Feel The Old Lanes, Portuguese Style Bungalows In Mumbai

Explore Mumbai and some wonderful old villages near the city. The Koli village of Chimbai or the Art-Deco style house of Kotachiwadi is a delight to the visitors. Here is a brief description. Have you every thought of visiting the villages near Mumbai? Certainly not, but here you go. Mumbai besides offering the sight of heritage structures and the posh lifestyle, the city also beholds some alluring old villages. Wrapped in different historical tales and different cultural backgrounds, this multi-ethnic city houses some villages where you can spend some good time. Go, explore deep inside the old lanes and witness the real transformation. You can pick from hotels in Mumbai and plan a memorable stay near to any of these villages.

Hidden below express highways and squeezed between two suburbs the villages still survive. The old settlers will look at you with a strange eye but yes the lanes and paths are quite enchanting. Clubs, village square and the market places all offers a pinch of nostalgia to the visitors.

Start your journey from Kotachiwadi. Several colonies and townships survive in the heart of Mumbai with pride of retaining the essence of Bombay. Kotachiwadi is one of those heritage places. It is located in Girgaum in south Bombay. Mixed with Art-Deco and Portuguese style, the place was founded in the late 18th century. The wooden houses with large open balcony are a treat to the viewers. Some of the chawls of Kotachiwadi are nearly 150 years old and they are still vibrant with life. These Konkan-Portuguese style bungalows are many a times featured in Hindi movies and soaps. East Indians, Maharashtrian, Goans and Gujaratis together offers cosmopolitan feel to the area. If any place still retains the old Bombay then Kotachiwadi is. Mazagaon, in Marathi, means “my village”. It is situated in Bandra. Bombay Port Trust, Mazagaon Dock Ltd are located here. Mazagaon hills, Mazagon Fort and the some old churches are some prominent places. Portuguese do touched Mazagaon and left their marks. Later, the British occupied the place. Chimbai village is renowned for a good evening walk. A walk down the Chimbai road in Bandra is a walk to remember. Passing some cute vintage bungalows and walk along to reach the Chimbai beach. The Chimbai Koli village is also referred as the fishing village. The simplicity of the locals will surprise you. The Kolis are usually busy fishing. These residents of Chimbai are here for over 500 years. A lot of contrast with Bhandra in terms of language, culture, customs and even the pattern of the houses. However, Chimbai is slowly changing.

Winters are mild here and it is the ideal time explores these old galis. You will enjoy most of the time spending outdoors during this time of the year. The city is extremely well connected with different modes of transport. Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport is 30 km north of the city. Regular flights from all other cities are well-connected to Mumbai. Mumbai to Goa flights is also available. After reaching Mumbai, you can hire a cab, taxi or take a bus to your desired destinations.

Local transports are available throughout the day. Travelling around and moving to the suburbs is not a problem in Mumbai.

Author Bio: Anjali is a travel enthusiast currently associated with an online travel guide. She writes about hotels in Mumbai, also known as the financial capital of India. One can also check out Mumbai to Goa flights, as Goa is a popular weekend getaway from Mumbai.