Long Weekend Plans | 36 Hours in Mumbai: Daytime sightseeing for party goers this New Year’s Eve

Kala Ghoda arts district, south Mumbai. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Be it a romantic date, a rave with your friends or quiet, family time, the city of dreams doesn’t disappoint and has plenty to offer when it comes to New Year’s Eve celebrations. Options are galore, right from underground parties to club nights and customised dinners. Here’s what you can do over a long weekend this New Year’s Eve in Mumbai:

Friday, 30 December:

8 am-10 am

Madh Fort from Versova beach. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

You can start off with a walk at Versova Beach and then hit JamJar Diner for one of their breakfast platters. Try their pancakes, morning glory smoothie bowl, and eggs to order.

10 am-1 pm

National Gallery of Modern Art, Mumbai. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Take the train and hit Churchgate from where you can head to Kala Ghoda and take a walk around the art district to catch some exhibitions at Jehangir Art Gallery, National Gallery Of Modern Art, Chatterjee & Lal, Project 88 amongst others.

1 pm-3 pm

Take your pick from Carter’s Blue and Copper Chimney for your lunch. If you’re a non-vegetarian, the shawarma at Carter’s Blue isn’t to be missed for anything in the world. Similarly, with Copper Chimney, the non-vegetarian platter is worth it.

3 pm-5 pm

Leopold Cafe, Mumbai. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

You can grab a beer at Mondegar or Leopold’s Cafe with friends and family. These are some of the most historic spots in town and the vibe at both bars is incomparable. Mondegar has a jukebox, one of the few in the city, so fiddling around with it, making new friends based on your music taste is something that happens only here.

5 pm-8 pm

Regal Cinema, Mumbai. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Catch Avatar Part 2 at Metro Cinemas or Regal (which is right round the corner). Both are Art Deco cinema halls, and the experience of watching a movie on the single screen in Regal is again something unique to Mumbai.

8 pm onwards

This is when the city lights up! The evenings might be a bit crowded outdoors so make sure you pre-book and plan your transport well in advance. If you wish to party in south Mumbai itself then a few of your options would be 145 Kalaghoda, DIVE, The Irish House which are all in and around Kalaghoda and Colaba. A bit further away in Worli would be Matahari, Play The Lounge, and TAP.

Saturday, December 31

8 am-10 am

Gaylord, Mumbai. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Before the seaface gets crowded, head to Marine Drive to catch the sea view and breeze. You can catch breakfast at Gaylord, ideally with your beau, as it happens to be a romantic spot. Don’t forget to order their jasmine tea and bread platter.

10 am-1 pm

Asiatic Society of Mumbai library. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Explore a bit more of the town by heading to one of the libraries and bookstores such as the Asiatic Library or Kitab Khana. It will be of interest to you if you’re a bookworm for sure! If that doesn’t match your vibe, you can head for a game of snooker at the Parsi Gymkhana or the Bombay Billiards Club.

1 pm-3 pm

You can explore one of the popular Irani Cafes in South Mumbai. A few you can choose from are  Kyani & Co, Britannia & Co, Cafe Military, Cafe Universal and Sassanian & Co. The bun maskas, kheema paav are worth a try at any of these.

3 pm-5 pm

Shop for your New Year’s outfit at Palladium or Phoenix Malls in Lower Parel. After all, you sure want to look great and stand out!

5 pm-8 pm

Grab a quick beer at antiSOCIAL or Toit brewery in Mathuradas Mills Compound. Soak in the vibe of Mumbai’s rustic mill area while you’re at it.

8 pm onwards

The party begins! You can either book a romantic rooftop dinner at The Marina Upper Deck, The Dome Intercontinental, Versova Social, AER Worli or Asilo in Lower Parel. Besides that, there are plenty of New Year’s Eve parties at most pubs and bars which you can pre-book with your friends.

Sunday, January 1, 2023

8 am-10 am

Recover from your hangover by grabbing a refreshing cuppa tea or coffee at Taj Mahal Tea House in Bandra or the Birdsong Café.

10 am-1 pm

Carter road seaface, Mumbai. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Head to Carter Road seaface to catch some fresh air and take a walk on the stretch that might be empty on New Year’s Eve morning.

1 pm-3 pm

Grab a heartening lunch at Bastian, The Fatty Bao, Eat Around The Corner or Veranda.

3 pm-5 pm

David Sassoon Library, Mumbai. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Watch Mumbai from the rooftop by heading to the David Sassoon Library rooftop to take in the city.

Call it a day!