Mumbai, the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra, is a spectacular paradox of chaos and hope, glamour and squalor, modernity and tradition. Famously known as the City of Dreams, Mumbai – formerly known as Bombay – Mumbai is a beautifully blended melting pot of cultures and lifestyles.
The city soaks in everything into its fabric, making it its very own. From upcoming actors struggling to make it big on the silver screen and Bollywood superstars, to big industrialists, tribes of fishermen and slum dwellers, Mumbai is a city that proudly boasts of stories from different walks of human survival.
One of the main centers in the country of art, culture, music, dance and theatre, Mumbai is a dynamic, cosmopolitan city that has been running for years solely on the indomitable spirit of the Mumbaikars.
Places To Visit In Mumbai
Elephanta Caves: A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Elephanta Caves is a specimen of rock-cut art and architecture from the times of medieval India. The caves are located on the Elephanta or Gharapuri Island, which is situated at a distance of 11 km from the city of Mumbai. Natively known as Gharapurichi Leni, the Elephanta Caves that exist today are ruins of what were once elaborately painted artworks. It also provides an amazing view of the Mumbai skyline. You can reach the Elephanta Caves via a ferry ride from Gateway of India. This collection of cave temples dates back to 5th to 7th centuries and most of them are dedicated to Lord Shiva.
Marine Drive: Marine Drive is the most easily identifiable landmark associated with Mumbai and is indicative of the glamor and glitter of the city. It is essentially 3.6 km long, arc-shaped boulevard along the South Mumbai coast that starts at the southern end of Nariman Point and ends at Girgaum Chowpatty, popularly known as Chowpatty Beach. The coast wraps the Arabian Sea and is the best place in Mumbai to watch the sunset or even to just take a leisurely stroll by the sea any time of the day or night. At night, when the whole coastline lights up, it justifies its other moniker i.e. Queen’s Necklace.
Juhu Beach: Juhu beach is the longest beach in Mumbai and the most popular among tourists as well. It is renowned for its wide variety of street food that has a typical Mumbai flavor and is sweet and sour. The surrounding area of Juhu is one of the posh localities in Mumbai and is home to a lot of famous Bollywood and TV celebrities – the most famous being Amitabh Bachchan’s bungalow – and it is not rare to spot a celebrity jogging on the beach.
Colaba Causeway: One of the most exciting and eclectic places to visit in Mumbai is the Colaba Causeway, famous for being a shopper’s paradise. Iconic at best, ask any Mumbaikar and they will tell you that the Causeway is pretty much the heart of Mumbai. Resurgent, even after the terror attack, this shopping street stood up on its feet in no time. Apart from gorgeous clothes and accessories, especially earrings, you can also find great bargains on home decor stuff such as lampshades, curios and antiques. If designer stuff is your calling, there are a number of options for that as well. If you do feel like catching a bite and a beer, there are a number of restaurants that offer great food and booze at very affordable prices and Cafe Leopold and Cafe Mondegar are pretty much the best!
Gateway of India: The Gateway of India is, without doubt, one of the most popular tourist hotspots of Mumbai. Sitting proudly on the Apollo Bunder, it overlooks the Arabian Sea. It is one of the defining monuments of the city of Mumbai and was built in the year 1924. The construction was undertaken by the famous architect George Wittet, to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary to Mumbai. The imposing structure of the monument is a beautiful confluence of Indian, Arabic and Western architecture and has become a popular tourist hub in the city. It is also the starting point of a number of ferry services that ply to the historic Elephanta Caves.
Film City: Spread across a vast area of 520 acres, the Film City is comprised of about twenty indoor studios and is located in Aarey Colony, Mumbai, Film City is often regarded as a home of Bollywood. The place is so vast that about 1000 film sets can be erected here simultaneously. Over the years, it has been the locations for a number of Bollywood films. Almost over 900 movies and many more television shows have also been shot here. Today, Film City has grown to be one of the best film studios, well-equipped with all the essential amenities and world-class facilities. Not only is it a great place for film shoots, but it is also filled with verdant greenery and refreshing expanses.
Mumbai Street Food: The food culture of Mumbai is defined by its street food. People from all economic classes eat from the roadside food stalls in Mumbai, which serve some of the best local food, even better than many restaurants. Mumbai’s most famous street food includes Vada Pav, bhelpuri, panipuri, sevpuri, Bombay sandwich, ragda-pattice, pav bhaji, omlette pav and kebabs. Among the popular desserts of Mumbai are Kulfi and Ice Gola.
Hanging Gardens: Hanging Garden is a terrace garden situated on top of the Malabar Hill, right next to the Kamla Nehru Park. It overlooks the stunning Arabian Sea and was built in 1880 by Mr. Ulhas Ghapokar. The stunning gardens are dedicated to Barrister Pherozeshah Mehta and are also known as Pherozeshah Mehta Gardens. In fact, when viewed from above, one can clearly see the letter PMG spelt out in the gardens. The garden has impeccable animal shaped hedges and lush green vegetation along with a serene bird’s eye view of the Arabian Sea.
Prince of Wales Museum: The Prince of Wales Museum is a splendid structure situated in Mumbai and is regarded to be one of the heritage buildings of the city. The foundation stone of this edifice was laid down by the Prince of Wales on the 11 November 1905, and it was established as a museum on 10 January 1922. The facade of the museum is a sight to behold in itself and sits in the midst of an expansive green garden. Adorned with stunning stone and lattice work, the architecture of the Prince of Wales Museum is a blend of Indian, Mughal and British engineering styles. Inside, the museum holds almost 50,000 of some of the most exquisite artifacts relating to the rich and diverse history of India.
Mumbai Zoo: Formerly known as Ranichi Bagh meaning Queen’s Gardens, Jijamata Udyan is the only zoo in the city of Mumbai. Its former name is a depiction of the original British name Victoria Gardens. Now it is also known as Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan and Zoo, named after the mother of Shivaji, the hero of Maratha Empire. The zoo is located in the heart of the city in Byculla. Built in 1861, it is the only zoo of Mumbai and one of the oldest in India. In the zoo, you can witness many wild animals in separate enclosures such as lion, monkeys, crocodiles, elephants and many more.
Best time to visit Mumbai
The best time to visit Mumbai is from October to February when the weather is pleasant and ideal for exploring and sightseeing. The temperature during this time ranges from 10 to 35 degrees Celsius. Mumbai receives copious rainfall during the monsoon from June to September.
How to Reach Mumbai
Mumbai is the financial capital of India and the capital of Maharashtra. It is connected to all the small & large cities and countries around the world by means of airways. Trains are connected to the majority of the places within the country. Roadways are nicely maintained, as it is part of the Golden Quadrilateral road plan.
Also Read:Â Exploring Delhi to Mumbai Flight: A Traveler’s Guide
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