Mumbai

At the edge of the Arabian Sea, grand Victorian buildings, elegant Art Deco architecture and bustling markets unfold alongside contemporary galleries, celebrated restaurants and some of India’s finest hotels. It is a city of contrasts, where the glamour of South Mumbai meets the energy of neighbourhood life and the rhythm of the harbour.
Its British legacy is particularly evocative. The grand civic buildings, railway stations and leafy avenues of the former Bombay reveal the ambition of the colonial city, while the Gateway of India stands above the waterfront as a reminder of the port’s place in Britain’s maritime world. Yet Mumbai has never been defined by its colonial past. Indian merchants, artists, filmmakers, workers and entrepreneurs have continually reshaped the city, creating the extraordinary cultural richness found today.
For the discerning traveller, Mumbai is best experienced through its atmosphere: an early-morning walk through historic streets, a glimpse of the famous dabbawalas at work, sunset beside the Arabian Sea, or an evening discovering the city’s remarkable culinary scene. Sophisticated, spirited and wonderfully unpredictable, Mumbai is a compelling introduction to modern India.