Weekend Getaways from Mumbai
- Lonavala, Khandala, Karla and Bhaja Caves
Popular hill stations in the Western Ghats of Maharashtra that were made famous by the Aamir Khan-Rani Mukherjee starrer Ghulam that had the super-hit Bombay street-lingo song, "Aati kya Khandala" (Are you coming to Khandala?). The hill stations of Lonavla and Khandala about a 2-hour drive (110-km) from Mumbai are best to visit during the monsoons to enjoy the ride on the 6-lane expressway with greenery, mountains, and waterfalls for company. Even this time of the year, the onset of winter, is a nice time to visit Lonavla, Khandala, Bhushi Dam (a 25-minute drive) from Lonavla, and Karla Caves (10-km from Lonavla).
- Panchgani, Mahabaleshwar, and Pratapgad fort
The hill stations of Panchgani (266-km from Mumbai) and Mahabaleshwar (20-km from Panchgani) offer an ideal getaway for a couple of days with opportunities for sight-seeing and shopping. If you go to Panchgani and Mahabaleshwar don't forget to taste Strawberry and Mulberry jam and related food products that are available in most shops. Pratapgad, 25-km from Mahabaleshwar, offers a picturesque view of the countryside. Be enthusiastic and fresh to climb the 400 odd steps to enjoy the view from atop Pratapgad fort.
- Pune
Pune is about a three-and-a-half to four-hour hour drive from Mumbai (190-km) on the 6-lane Mumbai-Pune expressway. Pune is an ideal weekend retreat for Mumbaikars (Bombayites) that are looking to eat, party, and enjoy the restaurants, multiplexes, shopping malls, and popular hangouts of Pune.
If you're in Pune don't forget to spend a Saturday evening taking a walk on M.G. Road, which is now a 'Walking Plaza' from 4pm to 10pm on weekdays without any vehicular traffic. Also visit the various eating joints on F.C. Road.
~ Places to visit at M.G. Road in Pune
# Marz-o-rin for chutney sandwiches and chocolate shakes
# Kayani bakery for special Kayani bread, Shrewsberry biscuits, and Mawa cakes
# Barista coffee shop at the beginning of M.G.Road, opposite Hotel Aurora Towers
# The paanipuriwala near Hanuman Temple on Centre Street, a 5-minute walk from M.G. Road
# WestEnd theatre for a movie with friends, although its charm has dwindled with Inox multiplex a couple of kms. from M.G. Road.
# Hotel Ramakrishna and Coffee House for pure vegetarian food on Moledina Road near M.G. Road
# If you're interested in reading, then the pavement book-seller near Coffee Shop. Lots of good bargains to get from there.
# Kakde Mall, a new shopping mall, opposite Coffee House on Moledina Road, a 5-minute walk from M.G. Road.
# Leather lounge on Main Street (that's another name for M.G. Road)
# Aqua lounge at Hotel Aurora Towers
# The Place, near WestEnd theatre, for sizzlers
# Thousand Oaks for a pitcher or two on East Street
~ Places to visit at Koregaon Park, Pune
# The numerous restaurants that offer a variety of cuisine from Punjabi, Mughlai, Hyderabadi, Gujarati, and fast food to Chinese and Mexican. There's Gold Adlabs multiplex a kilometre from Koregaon Park with Kalyani restaurant opposite Gold Adlabs for pure vegetarian food.
# Osho Ashram and Nalla Park
~ Places to visit at Fergusson College Road (F.C. Road, Pune)
# The numerous South Indian restaurants on F.C. Road. Roopali, Vaishali, Deepali, Amrapali, Lalit Mahal.
# The Punjabi eating joints Chaitanya, Manmeet's Chaat, and Horn OK Please
# Wadeshwar for an evening out with friends
# Barista coffee shop on F.C. Road
# Corn Club near Agriculture College Signal for a variety of American Corn dishes
# Hotel Shravan opposite Police Grounds for a family dinner
# F.C. Road is a nice place to hang out with friends
~ Places to visit at Dhole Patil Road in Pune
# It's a student hang out with lots of options for eating
# Chaitanya's Punjabi food
# Madhuban restaurant
# Bombay Brasserie and Mainland China for those looking for good food at any price. These are among the costliest eating places in Pune.
# If you go to Dhole Patil Road in the afternoons then you may try the Buffet Lunch at Hotel Sun-n-Sand on Bund Garden Road, which is a kilometre from Dhole Patil Road.
- Nasik and Vineyards near Nasik
Get a spectacular view of the vineyards and the lakes and hills surrounding the vineyards near Nasik. Visit Trimbakeshwar Jyotirling located at a distance of 30-km from Nasik. Visit Saputara hill station in Gujarat. It is located at a distance of 80-km from Nasik, which is the nearest railway station to reach it. Mumbai to Saputara in Gujarat is a 185-km drive.
- Surat
If you're looking for a weekend to gorge then Surat—the city of textiles, diamonds, and food (6 hours by train from Bombay Central) is the place to be in. Enjoy Surti specialities like Undhiyu, Locho, Raswala Khaman, Ghari, Fafda, Jalebi, and Handvoh. Try the Gujarati Thali for Rs. 85/- at Hotel Kansar near R.T.O. Ring Road in Surat, Gujarat.
- Goa
A visit to India is incomplete without feeling the beauty and old world charm of Goa. Enjoy evenings on popular beaches like Calangute, Anjuna, and Aguada. Spare time to eat authentic Goan cuisine in Panjim, then dance and party the night away. Goa is 580-km from Mumbai by road. Search for flights from Mumbai to Goa on Mobissimo India.
Photographs of Sightseeing in Goa. Follow links below to see pictures and wallpapers of popular tourist spots in Goa.
- Photographs of fabulous views from Pilot Point near Mormugao Port in Vasco, Goa.
- Views from Dona Paula near Panaji in Goa.
- Photos taken atop Chapora Fort near Vagator Beach in Goa.
- Beautiful views of Mandovi river and Lighthouse at Aguada Fort near Panaji in Goa.
- Photos of an evening boat cruise on Mandovi river in Panaji (Panjim), Goa.
- Photographs of sunset boat cruise on Mandovi river in Panaji, Goa.
- Sunset views at Colva Beach in South Goa.
- Colours of the morning sky at Colva Beach, near Madgaon (6-km), in South Goa.
- Evening photos of Benaulim Beach near Colva in South Goa.
- Ships at Mormugao Port near Vasco-da-Gama in Goa.
- Views from Sinquerim Beach near Aguada Fort in Goa.
- Views of the rocky Anjuna Beach in Goa.
- Download wallpapers of palm trees and rocky cliffs at Vagator Beach near Panaji in Goa.
- Ancestral Goa: Photo of Portuguese House at Loutolim near Madgaon in South Goa.
Related Reading and Maps:
- Tips on getting variety in travel photographs.
- View photographs and articles of Goa.
- Read a list of airport codes of India to search and compare airfares to book flights to various destinations with Mobissimo India.
- See street level road maps of Indian cities on Google Maps.
- Street level road map of Panaji (Panjim), capital of Goa.
- Matheran
Matheran is a popular hill station near Mumbai. Alight at Neral railway station on the Mumbai-Pune railway route and take the 2-hour toy train journey from Neral to Matheran. Matheran is an unspoilt place as vehicles are not allowed on the hill station. The adventurous types may trek from Neral to Matheran. Either walk to visit tourist spots or use horses, which are the preferred means travelling in Matheran.
- Ganapatipule
Ideal for a 3-day holiday. About 380-km from Mumbai by road. Enjoy a quiet, peaceful vacation among the beaches of Ganpatipule in Ratnagiri district of Konkan in south-west Maharashtra. You may find time to try Malvani cuisine and visit the forts and religious places close by.
- Alibaug
A 3-hour drive from Mumbai. Spend a quiet weekend nestled among the fort, beach, and hills of Alibaug in Konkan.
- Shirdi
Shirdi, synonymous with Shirdi ke Sai Baba, is a pilgrimage center and one of India's most popular religious places. It is located off Pune-Nasik highway, about 275-km by road from Mumbai. Devotees throng Shirdi on all weekdays, but Thursdays are the most crowded.
