The tourism industry in Cuttack is developing rapidly, owing to various reasons like heritage, pilgrimage and natural beauty. Cuttack, the erstwhile capital of Orissa is gifted with immense historical interest endowed with the aroma of the antique past combined with the modernity of present.

Cuttack is located in the eastern Indian state of Orissa around 30 km off Bhubaneswar.

The heart of the city happens to be the unique combination of both past and present that has helped the tourism industry to achieve a thriving prosperity in Cuttack. The tourism industry of Cuttack also served the economy of Cuttack greatly. The town situated at the tip of the delta formed by the rivers Mahanadi and the Kathajodi is a significant base for the touring activities especially because of its scenic beauty and the concentration of large number of interesting places in its lap.

Pilgrimage Tourism in Cuttack
The temple of Cuttack Chandi is the shrine of the presiding deity, which is principally visited by the Hindu pilgrims. Besides being important as a religious site in the tourism industry of Cuttack, the architectural trappings of the temple also attract thousands of tourists round the year. The temple is located south of Barabati area and is visited by many devotees everyday. The number of pilgrims to the temple during the festive seasons increases many times making the temple come alive with energy and devotion. Quadam-I- Rasool is the extant symbol of the Muslim rule in the city of Cuttack. The unique structure of the shrine is a subject of immense interest for the Muslim and the Hindus alike. Having a compound wall and towers at each corner has inside three mosques with beautiful domes and a Nawabat Khana (music gallery). This shrine is a prime object of admiration for the tourists.

The tourism industry of Cuttack flourishes to a large extent centering the places of profound interest in the heart of the town. In the recent times, the tourism industry of Cuttack shares a considerable amount to Cuttack`s economy. Cuttack has places that will appeal to all kinds of tourists. Paramhansnath Temple beckon pilgrims as well as enthusiastic travelers who wish to learn more about Indian traditions and religions. The temple is one of the main attractions of the city. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, it is situated on the outskirts of Cuttack. Paramhansnath Temple is famous for the large water hole. It is named as `Ananta Garva`. On holy occasions, the water from the hole is let out into the Sanctum Sanctorum causing the Sanctum Sanctorum to flood.

Cuttack is famous for its stone revetment on the riverbanks, a great engineering marvel of the 11th century AD and a remarkable example of ancient technological skill or Orissa. Build by King Marakata Keshari; the Stone revetments show how advanced the technology and skills were even at that point of time. The revetments helped save the city form many floods and this became one of the reasons why Cuttack was chosen as the capital city. A new attraction to the city of Cuttack is the sprawling modern cricket stadium near Barabati Fort. The stadium holds many test and one-day international cricket matches nowadays.

Nature Tourism in Cuttack
Other than the places within Cuttack, there are also many surrounding areas that can be considered as excursion sites from this heritage city. Banki is situated around 92 km away from Cuttack. The place has the shrine of eight-armed Goddess Charchika on the bank of river Mahanadi. Chatia, 30 km, has several shrines and the remains of an ancient fort. Nandan Kanan Biological Park, on the way to Bhubaneswar, is the place with the highest population of white tigers in the country. Around 35 km away from Cuttack is Dhavaleswar, a scenic spot as well as a famous Shaivite center. It is a small island on the river Mahanadi and accommodation is available for the tourists. Some other places to visit around Cuttack are Naraja (15 km), Niali (47 km), and Madhab.

Leisure Tourism in Cuttack
Stone Revetment in Cuttack is a marvelous work of engineering far back at 11th century A.D still survives as the wonder in the tourism industry of Cuttack. The Stone Revetment is an example of the unparallel technical skill of Orissa in the historical past. Moreover, the ruins of the medieval fort of Barabati, is the quintessence of the erstwhile fortified capital city Cuttack .The key interest about the Barabati fort is the moat and the gate and the earthen mound of the nine-storeyed palace on the bank of River Mahanadi. The modern stadium at the adjoining areas of the Barabati fort is the additional attraction, for which is has gained popularity in the tourism industry of Cuttack.

Visiting Information on Cuttack
The city is well connected to other parts of Orissa and the country by the means of rail and road network. The climate of Cuttack is pleasant round the year with temperatures ranging between a minimum of 22.2°C in the winter to a maximum of 33.4°C in the summers. Annual average rainfall is around 144.39 cm. The best time to visit Cuttack is from middle of January to the middle of March. It is advisable to avoid the rainy season in the months of July to August. The nearest airport from Cuttack is Bhubaneswar, which is around 29 km away. Flights to other important cities in India can be taken from this airport. Cuttack is an important station on the Calcutta-Chennai main railway line and connected to Calcutta, Chennai, Delhi, and Mumbai through regular trains. National Highway No. 5 passes through Cuttack and makes it the most accessible city of Orissa. The city is connected by road with Bhubaneswar, Puri, and other important cities of the state. Buses are the main mode of transportation within the city. However, one can also get auto rickshaws and taxis on hire to move around the city.

The most famous festival celebrated in Cuttack is Durga Puja and uncountable tourists gather in this city to catch a glimpse of the grandeur. Due to its nearness to West Bengal and a large population of Bengali people residing here, Durga Puja in Cuttack is no less interesting than that of Kolkata. However, today many other festivals like Holi, Diwali, Shivaratri and others are celebrated. Several kinds of hotels and lodges that offer state of art facilities to the tourists round the year. Cuttack is also one of the major destinations of Orissa. Though extremely luxurious hotels with world-class facilities might be hard to find here but most of the hotels are above average. There are numerous budget hotels as well. OTDC (Orissa Tourism Development Corporation) has its own guesthouse near the city center. Other hotels that offer comfortable stay are Hotel Akbari Continental, Hotel Dwarika and Hotel Bombay Inn. Cuttack is arguably the best place to go for shopping. The city is famous for many things ranging from brass works to textile like woven silks and cotton. But what stands out are the filigree and silverware.