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Mumbai · History

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

Mumbai — Bombay until the official change of 1995 — was once a string of seven islands inhabited by Koli fishermen. The Portuguese took them in 1534, England received them in 1661 as part of Catherine of Braganza's dowry, and the East India Company turned them into a port. On this tour we walk from south to north through that story: the quay where the last British troops left, the heart of the old Fort, the square of the Maharashtra martyrs, the station where India's first passenger train set off, the great Victorian market and, finally, the temple of Mumba Devi. It is the longest of the three tours: set off early, carry water and always cross at the lights.

  • 6 stops
  • 4.7 km
  • 2 h 30 min
  • Free
Start with GPS Read about this stop 1
Gothic facade of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus with its great central dome

The route

Stop by stop

  1. 1 Gateway of IndiaAn arch by the sea that welcomed a king in 1911 and saw off the last British troops in 1948.
  2. 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. 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. 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. 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. 6 Mumba Devi TempleThe goddess of the Koli fishermen, who gave Mumbai its name, in the heart of the jewellers' quarter.

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Start with GPS

Guide mode

Walk it with GPS.

Open guide mode on your phone: you’ll see your position and the distance to each stop, and we’ll let you know when you arrive. Then read or listen.

Start with GPS

  1. Turn on your location

  2. Walk to the spot

  3. Check the photo and listen

What you’ll discover

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

A dowry that changed history

How a handful of fishing islands passed from Portugal to England through a royal wedding and became the gateway to India.

From fort to railway

The city of cotton and the stock exchange, the fountain where a gate in the walls once stood, and the station that grew from 1853 to 1888.

The name of the city

We finish before Mumba Devi, the goddess worshipped by the Kolis, who gave Mumbai its name.

Keep exploring

More routes in Mumbai

Back to Mumbai
Mysteries & legendsDesperate architects, a missing horse and a tower that told the time to a blind woman MixedSouth Mumbai highlights: from the Gateway of India to Oval Maidan

Itineraries

How many days do you have in Mumbai?

We’ve planned it day by day for you: which routes to walk and in what order, what else to see and where to eat.

1

Mumbai in 1 day

All three routes in one full day: the highlights, the history and the legends at dusk.

See the itinerary 2

Mumbai in 2 days

A gentler pace: the three routes over two days, plus extra sights and where to eat.

See the itinerary 3

Mumbai in 3 days

The city in depth: one route a day, extra museums and neighbourhoods, and a day for good food.

See the itinerary