Attraction
Gateway of India
The 1924 basalt arch on the Apollo Bunder waterfront, built to mark a royal visit and now the departure point for Elephanta ferries.
The things to do in Mumbai range from colonial landmarks and ancient cave temples to street food, seafront walks and some of India's most inventive restaurants and bars. South Mumbai holds most of the classic sights: the Gateway of India and Colaba, the Victorian buildings of the Fort, the museums and galleries of Kala Ghoda, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and the long curve of Marine Drive. Further north, the old mill district of Lower Parel and Mahalaxmi is now full of restaurants and cocktail bars, while Bandra is the suburb for cafes, nightlife and a more relaxed pace.
Food is one of the best reasons to visit. Try vada pav and bhel puri, an unlimited Gujarati thali, Parsi dishes in an old Irani cafe, Malvani seafood and South Indian breakfasts, then compare them with the tasting menus of the city's leading kitchens. Plan at least three full days: one for Colaba, the Fort and Kala Ghoda, one for Elephanta and Marine Drive, and one for the markets, Haji Ali and the mill district. Four or five days allow time for Kanheri, Bandra and a guided walk.
Attraction
The 1924 basalt arch on the Apollo Bunder waterfront, built to mark a royal visit and now the departure point for Elephanta ferries.
Attraction
The Victorian Gothic railway terminus formerly known as Victoria Terminus, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and still Central Railway's busy headquarters.
Attraction
Mumbai's main museum, the former Prince of Wales Museum, with around 50,000 objects from Indus Valley finds to Mughal miniatures in an Indo-Saracenic building.
Attraction
UNESCO-listed rock-cut cave temples on an island in Mumbai Harbour, famous for the colossal three-faced Sadashiva sculpture of Shiva.
Attraction
A whitewashed 15th-century Sufi shrine and mosque on an islet in Haji Ali Bay, reached by a long causeway that floods at high tide.
Attraction
Mumbai's best-known Ganesh temple, founded in 1801 in Prabhadevi and visited by large numbers of devotees, with the longest queues on festival days.
Café
Around 120 years old and described as Mumbai's oldest operating Irani cafe, serving bun maska, Irani chai, keema pav and cherry custard near Marine Lines.
Café
A Parsi-Irani cafe in Ballard Estate since 1923, famous for its berry pulao made with barberries from Iran, salli boti, dhansak and caramel custard.
Café
An Irani cafe and bakery opposite Grant Road station since 1914, famous for mawa cakes, butter buns and Irani chai that often sell out by mid-morning.
Café
An all-day cafe and bakery on Rope Walk Lane with three rooms, from a high-ceilinged coffee room to a moody wine bar, known for salads, sandwiches…
Café
A busy Matunga cafe serving South Indian breakfasts and lunches, from fluffy idli with sambar to benne pessarettu dosa and pineapple sheera.
Café
A specialty coffee roaster and craft bakehouse in a restored 1925 bungalow on Chapel Road in Bandra, serving small-batch Indian coffee and inventive milk drinks.
Hotel
Mumbai's grand heritage hotel opposite the Gateway of India, welcoming guests since 1903, with 285 rooms and suites, a pool, spa and celebrated restaurants.
Hotel
A five-star deluxe hotel at Nariman Point with views over the Arabian Sea and Marine Drive, Ziya restaurant and an outdoor pool in a private courtyard.
Hotel
A contemporary luxury tower hotel in Worli with sea and city views, a spa and Aer, one of Mumbai's best-known rooftop bars.
Hotel
A large five-star hotel at Nariman Point with ocean, harbour and city view rooms, four restaurants and bars, an outdoor pool and a spa.
Hotel
A design-led boutique hotel in a 1910 heritage building near Regal Cinema in Colaba, with 25 rooms, reclaimed teak floors, hand-laid tiles and a cafe.
Hotel
A comfortable mid-range hotel on D.N. Road in the Fort, about 100 metres from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, with Club and Deluxe rooms.
Bar
A rooftop bar on the 34th floor of the Four Seasons in Worli, with skyline and Arabian Sea views, inventive cocktails, wine and international small plates.
Bar
A high-ceilinged cocktail bar and restaurant in the Fort known for house-made infusions and tinctures, Neapolitan pizza and a glowing central bar.
Bar
A cocktail lounge from the Masque team in a Mahalaxmi mill, with technical drinks, cocktails on tap, Art Deco styling and inventive bar food.
Bar
A Colaba Causeway cafe-bar founded in 1871, a fixture of travellers' Mumbai, known from the novel Shantaram and as a site of the 2008 attacks.
Bar
A dive-bar-style Bandra spot from the Ekaa team, pairing drinks with snacks inspired by regional drinking cultures from Coorg to Kashmir and Nagaland.
Bar
The Oberoi's Art Deco-styled cocktail bar at Nariman Point, with an outdoor deck looking over the Arabian Sea and a private lounge.
Restaurant
A Kala Ghoda seafood institution since 1991, known for Koliwada prawns, butter garlic crab, Bombay duck and a long list of sauces for king prawns.
Restaurant
A lively modern Indian restaurant and bar in the Kamala Mills compound, known for regional dishes, Eggs Kejriwal and inventive cocktails built on Indian produce.
Restaurant
An ingredient-driven tasting-menu restaurant in a former mill in Mahalaxmi, founded in 2016 and regularly ranked among Asia's 50 Best Restaurants.
Restaurant
A Kalbadevi dining room serving unlimited Gujarati vegetarian thalis since 1945, with a menu that changes daily and sweets added at weekends.
Restaurant
A colourful Goan restaurant and bar in the Bandra Kurla Complex from The Bombay Canteen team, known for poee sandwiches, ceviche and rum and kokum cocktails.
Restaurant
A cheerful Parsi cafe-restaurant in the Fort, best known for its lagan nu bhonu, the multi-course Parsi wedding feast, in meat and vegetarian versions.
Thing to do
A three-kilometre seafront promenade curving from Nariman Point to Girgaum Chowpatty beach, best walked at sunset when the Queen's Necklace lights come on.
Thing to do
A compact art and heritage quarter in the Fort, packed with galleries, museums, a historic synagogue and Victorian buildings, and home to an annual February arts…
Thing to do
A Victorian market hall of 1869, now Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Mandai, selling fruit, vegetables, household goods and pets just north of CSMT.
Thing to do
A huge open-air laundry beside Mahalaxmi station, dating from 1890, where thousands of washers clean, dye, dry and press clothes for the city.
Thing to do
A long-established second-hand market on Mutton Street in South Mumbai, where dealers sell antiques, vintage Bollywood posters, old furniture and spare parts.
Tour operator
An award-winning social enterprise running Dharavi tours, street food walks, bicycle tours and local transport tours, with most profits funding community projects.
Tour operator
A Mumbai walking tour company whose volunteer 'Ambassadors of Mumbai' lead heritage, bazaar, faith, food and ghost walks across the Fort, Bandra and beyond.
Tour operator
A Mumbai tour company established in 2006, approved by India's Ministry of Tourism, offering city walks, local experiences and custom trips around Maharashtra.
Tour operator
A Dharavi-based responsible tour operator founded by Mohammad Sadique, offering small-group and private walks through Dharavi and guided tours of Mumbai.
Tour operator
Walking tours of Mumbai's heritage precincts, organised since 1999 by city architects Abha Bahl and Brinda Gaitonde Nayak to raise awareness of the city's architecture.
Three full days cover Colaba, the Fort, Kala Ghoda, Marine Drive and a trip to Elephanta; four or five days allow time for Kanheri Caves, Bandra and the mill district.
Colaba and the Fort are best for sightseeing on foot, Nariman Point and Marine Drive offer sea views, and Worli and Bandra suit travellers who want to be closer to the restaurants, bars and the airport.
Pre-paid taxis and ride-hailing cars are the simplest option from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport; the journey to South Mumbai can take an hour or more depending on traffic.
Street food, local trains and simple cafes are very cheap, while luxury hotels, fine dining and cocktail bars are priced at international levels, so costs depend on your choices.
Most visits are trouble-free; take care with belongings in crowds and on trains, use registered taxis or ride-hailing apps, and check your government's travel advice before you go.