History · Mumbai · India
8 historic sites to see in Mumbai
The places that tell the story of how the city came to be.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
Start with Gateway of India, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and Elephanta Caves. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 12–15 hours across 6 areas; 4 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 4
- Time to see them all
- 12–15 hours
- Areas
- Colaba, Fort and Kala Ghoda and Elephanta Island
Historic sites in Mumbai
Landmark · Colaba
1.Gateway of India
It faces the harbour beside the Taj Mahal Palace hotel, and ferries to Elephanta and Alibaug leave from the jetties below.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- History
- Photo spot
- After dark
Architecture · Fort and Kala Ghoda
2.Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus
It still handles enormous numbers of suburban and long-distance passengers every day.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Architecture
- History
- Free
- After dark
Historic site · Elephanta Island
3.Elephanta Caves
The highlight is the six-metre Trimurti, a three-headed carving in the main cave. The site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and reached by about 120 steps from the jetty.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- History
- Art
Museum · Fort and Kala Ghoda
4.Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya
Collections include Indus Valley artefacts, Buddhist and Hindu sculpture, Mughal and Rajput miniature paintings, and decorative arts.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Museum · Gamdevi
5.Mani Bhavan
Mahatma Gandhi's base in Bombay from 1917 to 1934, this house on Laburnum Road is now a museum with his preserved room, a library, photographs and dioramas of key moments in his life.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Historic site · Malabar Hill
6.Banganga Tank
It is one of Mumbai's oldest continuously used sacred sites and a quiet escape from the city.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Off the beaten path
- History
- Photo spot
Nature · Borivali
7.Sanjay Gandhi National Park and Kanheri Caves
Deep inside, the Kanheri Caves are more than 100 Buddhist rock-cut cells, halls and stupas carved between roughly the 1st century BCE and the 10th century CE.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- History
- Outdoors
- Active
Market · Fort and Kala Ghoda
8.Crawford Market
Stalls sell fruit, spices, dried fruit and household goods, and Badshah, founded in 1905, serves falooda across the road.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Food
- Shopping
- History
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Colaba | Gateway of India | 30 minutes |
| Fort and Kala Ghoda | Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya and Crawford Market | 45 minutes + 2–3 hours + 1 hour |
| Elephanta Island | Elephanta Caves | Half a day |
| Gamdevi | Mani Bhavan | 1 hour |
| Malabar Hill | Banganga Tank | 45 minutes |
| Borivali | Sanjay Gandhi National Park and Kanheri Caves | Half a day |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 4 free, 4 low cost. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is Elephanta Caves; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 4 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Colaba and Fort and Kala Ghoda): Gateway of India → Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus → Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Fort and Kala Ghoda and Elephanta Island): Crawford Market → Elephanta Caves, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Gamdevi and Malabar Hill): Mani Bhavan → Banganga Tank, at least 2 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Borivali): Sanjay Gandhi National Park and Kanheri Caves, at least 3 hours.
The quietest months for queues
- July: highs of 30°C (86°F), about 23 rainy days, very quiet crowds. The wettest month, with very heavy rain, waterlogged roads and occasional disruption to trains and flights; the Western Ghats turn green.
- April: highs of 33°C (91°F), about 0 rainy days, quiet crowds. Hot and very humid; quieter for tourism, and mango season brings Alphonso mangoes to the markets.
- May: highs of 34°C (93°F), about 1 rainy days, quiet crowds. The most humid and oppressive month before the monsoon; pre-monsoon showers may arrive late in the month.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Colaba — Gateway of India, the Taj Mahal Palace and the Causeway's street stalls
- Fort and Kala Ghoda — Victorian Gothic streets, galleries, museums and restaurants
More of Mumbai
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Mumbai?
Gateway of India. This 26-metre basalt arch on the Apollo Bunder waterfront was completed in 1924 to commemorate the 1911 landing of King George V and Queen Mary.
+Which of these are free in Mumbai?
Gateway of India, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Banganga Tank and Crawford Market.