If there is one city in India where culture blends into development and merges into lifestyle, where food, dance and music are a part of everyday life, where progress is measured by walking the tightrope between technology and tradition, it is Kolkata. A weekend getaway to this city steeped in culture and heritage is just what you need to understand that its historic legacy lives in the modern man and woman.

From the legendary Victoria memorial to the world-class New Town, from street food sojourns to shopping sprees, from visiting colonial mansions to touring the Indian Museum – this erstwhile capital of India has much to offer.

Start your weekend getaway in the city by staying in one of the classic hotels in central Kolkata. The LaLiT Great Eastern Kolkata, for example, is a century old palatial mansion which reflects Victorian architecture alongside contemporary amenities. This is the general theme that you will find across the city – the old retained but with modern touches.

One of the best places to enjoy a weekend getaway when in Kolkata is the Eco Park resort. Stay in the lap of nature and enjoy the beauty of large manicured lawns, fragrant flower gardens, and soothing waves of the lakes. The Ekante Cottage is one of the best places to spend time, feeling the stress melt away, relaxing in a hammock, watching the golden sunset. The cafe serves up some scrumptious food and is perfect for family picnics.

If you are checking in to a corporate hotel in Kolkata and staying for work but want to enjoy your weekend and evenings, the city has much to offer. Go out on a street food walk. Visit the narrow streets of Bara Bazaar for the best of kachauris and chaats, rabris and lassi.

Move on to south Kolkata and sample the famous puchka and jhaalmuri of Vivekananda Park. New Market is another great place to try out the city’s popular food trucks. Park Street’s popular Kusum rolls offer kathi rolls that will have you coming back for more. North Kolkata’s sweet shops are the go to place for traditional Bengali sweets such as mishit doi, rasagulla, and patisapta. These shops also dish out the best of luchichanar dal and radhaballavi.

If it is history that inspires you, you’re certainly in the right city. From the imposing white marble museum at the Victoria Memorial to the grand but serene St. Paul’s Cathedral, from the numerous zamindarbari mansions to the Jain temples, from the ancient and sacred Kalighat temple to the Belur Math, from the colonial era Writer’s Building to Indian Museum (largest and oldest museum in the subcontinent). Visit Kumortuli, the village where the now iconic Durga idols are made (for worship during the Navratri) and are sent across the world. Visit some of the oldest and best-known educational institutions in India such as the Presidency University (established 1817),  Serampore College (established 1818), and University of Kolkata (established 1857).

While in Kolkata, you may also want to spend at least a few hours wandering the streets of Chinatown (Tangra), India’s only Chinatown. The history of Chinese settlement here dates back about 230 years. While only about 2000 of the community still live here and continue with the traditional businesses (tanneries, shoe-making, restaurant business), the vestiges of the once flourishing community still remain.

Kolkata is a time warp, a portal which takes you on frequent trips of nostalgia. It is undoubtedly one of the best weekend getaways you can take.