Formerly known as Bombay, Mumbai is the largest city in India. In the greater metropolitan there are nearly 22 million people living. This makes Mumbai the world’s second most populous city after Shanghai. Geographically Mumbai is located over seven islands on the west coast of India.
Mumbai, what a town!
Control of the Mumbai area has changed hands many times over the centuries. It formed part of various Indian empires before being acquired by the Portuguese in 1534. In 1688 the islands were leased by the British East India Company for an annual cost of ten pounds. The city soon grew dramatically in size and became the base of the British East India companies operations.
Culturally Mumbai has a lot to offer. The home of India’s film industry, the city is also the playground of the rich and famous. There is of course the infrastructure to match, with fantastic luxury hotels that are renowned in their own right.
A city of contrasts, Mumbai has upscale neighbourhoods with rents and land prices higher even than Manhattan, situated just yards from what are some of the largest slums in Asia. Slums are the beating heart of the Mumbai way of life, with over 60% of its residents living, working and dying in these vibrant shanty-town districts.
Mumbai is an enthusiastic sport watching city. Cricket is of course the most popular game. The spiritual home of Indian cricket the city has representatives in both the IPL and the ICL.Travel is at its best when you can watch a test match, and if you are lucky enough to find tickets you could be watching first class international cricket and one of two world class stadiums. The main stadium for these matches is the Wankhede stadium.
Useful links:
Latest travel advice from the Foreign Office
Flights to Mumbai
Indian visas
