One of the most charming cities of India, Kolkata is a cultural city and boasts of colonial buildings which remind of its glorious past, a time when it was the capital of India during British times. The slow pace of the trams infectious and nobody seems to be in a hurry in this wonderful city. Kolkata is frequented by the tourists throughout the year but the best time to visit Kolkata is during the winter season from October to March when the temperature hovers around 15 to 29 degrees Celsius and makes the sightseeing tour pleasant.
Visiting Kolkata during summers should be mostly avoided as it gets sweltering hot during the summer months of April-June. The temperatures cross 30 degrees Celsius regularly and even reach 42 degrees Celsius sometimes. Add humidity to this equation and you have got a nightmare of weather. Mostly tourists on tight budgets choose this time to visit Kolkata as the hotel rates are lowest during this time.
Winters set in Kolkata normally during the month of October and last till the month of March. Winter season is generally considered to be the best season to visit Kolkata. This is because the weather is pleasant during this season with the mercury hovering around 15 degrees Celsius to 29 degrees Celsius. The air is cool and Kolkata being a port city the weather is neither too cool nor too hot. Though it is advisable to carry light woolens with you when you visit the city in winter.
No wonder winter is the peak tourist season in Kolkata and many important festivals like Durga Puja, Diwali, Christmas Eve and New Year also come during this season. You can view the gorgeous Howrah Bridge, St Paul's Cathedral and Victoria memorial which is lit up brightly with lights during festivals. The month of October can be considered to be the best month to visit Kolkata as the temperature is modest and the festival of Durga Puja normally coincides with this time every year.
The southwest monsoon brings rains to the city during the months of July-September. Although the monsoon is not a very good season to visit, you can still enjoy the beauty of this city during the monsoons by sipping some hot Darjeeling chai and taking a stroll beside the Howrah Bridge. Take along some umbrellas or raincoats if you wish to visit Kolkata during monsoons. The humidity is high and the temperature normally hovers around 27degrees Celsius to 35 degrees Celsius during the monsoon.
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