The Taj Mahal Palace hotel, its modern tower and the Gateway of India seen from the sea
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Mumbai in 2 days

  • 2 days
  • 8.8 km on foot
  • 17 stops
  • Audio guide

With two days, Mumbai stops being a sprint and starts to show what it really is: a city of many layers. Day one mixes the colonial south with the Dhobi Ghat laundry and the Haji Ali mosque out on the sea; day two follows the thread of history to Gandhi's house and the Banganga Tank. A steady pace, with time for an unhurried lunch.

Day 1Postcards, tides and sunset

Start early with the South Mumbai highlights route, from the Gateway of India to Oval Maidan by way of Leopold Cafe and the Regal Cinema. Have berry pulao at Britannia, then, in the afternoon heat, take a taxi up to Mahalaxmi, where Dhobi Ghat and Haji Ali are close together. Head back south for the mystery route, which starts at the Taj and finishes on Marine Drive as the sun goes down. For dinner, pav bhaji at the Girgaum Chowpatty stalls at the far end of the promenade.

  1. Morning

    South Mumbai highlights: from the Gateway of India to Oval Maidan

    Mixed · 1.8 km · 1 h 45 min

    1. Gateway of IndiaMumbai's emblem: a basalt arch facing the sea, with the Taj on one side and the Elephanta launches on the other.
    2. Leopold Cafe and Colaba CausewayA café opened by Zoroastrian Iranians in 1871, on Colaba's liveliest street.
    3. Regal Circle and the Regal CinemaA roundabout with a Victorian fountain and the first great Art Deco cinema in the city of cinema.
    4. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (Prince of Wales Museum)An Indo-Saracenic palace with a white dome, built to honour a prince and used as a war hospital before it became a museum.
    5. Keneseth Eliyahoo SynagogueThe blue synagogue of the Baghdadi Jews, a witness to Mumbai's many faiths.
    6. Oval MaidanA great cricket ground between Victorian Gothic and Art Deco, a World Heritage Site.

    Start the audio guide See the route

  2. Lunch

    Try Berry pulao and kheema pav at the Irani cafés at Britannia & Co.. Wakefield House, 11 Sprott Road, Ballard Estate, Bombay

  3. Afternoon

    Dhobi Ghat

    Mumbai's huge open-air laundry, dating from 1890: hundreds of stone wash pens where the dhobis scrub, beat and hang out the washing of half the city. The best view is from the bridge by Mahalaxmi station; look with respect and don't wander in without someone local.

    Directions

    Haji Ali Dargah

    A white 15th-century mosque and tomb dedicated to the Sufi saint Pir Haji Ali Shah Bukhari, on an islet joined to the shore by a causeway that disappears at high tide. Check the tide tables, dress modestly and go in mid-afternoon.

    Directions

  4. Early evening

    Desperate architects, a missing horse and a tower that told the time to a blind woman

    Mysteries & legends · 2.3 km · 2 h

    1. Taj Mahal Palace HotelA hotel that, legend says, was built back to front and born of a racist snub. Historians doubt both stories.
    2. Kala Ghoda, the black horseA district called 'black horse' for half a century without a horse, next to an iron hotel that hosted India's first film show.
    3. Rajabai Clock TowerA tower modelled on Big Ben, named after a mother who, tradition says, ate her supper by the sound of its bells.
    4. Bombay High CourtA palace of justice where Tilak was tried and where, it is said, the stonemasons carved a monkey holding the scales.
    5. Marine Drive, the Queen's NecklaceA three-kilometre promenade on land taken from the sea, which turns into a necklace of lights at night.

    Start the audio guide See the route

  5. Dinner

    Try Pav bhaji at Sardar Refreshments (Sardar Pav Bhaji). Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya Marg, junto a la cochera de autobuses de Tardeo, Bombay

Day 2From the station to Gandhi's house

Today is the history route, the longest, so set off early: from the Gateway of India to Horniman Circle, Flora Fountain and CSMT station, then on to the great Crawford Market and the Mumba Devi Temple. For lunch, vada pav at Aaram, opposite the station, the city's favourite snack. In the afternoon, a short taxi ride to Mani Bhavan, Gandhi's house, then up to Malabar Hill and down to Banganga. Reach the top of the hill before dark and you'll watch Marine Drive light up.

  1. Morning

    From seven islands to megacity: Mumbai of the port, cotton and freedom

    History · 4.7 km · 2 h 30 min

    1. Gateway of IndiaAn arch by the sea that welcomed a king in 1911 and saw off the last British troops in 1948.
    2. Horniman Circle and the Town HallThe old heart of the British Fort, where cotton brokers traded under the trees before there was a stock exchange.
    3. Flora Fountain and Hutatma ChowkA Roman goddess where a gate in the city walls once stood, and a square dedicated to the martyrs of Maharashtra.
    4. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (Victoria Terminus)The Gothic cathedral of the railways, built where India's first passenger train set off in 1853.
    5. Crawford Market (Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Mandai)A Victorian market with reliefs by Rudyard Kipling's father, where Mumbai still shops for fruit, spices and everything else.
    6. Mumba Devi TempleThe goddess of the Koli fishermen, who gave Mumbai its name, in the heart of the jewellers' quarter.

    Start the audio guide See the route

  2. Lunch

    Try Vada pav at Aaram Vada Pav. Capital Cinema Building, frente a la estación CSMT, Bombay

  3. Afternoon

    Mani Bhavan, Gandhi's house

    The house where Gandhi stayed in Mumbai between 1917 and 1934, now a small museum with his room, photographs, letters and dioramas of his life. It sits on a quiet street in Gamdevi, a short taxi ride from the Mumba Devi Temple. Check opening times.

    Directions

    Banganga Tank and Malabar Hill

    A sacred tank ringed by stone steps, temples and old houses on Malabar Hill, rebuilt in the 18th century; tradition says it sprang from an arrow fired by Rama. It's an unexpected pocket of calm. Afterwards, head up to the hilltop gardens for the curve of Marine Drive.

    Directions

The map

Mumbai in 2 days, on the map

Each route’s stops are numbered in order; the stars are the extra sights.

Mixed Mysteries & legends History Extra sight

Loading the map…

Before you go

Tips for Mumbai in 2 days

  • Plan each day by area: the south (Colaba and Fort) is walkable, but Mahalaxmi and Malabar Hill are about 20 minutes away by taxi. The black-and-yellow cabs run on the meter, and ride-hailing apps work well.
  • For the Haji Ali causeway, check the tide tables: it's under water at high tide. Cover your shoulders and legs for the dargah and for Mumba Devi, and wear shoes that are easy to slip off.
  • In the depths of the monsoon, from June to September, leave some slack: downpours are heavy and traffic grinds to a halt. If it's pouring, the highlights route pairs well with a visit inside the CSMVS museum.

Questions

Mumbai in 2 days: your questions

What to see in Mumbai in 2 days?

Free Tours Free's three routes in the south (highlights, history and mysteries), plus Dhobi Ghat and Haji Ali on day one, and Mani Bhavan, Banganga and Malabar Hill on day two. It's a good mix of colonial architecture, neighbourhood life and sacred places.

Is there time for the Elephanta Caves?

Yes, if you swap the afternoon of day one: the ferry leaves from beside the Gateway, takes about an hour, and the visit needs half a day. You'll be back just in time for the mystery route, which starts at the Taj. Remember the caves usually close on Mondays.

How far will I walk in two days?

About 8.8 km across the three routes: 4.1 on day one (highlights and mystery) and 4.7 on day two (history), plus the walking around the extras. It's a comfortable pace if you start early, rest at midday and take taxis for the longer hops.

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