Berhampore, also written Baharampur, is the working city beside the old Nawabi landscape of Murshidabad. It is not as atmospheric as the palace quarter upriver, but it is the practical base for exploring the Bhagirathi's mix of Indo-Islamic monuments, Armenian and Dutch traces, and faded river-port wealth.
The best day here is really a Berhampore-Murshidabad day. Start with Hazarduari Palace and the Nizamat Imambara, then cross through the older lanes toward Katra Masjid. Cossimbazar adds a quieter layer: churches, cemeteries, and old mercantile houses from the river trade.
Come for history rather than polish. The sights are spread out, traffic is slow, and upkeep varies wildly, but the place rewards a traveler who wants to see how Bengal looked when power, money, and trade sat far north of Kolkata.