Kolkata: Slice of Europe at Chandannagar, Bandel, Serampore｜India

Explore the legacy of the Nawab and French at Chandannagar, the Portuguese at Bandel, and the Danish at Serampore on a day trip from Kolkata. Visit the Dupleix Palace, the Strand, the Durgacharan Rakshit Ghat, the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary, and the Rajbari.

Start your day with a visit to the Dupleix Palace, a museum that houses cannons used in the Carnatic wars, artifacts, and furniture of French governor generals. Continue to the Patal Bari, a beautiful mansion partly submerged in the Hooghly river. Admire the beautifully carved wooden sunshades and water outlets.

Next, visit the Strand, a promenade that has the best collection of colonial buildings. Admire the Durgacharan Rakshit Ghat, an incredibly beautiful pavilion adorned with imposing columns and arresting stucco work built in honor of Durgacharan, a recipient of the Legion d’honneur of France.

Continue to the Church of the Sacred Heart, a 2-story church with twin towers and a magnificent statue of Jesus. Admire the beautiful stained glass and colored reliefs of Jesus carrying the cross on the walls.

Drive to the neighboring town of Bandel to visit the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary. Admire the violet blossoms among the vintage tombstones and the moving statue of Mother of Sorrows in marble sitting with the body of dead Jesus on her lap.

Finally, visit the Rajbari, a grand mansion of the Goswami family, the richest in the history of Serampore. Built in 1820, this mansion used to be the most opulent residence in the neighborhood.