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Stories from Mumbai, India

Every story, long read and guide in the ULTIMATE Mumbai City Guide, in one place.

Culture

Arts & Culture in Mumbai

All of Arts & Culture

Museums, theatre, music and Bollywood: the NCPA on Marine Drive, the NMACC and Prithvi Theatre, and the back story of the city’s art and architecture.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya and its gardensThe back storyThe back storyMumbai art, architecture & cultureThe Jamshed Bhabha Theatre at the NCPA, Nariman PointArts & CultureConcert halls & musicThe NCPAThe Grand Theatre auditorium at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural CentreArts & CultureTheatreThe NMACC and Prithvi Theatre

History

History & heritage

The Koli fishing islands, the Elephanta Caves, Portuguese Bombay, a royal dowry, the city built on reclaimed land, its Gothic and Art Deco ensembles and the home of Bollywood.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in MumbaiHistory & heritageSeven islands, the dowry of 1661 and the city of cotton: Mumbai’s heritageSeven islands that became a cityThe back storyGothic and Art DecoUNESCO calls CSMT the symbol of Bombay as the “Gothic…The wall, gates and “Mannat, Lands End” nameplate of Shah Rukh Khan’s home, seen from the street at BandstandThe back storyShah Rukh Khan’s MumbaiMannat is a private family home: the way to see it is from the…

Our advice

The CSMT at dusk

See the CSMT from the street at dusk, when its façade is lit, and step inside its great booking hall. If you take a local train, travel outside the morning and evening peaks. India’s first train

Areas

Mumbai by neighbourhood

From Colaba to Juhu, each area has its own guide: the Taj and the Gateway, the Gothic landmarks of Fort, the Queen’s Necklace, the mills of Lower Parel and Bandra’s promenades.

The Gateway of India lit up at dusk on the Apollo Bunder waterfrontNeighbourhood guideColaba & the GatewayThe Taj and the harbourFlora Fountain at Hutatma Chowk in FortNeighbourhood guideFort & Kala GhodaGothic landmarks and galleriesMarine Drive’s Queen’s Necklace lit up at night, with the towers of South Mumbai behindNeighbourhood guideMarine Drive & ChurchgateThe Queen’s NecklaceHaji Ali Dargah on its islet off Worli, MumbaiNeighbourhood guideMalabar Hill & MahalaxmiGardens and shrinesThe Bandra–Worli Sea Link and the Worli skyline in the evening lightNeighbourhood guideWorli & Lower ParelTowers, mills and the Sea Link

Over the sea

Cross the Sea Link by taxi at dusk, then walk Bandstand as the bridge lights up.

  1. Neighbourhood guideBKCNMACC and Jio World Centre
  2. Neighbourhood guideBandraPromenades and cafés
  3. Neighbourhood guideJuhuThe beach and the theatre
  4. Neighbourhood guidePowaiThe lake and its towers

Practical

Plan your trip

The practical things to know before you go: the e-Visa, money, the airports, Metro and trains, and the classic South Mumbai heritage day.

The canopy of Terminal 2 at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International AirportBefore you goMumbai essentialse-Visa, money and getting aroundA Metro Line 3 (Aqua Line) train at AareyGetting aroundGetting aroundAirports, Metro and trainsThe Victorian Gothic municipal headquarters opposite CSMTItinerarySouth Mumbai heritage dayThe classic day
  1. Luxury guideLuxury MumbaiThe finest addresses

Day trips

Beyond Mumbai

Cave temples, a beach fort, hill stations and the Peshwas’ city: Elephanta, Alibag, Lonavala, car-free Matheran and Pune.

The great three-headed relief in the main cave at ElephantaBeyond MumbaiElephanta CavesUNESCO cave templesBeyond MumbaiAlibagA beach and a sea fortGreen monsoon hills around LonavalaBeyond MumbaiLonavala & KhandalaHill stations and ancient cavesThe Neral–Matheran toy train in the forestBeyond MumbaiMatheranA hill station without carsThe main gate of Shaniwar Wada in PuneBeyond MumbaiPuneShaniwar Wada and the Aga Khan Palace

In depth

In depth: Mumbai, from the seven islands to Bollywood

King Khan’s Mumbai, Bollywood and its music, the dabbawalas, Banganga, the festivals, the grand hotels, Gothic and Art Deco, how to eat and where to buy.

The Gateway of India lit up at dusk on the Apollo Bunder waterfrontBandraChristmas in MumbaiPaper stars on the balconies, Midnight Mass at Mount MaryGreater flamingos feeding on the wetlands of Navi Mumbai, on the edge of Thane CreekIn depth: nature & wildlifeWild MumbaiFlamingos, leopards and the mangrovesThe Bandra–Worli Sea Link at sunsetThe back storyBridges over the seaThe Sea Link and Atal Setu

Before you come

Watch Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge before you come, and visit the National Museum of Indian Cinema while you are here.

  1. EatMumbai CuisineVada pav, the coast, Irani cafés and Chowpatty
  2. The back storyBollywood and Yash Raj FilmsYash Chopra, the King of Romance
  3. The back storyThe voice behind the starPlayback singing
  4. The back storyThe great soundtracksFrom Shiv–Hari to A. R. Rahman
  5. The back storyThe dabbawalasLunch, delivered since 1890
  6. The back storyBangangaEight centuries of steps

Bollywood stars

The leading ladies and leading men of Hindi cinema, with their films and their stories: twenty-five stars in all in our full guide.

Rani Mukerji on stage accepting a Best Actress awardBollywoodRani MukerjiMardaani’s Mumbai inspectorMadhuri Dixit dancing on a lit stageBollywoodMadhuri DixitPooja of Dil To Pagal HaiDeepika Padukone at the Academy Museum Gala in Los AngelesBollywoodDeepika PadukoneOm Shanti Om to JawanKatrina Kaif at a television studio, promoting the film SooryavanshiBollywoodKatrina KaifZoya of the Tiger filmsPriyanka Chopra Jonas speaking at the Global Education & Skills Forum in 2018BollywoodPriyanka Chopra JonasKrrish and Gunday

The music

Look for a film-music concert at the NCPA or NMACC while you are in Mumbai.

  1. BollywoodAamir KhanFanaa and Dhoom 3
  2. BollywoodKartik AaryanNational Film Award winner
  3. BollywoodAll the starsAlia, Kajol, Rekha, Sridevi, Salman and more

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