The tagline ‘The city that never sleeps’ perfectly describes the vibrancy of Mumbai. Being the most popular city in India, Mumbai is a melting pot where people from different ethnics from every corner of India live together. Mumbai draws a glimpse of whole India. Here, you’ll see diversity in every step. The capital city of Maharashtra and financial capital of the country, Mumbai boasts a varied tourism. Being home to the prolific Indian film industry, some of the largest business industries, numerous pristine beaches, and many old-age historical UNESCO Heritage Sites, Mumbai is probably the dream city of every Indian. Due to its mind-blowing skyline, the city is tagged as the New York of India. The city is so flamboyant that it can’t be summarized in an article but we can take an overview. So, let’s begin, let’s explore the important places to visit in Mumbai–
Gateway of India
The most popular landmark of Mumbai, ‘The Gateway of India’ underlines the heritage significance of Mumbai. Magnificently overlooking the Arabian Sea and located at Apollo Bunder Waterfront, Gateway of India was constructed in 1924 to commemorate the visit of British King George V and Queen Mary to Mumbai. Apart from its bewitching location, the architectural style is the major reason that makes the visitors go weak at the knees. Built of Hindu, Arabic, and Western architectural styles, The Gateway of India renders the modern architectural techniques mixed with the old-age structural designs. It stands proudly to the height of 26 m and is flanked by two colossal hallways. You can definitely admire this architectural wonder by standing in front of it but if you really want to see the real charm and splendor of Gateway of India, go for the ferry ride in the Arabian Sea. It is one of the most beautiful places to visit in Mumbai. It will surely make your day.
Siddhivinayak Temple
Built in 1801, the temple still seems as if it is constructed in the 20th century only. The sky-tearing temple is embodied with the ornamental motifs. Dedicated to Lord Ganesha, Siddhivinayak Temple is the most popular and holiest temple of Lord Ganesha in India. It receives more than 20000 devotees daily that makes it one of the most visited temples in the country. The significance of this temple is so high that even the richest person in India, Mukesh Ambani, offers his prayers regularly at the temple and seeks the blessing of Lord Vinayaka. This temple has something that makes every person to visit it at least for once in his/her lifetime. So, pay a visit to this extraordinary temple and seek the blessing of lord Ganesha. The temple always remains crowded, so you might not get some peace time here unlike other temples but the spiritual aura and mystical aroma will certainly give you a sense of inner content. Siddhivinayak Temple is one of the most religious places to visit in Mumbai.
Juhu Beach
Located in Ville Parle, Juhu Beach is one of the largest and most loved beaches in Mumbai. The serene atmosphere, alluring shoreline, and golden sand of Juhu Beach are so magnetic that even the celebrities and the film personalities can’t resist themselves from visiting Juhu Beach. The beach offers a breathtaking view of sunset and sunrise in the nest of Arabian Sea. It is the favorite spot for the lovebirds. The eateries and street foods sited on the shores of the beach add another flavor to your quality time in the beach. So, don’t miss to spend an evening in Juhu Beach capturing the view of nature setting down in front of your eyes.
Marine Drive
Located in South Mumbai, Marine Drive is a 3-4 km promenade which resembles the shape of a necklace. It is even sometimes tagged as ‘The Queen’s Necklace’ and one of the beautiful places to visit in Mumbai. During the working hours, it might be just another bustling street but in the dusk and dawn, it seems as if a surreal beauty has been landed on the earth. It literally comes alive as the night enters. So, go for a long walk along with your loved ones feeling the serenity of atmosphere and admiring the soul-stirring beauty of surroundings. I can guarantee, a long walkway of Marine Drive can beat all your love memories. Starting from the southern end of Nariman Point and ending at mesmerizing Chowpatty Beach, Marine Drive is the most romantic place in Mumbai that will urge you to fall in love with your loved ones over again.
Elephanta Caves
Today a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Elephanta Caves are the ancient heritage of Indian history. Elephanta caves are actually the rock-cut caves that are famous for its stone sculptures and inscriptions. Though the exact origin period of Elephanta Caves is unknown, they track back the time period of 5th century. The statue of three-headed Lord Shiva is the central attraction of Elephanta Caves. There are also some sculptures from Buddhism, so it is a pilgrim spot for Hindus as well as for Buddhists. Over the time, the painstaking carving, artwork, and the sculptures have gone into the mist but they’re still intriguing enough to absorb anybody. Elephanta Caves is one of the famous places to visit in Mumbai.
Fashion Street
Yes, the fashion city of India has a Fashion Street Market for you where you can shop to your heart’s content. So, bargain and shop. Fashion Street is the most popular flea market of Mumbai which offers you a wide range of stuff. From a huge variety of trendy clothes to glamorous accessories and from a lip-smacking aroma of local street foods to the inconceivable decorative items, Fashion Street gives an endless array of items. From the antique pieces to the vogue stuff, you can get everything in Fashion Street that too at the slashed prices. So, go on a shopping spree on Fashion Street and get heaps of souvenirs.
Best Time to Visit Mumbai
Anytime. Seriously, before planning a trip to Mumbai don’t bother about the best time and season to explore places to visit in Mumbai. Just pack your bags and go for it. No matter in which season you’re visiting, the city will make you fall in love with it. Still, if you’re not convinced, the early winters are the ideal time to visit Mumbai. The city remains pleasant throughout the year but monsoon months sometimes get a bit hectic because of the drainage and the traffic problem. So, you can avoid the rainy season, but summers and winters won’t create any hassle for you.
How to Reach Mumbai
Do I really need to answer this question? Well, for the short information, getting Mumbai from every corner of world is hassle-free. Mumbai is the financial capital of India and also home to the Bollywood, so how could it be shoddy in transportation? Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, just 25 km from the main city, is the nearest and most approachable airport to Mumbai. If you’re going by the rail, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus Railway Station, the second largest railway station in the world, is the best possibility which is merely 12 km from the city. And about the road networks, I think I don’t need to talk about it. After all, it is most populous and developed city of India.
Vibrancy, unity in diversity, culture, and extravagance, these are the words that sum up the splendor of Mumbai. Tucked into rich Maratha history, the city is multi-hued in the colors of vivacity. So, visit spirit of the city.
Mumbai and feel the never-dying Apart from places to visit in Mumbai, I have written one more blog post places to visit in Maharashtra which will help you with overview of entire Maharashtra.