near Kolkata for Winter

A place best known for being one of the most well planned cities of India, Jamshedpur is also one of the places to visit near Kolkata in winter. Having a number of clean, green tourist attractions like the Jubilee Park, Hudco Park and the Dimna Lake and dam, many people from Kolkata prefer taking this trip for a short, relaxing winter holiday. Give your lungs some much needed rest one winter weekend in this green industrial town – the phrase won’t seem like so much of an oxymoron after you visit!

Jamshedpur is around 250 km from Kolkata and it takes around 5-6 hours to reach here.

10. Bakkhali: The perfect offbeat beach town near Kolkata for Winter

The very definition of a virgin beach resort, Bakkhali is a peaceful beach town that is hardly ever crowded, save the occasional longer weekends. It is an excellent place for cycling or taking long walks and just having a holiday where you do not feel the burning need to get up and do something. The break is ideal for early winter if you feel like swimming in the clean waters of this virgin paradise.

Distance of Bakkhali from Kolkata is just 125 km and it takes roughly 3 hours to reach here.

Venture towards sunnier climes this winter. Have a full blown holiday in spite of the cold and chilly breeze, unwind and explore. Happy holidays! End of this year is a perfect time to go out somewhere and welcome the new year.