3 Day MUMBAI Itinerary: You’ll Love The City of Dreams
Visiting the City of Dreams and wondering what are the best things to do in Mumbai? In this article, we share our 3 day Mumbai Itinerary that explores this fascinating city. Featuring street food, ancient caves, grand architecture and more – every type of traveller will enjoy there time in Mumbai. Continue reading to find out more!
Mumbai previously known as Bombay is a city of contrast. Although the city has one of the largest slums in Asia it has been dubbed the “City of Dreams” due to being India’s financial capital. It is also home to the Bollywood movie industry, making it the most cosmopolitan place in India. Old meeting new creates a fascinating landscape where architectural masterpieces can be found throughout.
Mumbai is a fantastic place to start your India trip as it will expose you to Indian culture whilst still having metropolitan familiarity. Also, there isn’t a massive amount of tourist attractions which means you can take your time to adjust to the pace of India’s hustle and bustle.
This is our fairly laidback three-day itinerary in Mumbai, which was perfect for us. You could condense this into two days if you are short on time, or add more activities if you would like.
We recommend staying in South Mumbai. Colaba or Fort neighbourhoods make great bases for exploring the city. Our hotel was Bed and Breakfast Colaba which is located very close to The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Gateway of India and Leopold Cafe. It was amazing value compared to the other hotels in the area and offers large rooms, private bathrooms, breakfast and most importantly, fast WIFI and aircon.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links for products and services that we genuinely recommend. These help us earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
Contents
- Summary
- Itinerary
Essential Travel Tools
Flights: Skyscanner
Transport: 12GoAsia
Accommodation: Booking.com
Tours: Viator/Klook
Car hire: Discover Cars
Mumbai Itinerary Summary
Save this map for later: Click on the star icon to save the map to your Google Maps Account. You can view the map later by opening Google Maps and navigating to “Your Places/Maps” in the menu.
- Taj Mahal Palace Hotel
- Gateway of India
- Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya
- Colaba Causeway
- Leopold’s Cafe
Mumbai Itinerary
Day 1 – Colaba
It is advisable to get up and out as early as you can. We didn’t achieve this on our first day but paid the price with the sweltering 30℃ (real feel 36℃) October heat.
Taj Mahal Palace Hotel
Price: Free
The first stop is the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel and the Gateway of India, conveniently located right next to each other. The Taj Mahal Palace is a luxury, five-star hotel overlooking Mumbai’s seaside promenade which is well-known for being targeted in the Mumbai attacks.
Just taking in the building from the outside is incredible but the inside is also a perfect display of the building’s timeless heritage. Pop inside and enjoy a drink at the bar or if you’re smart, book ahead for an afternoon tea.
Gateway of India
Price: Free
Just next to the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel is the Gateway of India. Constructed in the early 20th century the arch commemorates the first British monarch to visit India, Kind George V. The monument was famously where the last of the British troops passed through to exit India, post-independence.
The arch beautifully frames the Arabian Sea with intricate carving covering the whole piece. This is a very popular attraction with tourists and there are many touts offering to take professional pictures, selling tours and even “ugly magnets from [his] beautiful box” – his words.
Although we were approached a few times, we didn’t feel overwhelmed and our polite declines were often accepted straight away with “have a nice day”. The Gateway to India is also where we first got approached for selfies – we chose to play along for now and everybody kept a respectful distance.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS)
Price: Rs 1,500 for two adults + camera (£16)
The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (formerly the Prince of Wales Museum) is a museum based in one of Mumbai’s most impressive buildings. The dome was being repaired when we went but that didn’t take away from the exterior’s grandeur.
It cost us Rs 650 each and Rs 200 for the camera (about £16) which was more expensive than we hoped but it was a great way to learn about India’s history and escape the heat.
Displays included a Natural History section, Money and Jewellery exhibit, and a Himalayan art exhibit but the bit we found most interesting was the Conservation Exhibition. Here, info boards explain the conservation process of restoring different pieces of art and sculptures that are centuries old.
Colaba Causeway
Price: Free
Colaba Causeway is famous in Mumbai for shopping. Traders line the busy streets with a variety of goods on offer. Be prepared to haggle if there is anything you like the look of but it’s just a much fun window shopping.
There are also great restaurants along Colaba Causeway such as Olympia Coffee House, Cafe Mondegar and Think Juice.
Again, here we didn’t feel hassled by anybody into buying anything.
Leopold’s Cafe
Price: Rs 1050 for two mains and two drinks (£11.40)
Leopold’s Cafe is a Mumbai institution, visited by locals and tourists. It has been around since 1871 and was one of the unfortunate settings of the Mumbai attacks in 2008. The bullet holes can still be seen in the cafe today amongst the posters covering the walls.
Whilst this is now a bit of a touristy stop, we actually enjoyed the food too. Service was quick and friendly, the food was delicious and whilst more expensive than most restaurants, the prices weren’t extortionate either. We ordered two thumbs-ups, a Bombay masala sandwich with fries and a chicken tikka masala sandwich with fries for Rs 1050.
Day 2 – Fort & Marine Drive
Day 2 was also a late start for us – damn jet lag. At least the jet lag helps to drown out the constant beeping of Mumbai’s traffic.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus
Price: Free
The day starts with a visit to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT). This used to be called Victoria Terminus after Queen Victoria. The building is an outstanding example of Victorian Gothic architecture blended with traditional Indian influences helping secure its UNESCO World Heritage status.
In the middle of the intersection, there is a viewing platform where people crowd to take pictures of the magnificent building as well as the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai building next door.
Aram Vada Pav
Price: Rs 20 (£0.22)
Just opposite CSMT is Aram Vada Pav. This street food stall claims to be Mumbai’s best vada pav – Mumbai’s take on a burger. Vada Pav or Wada Pao is a deep-fried spiced mashed potato pattie served inside a savoury roll with chutneys and green chilli. Best of all, it cost Rs 20 (about 20p).
Crawford Market
Price: Free
Crawford Market is a bustling local market about a 15-minute walk from CSMT. Located inside another Victorian Gothic building, this market attracts Mumbai locals for their everyday goodies and tourists seeking cultural experiences.
A plethora of goods are available such as fruit and veg, spices, electronics, street food and jewellery. It’s easy to spend a couple of hours exploring the lanes and what they have to offer.
Marine Drive
Price: Free
Enjoy an evening stroll along Marine Drive, otherwise known as the “Queen’s Necklace”. Groups of friends, couples and families line the wall of the seafront promenade to watch the sunset behind the city of Mumbai. This coastal boulevard provides a welcome break from the claustrophobic hustle and bustle of Mumbai’s streets.
This was one of the highlights of our trip and we thoroughly recommend walking the 3km route at sunset.
Girgaon Chowpatty
Price: Free
At the northern tip of Marine Drive is Giragaon Chowpatty beach. This is another great place to sit and enjoy the sunset over Mumbai. However, the real reason for visiting is the street food. A square of street food stalls sits in the top corner of the beach with a large variety of affordable treats on offer.
We enjoyed pani puri (chickpeas and spiced water in a crispy shell) for Rs 40, pav bhaji (lentil gravy served with two bread rolls) for Rs 120 and bhel puri (puffed rice topped with salsa and crispy bits) for Rs 50. Definitely, a great spot to enjoy some cheap eats!
Day 3 – Elephanta
Day 3 leaves the mania of the streets to visit a nearby island with ancient archaeological remains to explore
Elephanta Island
Price: Rs 180 round trip + Rs 10 to sit on the top deck (£2pp)
Just an hour’s ferry ride out of the city and you will arrive at Elephanta Island. You can get the ferry from the Gateway of India where you will get another great view of the magnificent arch and the Taj Mahal Palace hotel as you sail out into the Arabian Sea.
The island offers much to explore and is a great half-day excursion away from the constant honking of horns in Mumbai.
Elephanta Caves
Price: Rs 600 (£6.50pp)
There are five caves to explore on the island with Cave 1 being the most impressive. The caves were cut into one of the island’s hills in the mid-5th to 6th centuries AD to depict Hindu stories about Shiva.
Cave 1 is 39 metres deep with stone columns supporting the ceiling. Inside there are intricate carvings and a shrine guarded by statues. Caves 2-5 are less well preserved as they suffered great damage during the Portuguese invasion but the efforts of conversation by the Indian Government have gained the site UNESCO World Heritage status.
Cannon Hill
Price: Free
Climb to the top of Cannon Hill on Elephanta Island to enjoy panoramic views across to Mumbai. The hill is named after the black cannons still in situ that were once Mumbai’s defence against invaders and pirates.
Think Juice
Price: Rs 100 (£1.10)
After a long day exploring the island head back into Mumbai and grab a refreshing juice from Think Juice. You will find it at the north end of Colaba Causeway where there is usually a crowd around the stand. Two young men are rushed off their feet taking orders and blitzing up tasty iced coffees, smoothies, juices and shakes. There are plenty of options here but our favourite was the mango smoothie.
If you found this post useful, BOOKMARK it for later and SHARE it with your friends or…
Are you on Pinterest? PIN IT!
We hope we have provided you with some inspiration for your Indian adventure. You can read more things to do in Mumbai here. If you have any further suggestions or comments, please let us know in the comments box below 🙂
