Mumbai Muses

must visit MUMBAI 

 In the month of December of 2018 i went to visit my maternal family in Mumbai for 6 days, of course my camera and thirst for exploring the city came along with me on the trip , well this blog is  dedicated to whatever places i could go and cover in those few days.

 CHHATRAPATI TRAIN STATION

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this has got to be one of the most beautiful railway stations in the world – it’s a stunning building that dates back to 1887 and was originally named for Queen Victoria before being renamed in 2016.

COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE IN COLABA

This area of Southern Mumbai is crammed with astonishing buildings – you’d never guess that you were in India half the time as you wander the streets. As you walk down from the train station towards the Prince of Wales museum there is plenty of architecture to admire.

PRINCE OF WALES MUSEUM

This has recently been renamed to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya Museum which is a bit of a mouthful, but it’s still commonly referred to by both names. It’s one of the best museums we’ve visited and has some amazing collections. Highlights for us included the Japanese art and pottery and the collection of snuff boxes but we happily wandered for hours and would definitely return.

LEOPOLDS CAFE

Visiting Leopold’s is a rite of passage for many visiting Mumbai and it’s definitely worth dropping in while you’re here. It’s a little pricy as a tourist destination primarily, but lunches are good and one curry should easily serve two people as portions are large. This was the centre of the action in the book Shantaram, set in Mumbai, and was also a site targeted in the 2008 terror attacks – you can still see the bullet holes in the walls.

GATEWAY OF INDIA

Probably the most famous site you’ll visit on your day in Mumbai, this magnificent archway commemorates the landing of King George V when he visited India in 1911. It’s located right on the waterfront and is always packed with people – so be prepared to queue and to pose for lots of selfies with people.

ELEPHANTA CAVES WORLD HERITAGE SITE

This spot is trickier to get to and requires a ferry journey of just under an hour from the courtyard in front of the Gateway of India but it’s worth it to take a trip out of the city and visit another world heritage site. Elephanta is a small island with several interesting caves of Hindu and Buddhist origin, although the exact history of the place is unclear. Some of the exhibits in the Prince of Wales Museum were originally discovered here.

TAJ PALACE HOTEL

A world famous luxury hotel and sadly another place that was badly affected by the 2008 attacks, this is another incredible building as well as being one of the best places in Mumbai to sit and enjoy a drink. I think it was the first licensed bar in Mumbai and is a popular drinking spot for businessmen. Worth dropping in for a quick drink and a look around even if you can’t budget for dinner or to stay the night!

 

If you have a bit more time, other popular things to do include the markets – Colaba and Crawford markets are supposed to be particularly good. Slum tours are also possible and very interesting given that over 60% of people in Mumbai are estimated to reside in slums or temporary makeshift housing. Our favourite way to spend time in the city on our one day in Mumbai was to admire the amazing architecture and soak up the chaotic but fascinating atmosphere as we wandered around.