Day 12. Mumbai
Overnight – The Taj Mahal Palace
Gateway of India. A guided city tour of historical Mumbai begins across the street from your hotel at The Gateway of India, overlooking Mumbai’s harbor. This structure was built to commemorate King George & Queen Mary’s visit in 1905 and serves as one of Mumbai’s landmarks and is home to a jetty from which ferries and tourism boats operate.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus. A short drive takes you to the iconic Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The most impressive structure that the British built in India, the Italian Gothic architecture and design is a delight to behold. It also happens to be one of the world’s busiest railway stations, making for quite a unique experience. Architecture and design lovers will want to spend some time here, including inside the massive and busy station.
Historic Walk. From here you will enjoy a walk, with stops every few minutes to admire historic attractions, while being surrounded by local residents going about their daily activities. The next 2 to 3 hours can be an experience where you will walk just under 2 miles, stopping frequently at a multitude of attractions, or you can ask to be driven for most, or all, of the stretch.
You will admire the historic Flora Fountain, and then, passing Horniman’s Circle and Mumbai Town Hall, you will stop to admire the fascinating architecture of Mumbai’s premier museum, designed in the Indo-Saracenic style and built in the early 20th Century. Those who are so inclined can tour the museum – it includes wonderful sections of archeology, natural history, and a lot more.
Leopold Café. We recommend an informal snack or lunch at the iconic Leopold Café, a charming and busy eatery that opened in 1871 and was one of the targets during the 2008 Mumbai terrorism attack. Many fine dining options are also available.
Dhobi Ghat. After lunch you will drive to Mumbai’s main Dhobi Ghat where you will observe the Dhobi’s doing Mumbai’s laundry by flogging the clothes on stone in the same manner that they have for more than a century. Over 100,000 pieces are laundered every day and hung to dry on seemingly unending clotheslines. Then they are all ironed and delivered to far reaching areas of Mumbai. The profession and small stone washing stations are passed on from generation to generation.
Marine Drive and Hanging Gardens. Continue your exploration by driving further on Marine Drive and go up Malabar Hill where the Hanging Gardens provide a panoramic view of the city and bay. Avoiding the infamous Mumbai rush hour traffic, you are driven back to your hotel in the mid-afternoon. Your guide and chauffeur are available to you for more explorations – we recommend that you remain near your hotel – it is the best part of Mumbai for visitors. Your gorgeous historic hotel’s extensive facilities are also well worth experiencing.
Gateway of India. A guided city tour of historical Mumbai begins across the street from your hotel at The Gateway of India, overlooking Mumbai’s harbor. This structure was built to commemorate King George & Queen Mary’s visit in 1905 and serves as one of Mumbai’s landmarks and is home to a jetty from which ferries and tourism boats operate.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus. A short drive takes you to the iconic Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The most impressive structure that the British built in India, the Italian Gothic architecture and design is a delight to behold. It also happens to be one of the world’s busiest railway stations, making for quite a unique experience. Architecture and design lovers will want to spend some time here, including inside the massive and busy station.
Historic Walk. From here you will enjoy a walk, with stops every few minutes to admire historic attractions, while being surrounded by local residents going about their daily activities. The next 2 to 3 hours can be an experience where you will walk just under 2 miles, stopping frequently at a multitude of attractions, or you can ask to be driven for most, or all, of the stretch.
You will admire the historic Flora Fountain, and then, passing Horniman’s Circle and Mumbai Town Hall, you will stop to admire the fascinating architecture of Mumbai’s premier museum, designed in the Indo-Saracenic style and built in the early 20th Century. Those who are so inclined can tour the museum – it includes wonderful sections of archeology, natural history, and a lot more.
Leopold Café. We recommend an informal snack or lunch at the iconic Leopold Café, a charming and busy eatery that opened in 1871 and was one of the targets during the 2008 Mumbai terrorism attack. Many fine dining options are also available.
Dhobi Ghat. After lunch you will drive to Mumbai’s main Dhobi Ghat where you will observe the Dhobi’s doing Mumbai’s laundry by flogging the clothes on stone in the same manner that they have for more than a century. Over 100,000 pieces are laundered every day and hung to dry on seemingly unending clotheslines. Then they are all ironed and delivered to far reaching areas of Mumbai. The profession and small stone washing stations are passed on from generation to generation.
Marine Drive and Hanging Gardens. Continue your exploration by driving further on Marine Drive and go up Malabar Hill where the Hanging Gardens provide a panoramic view of the city and bay. Avoiding the infamous Mumbai rush hour traffic, you are driven back to your hotel in the mid-afternoon. Your guide and chauffeur are available to you for more explorations – we recommend that you remain near your hotel – it is the best part of Mumbai for visitors. Your gorgeous historic hotel’s extensive facilities are also well worth experiencing.