Romantic hangouts in Mumbai
Apart from Mumbai’s hustle-bustle, the city promises a heartwarming experience with its innumerable vintage cafes, monuments, bazaars and landmark places. Many tourists come here to make it their permanent destination. The city thrives on the pulse of its inhabitants and the warmth of many cultures cohabitating in harmony for centuries. Mumbai is also the most romantic of the destinations in the country. It is a land of dreams. Bollywood weaves the magical dreams in cinema but Mumbai gives it shape in real-life. Mumbai, as you know it today, was not a single stretch of land . It was made by joining 7 islands and reclaiming the rest of the land to give it a peninsula shape. The city boasts of a rich legacy from the British era. Monuments, buildings, old bungalows and other architecture reflect the glory it experienced in the past.
Colaba:
Let us start with Colaba. It has an old world charm. Colaba was known as Candil during 16th century under Portuguese rule and Colio under British rule. Colaba has a list of places which scream history, beauty and elegance. Be it the Gateway of India or the lavish Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. You will find a trace back in the history. Taj Mahal Palace has marvelous architecture and houses restaurants catering to world palate. It is near to the harbor line where Gateway of India stands firm since ages. You can see yachts, boats and jetties speeding through the rough waters or tied at the shoreline. Around Taj Mahal Palace, you will also find deco style Regal Theatre and old cafes (Mondegar, Royal and Leopold). You can order sumptuous English breakfast at Café Mondegar and spend hours discussing the city and its beauty. Or you can go to nearby Ballard Estate and order for mouth-watering authentic Parsi (Persian) food at Café Brittania. Their Sali Boti and Berry Pulao are to die for. You can also visit the Causeway market for a good bargain in artificial jewelry, perfumes and cotton garments. Need I mention any more gifting ideas other than diamonds? A walk through the streets near Asiatic Society of Mumbai will make you feel as if you are in Europe. Antiquated roofs, old-style huge bungalows, are all strewn across this area. Hold her hand and walk around, or take a bicycle trip around the place. You can also take a ride on a horse-driven carriage and enjoy togetherness in a vintage style.
Marine Drive:
Marine Drive is also known as Queen’s necklace because of the lights which appear like string of beads from an elevated position at night. (You can gift her diamond necklace and make her feel like a queen). You will find romance in every step of this place. The entire stretch of marine drive has art deco style buildings similar to Miami Beach. Sunset looks stunning from this end of the city. Couples and other people throng the place during weekends and late evenings. Even at 12 am, the place is as lively as it can be. You can feel the ocean water break against the boulders kept alongside the wall. Listen to the sound of waves and sit by the promenade. Take a stroll along the promenade which hosts posh 5 star hotels at one end and Girgaun chowpatty on the other. Chowpatty, might be a bit crowded but here you can try the authentic Pav Bhaji (bread and savoury minced vegetable), chaats, and other local delicacies. The National School of Performing Arts also hosts plays and cultural programs by eminent artists. You can invest your time in the cultural bonanza as well. For quick bites and drinks you can try Pizza By the Bay a restro-bar which is right on the promenade and if you want to enjoy a quiet romantic candle light dinner then go to Dome Intercontinental, an open air restro-bar where you can feel complete bliss with fresh sea-side air, sound of splashing waves and delicious food. You can also visit ‘Pearl of the Orient – Hotel Ambassador’, a revolving restaurant, which is located in the vicinity and feel your love glow with excitement.
Bandra:
Bandra houses whos who like movie stars Shahrukh Khan and Salman Khan. Not only that, it has several places to explore by both young and old. While going to Bandra from Western Express highway, you will find a stretch towards Bandra-Worli sealink. It is a beautiful spot as you can witness the Mumbai skyline seamlessly with little boats speckled across the water body. The sealink itself looks very beautiful especially during the sunset and the area is a popular stop-by for people who want to spend some quiet time with their loved ones. Bandra also has the Taj-Lands End, another location where you can get a beautiful view of the seaside. It is located at Band-stand. Band-stand has several coffee shops and fast-food joints and the promenade is always brimming with young lovers and couples. Bandra is the heart of the city. It is full of coffee shops, restaurants and hangout joints. You will find restaurants which cater to different tastes and pockets. It also houses, clubs, hookah-bars and discotheques and is popular among the young. Not only that, Bandra has several vintage properties, churches, schools, colleges and monuments which tell a tale about its forgotten splendor. You can find a bargain for shoes, purse, bags, artificial jewelry, etc. on Linking road and Hill road. Again, a great place to impress the love of your life.
Juhu:
Juhu chowpatty has much more vigor than Girgaun chowpatty. It is bustling with crowd even on weekdays. You may not find a quiet place to relax with your love interest but you can indulge in a lot of activities together. You can take part in some horse riding, para-sailing, water-scooter riding or simply sit by the side of the Arabian Sea and savor street food like Pani Puri, Vada Pav, Gola, etc. It also has many 5 star hotels and excellent restaurants. Bollywood celebrities and many famous people call Juhu, their home as its busy-yet-peaceful surroundings make it a great place to live. Amitabh Bachchan, Hritik Roshan, Vidya Balan, Aishwarya Rai, Rani Mukherjee among many others, reside in this part of the city. It is also home to a significant portion of Mumbai's business elite. Hence, Juhu is referred to as 'The Beverly Hills of Bollywood'. You can also go around the East Indian colonies or villages within this area to experience a mini Goa. Old style Portuguese construction, palm trees, Mother Mary and Christ podiums in the porch, and other hints to their ancestral connection with Portuguese and British era, is very evident.
Mumbai has an endless list of romantic and interesting places to explore. Go and visit these places with your sweetheart and we can assure you that you will fall in love all over again.
Parimita Chakravorty
Apart from Mumbai’s hustle-bustle, the city promises a heartwarming experience with its innumerable vintage cafes, monuments, bazaars and landmark places. Many tourists come here to make it their permanent destination. The city thrives on the pulse of its inhabitants and the warmth of many cultures cohabitating in harmony for centuries. Mumbai is also the most romantic of the destinations in the country. It is a land of dreams. Bollywood weaves the magical dreams in cinema but Mumbai gives it shape in real-life. Mumbai, as you know it today, was not a single stretch of land . It was made by joining 7 islands and reclaiming the rest of the land to give it a peninsula shape. The city boasts of a rich legacy from the British era. Monuments, buildings, old bungalows and other architecture reflect the glory it experienced in the past.
Colaba:
Let us start with Colaba. It has an old world charm. Colaba was known as Candil during 16th century under Portuguese rule and Colio under British rule. Colaba has a list of places which scream history, beauty and elegance. Be it the Gateway of India or the lavish Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. You will find a trace back in the history. Taj Mahal Palace has marvelous architecture and houses restaurants catering to world palate. It is near to the harbor line where Gateway of India stands firm since ages. You can see yachts, boats and jetties speeding through the rough waters or tied at the shoreline. Around Taj Mahal Palace, you will also find deco style Regal Theatre and old cafes (Mondegar, Royal and Leopold). You can order sumptuous English breakfast at Café Mondegar and spend hours discussing the city and its beauty. Or you can go to nearby Ballard Estate and order for mouth-watering authentic Parsi (Persian) food at Café Brittania. Their Sali Boti and Berry Pulao are to die for. You can also visit the Causeway market for a good bargain in artificial jewelry, perfumes and cotton garments. Need I mention any more gifting ideas other than diamonds? A walk through the streets near Asiatic Society of Mumbai will make you feel as if you are in Europe. Antiquated roofs, old-style huge bungalows, are all strewn across this area. Hold her hand and walk around, or take a bicycle trip around the place. You can also take a ride on a horse-driven carriage and enjoy togetherness in a vintage style.
Marine Drive:
Marine Drive is also known as Queen’s necklace because of the lights which appear like string of beads from an elevated position at night. (You can gift her diamond necklace and make her feel like a queen). You will find romance in every step of this place. The entire stretch of marine drive has art deco style buildings similar to Miami Beach. Sunset looks stunning from this end of the city. Couples and other people throng the place during weekends and late evenings. Even at 12 am, the place is as lively as it can be. You can feel the ocean water break against the boulders kept alongside the wall. Listen to the sound of waves and sit by the promenade. Take a stroll along the promenade which hosts posh 5 star hotels at one end and Girgaun chowpatty on the other. Chowpatty, might be a bit crowded but here you can try the authentic Pav Bhaji (bread and savoury minced vegetable), chaats, and other local delicacies. The National School of Performing Arts also hosts plays and cultural programs by eminent artists. You can invest your time in the cultural bonanza as well. For quick bites and drinks you can try Pizza By the Bay a restro-bar which is right on the promenade and if you want to enjoy a quiet romantic candle light dinner then go to Dome Intercontinental, an open air restro-bar where you can feel complete bliss with fresh sea-side air, sound of splashing waves and delicious food. You can also visit ‘Pearl of the Orient – Hotel Ambassador’, a revolving restaurant, which is located in the vicinity and feel your love glow with excitement.
Bandra:
Bandra houses whos who like movie stars Shahrukh Khan and Salman Khan. Not only that, it has several places to explore by both young and old. While going to Bandra from Western Express highway, you will find a stretch towards Bandra-Worli sealink. It is a beautiful spot as you can witness the Mumbai skyline seamlessly with little boats speckled across the water body. The sealink itself looks very beautiful especially during the sunset and the area is a popular stop-by for people who want to spend some quiet time with their loved ones. Bandra also has the Taj-Lands End, another location where you can get a beautiful view of the seaside. It is located at Band-stand. Band-stand has several coffee shops and fast-food joints and the promenade is always brimming with young lovers and couples. Bandra is the heart of the city. It is full of coffee shops, restaurants and hangout joints. You will find restaurants which cater to different tastes and pockets. It also houses, clubs, hookah-bars and discotheques and is popular among the young. Not only that, Bandra has several vintage properties, churches, schools, colleges and monuments which tell a tale about its forgotten splendor. You can find a bargain for shoes, purse, bags, artificial jewelry, etc. on Linking road and Hill road. Again, a great place to impress the love of your life.
Juhu:
Juhu chowpatty has much more vigor than Girgaun chowpatty. It is bustling with crowd even on weekdays. You may not find a quiet place to relax with your love interest but you can indulge in a lot of activities together. You can take part in some horse riding, para-sailing, water-scooter riding or simply sit by the side of the Arabian Sea and savor street food like Pani Puri, Vada Pav, Gola, etc. It also has many 5 star hotels and excellent restaurants. Bollywood celebrities and many famous people call Juhu, their home as its busy-yet-peaceful surroundings make it a great place to live. Amitabh Bachchan, Hritik Roshan, Vidya Balan, Aishwarya Rai, Rani Mukherjee among many others, reside in this part of the city. It is also home to a significant portion of Mumbai's business elite. Hence, Juhu is referred to as 'The Beverly Hills of Bollywood'. You can also go around the East Indian colonies or villages within this area to experience a mini Goa. Old style Portuguese construction, palm trees, Mother Mary and Christ podiums in the porch, and other hints to their ancestral connection with Portuguese and British era, is very evident.
Mumbai has an endless list of romantic and interesting places to explore. Go and visit these places with your sweetheart and we can assure you that you will fall in love all over again.
Parimita Chakravorty
No comments:
Post a Comment