This Valentine’s Day, celebrate singlehood with a dash of love for Kolkata and yourself

From solo long drives to self-care routine, here’s how you can make the most of February 14 if dating is not your thing

Kolkata, February 12, 2026, dmanewsdesk: Spending Valentine’s Day in Kolkata as a single person can make you feel like a misfit. 

As Park Street glows under the soft hue of fairy lights and couples flock to Ganga ghats hand in hand, one may wonder what to do in a city that is soaked in romance. 

But here’s the truth: Valentine’s Day was never meant to be exclusive to couples. At its core, it celebrates affection and not romance. So don’t dodge the mushy crowd this year. Instead, fall in love with the city itself. Here’s how:  

Date the city, not a person

This Valentine’s Day, don’t stay at home. Take yourself out on a solo heritage walk. Visit College Street for book hunting, go on a tram ride, gaze at the sunset at Maidan and stroll around north Kolkata oli-goli. Romanticise your own company the way this world romanticises couples.  

Host a singles adda on your terrace

No pity party. Make this fun. Ask your friends to bring one dramatic heartbreak story, one absurd blind-date experience and one comfort snack. And round off the evening with musical jams. The winner of the most cinematic breakup story takes home a plate of fresh sandesh. 

Write a love letter to your favourite spot and people who matter

Write to your favourite tea stall, your dog, your favourite book, Kolkata’s rain, a plate of Biryani, or yourself at the age of 10. It might sound silly, but it rewires your brain to see love beyond relationships. 

Buy yourself gifts that couples buy for each other

Flowers? Go buy them! Cake? Order it right away. Plushies or books? Absolutely, yes. Self-gifting is not sad. It is an expression of love to yourself. 

Try an anti-Valentine ritual

Dress in black (as classy as Princess Diana’s revenge dress), binge-watch thrillers, eat spicy Korean food and raise a toast in the name of freedom. Free will is a gift very few get in today’s dating world. 

There is a singles fest happening in the city this year

Offline by Happy Hour brings the Kolkata Singles Fest to Olive Café and Bar. Designed as a guided social event, the fest is not positioned as speed dating or matchmaking, but as a space for organic conversations and community-building. To book your tickets, tap on the link. 

Book a self-care date at the Salon

Who said pampering needs a partner? Turn Valentine’s Day into a glow-up ritual — hair spa, facial, manicure, massage — try anything you want to. Think of it as investing in the longest relationship you’ll ever have: the one with yourself. 

Take yourself on a long drive

Borrow a car, steal a playlist and head out — maybe towards Raichak, Bakkhali or anywhere under the open sky, far away from the urban cacophony. Roll the windows down, sing your hearts out, and halt for cha-breaks at highway stalls.

Source: The Telegraph online