Fondly known as the city of dreams and as a city that never sleeps, Mumbai is the place where love is always in the air! Every year the city amps up to celebrate the festival of love, Valentine’s Day in unique ways that never fail to set trends! From serene beach walks, candlelight dinners at a fancy restaurant, helicopter rides, movie nights, cruise dinners, excursion tours to the outskirts of the city, to the theme-based restaurants/parties, Mumbai has a lot to make your valentine fall in love with you all over again!
V-Day celebrations always manage to paint the city red! The festivities in Mumbai are a notch higher, in comparison to the other Indian cities. People plan their V-Day dates well in advance and take this occasion as an opportunity to express their love and gratitude towards their partners, family, and friends.
Valentine's Day 2023 Celebrations
Every year February 14 is celebrated as Valentine’s Day all across the globe and the day is preceded by a Valentine's week celebration wherein each day has a dedicated theme. Following days are celebrated before February 14.
· February 7 – Rose Day
· February 8 – Propose Day
· February 9 – Chocolate Day
· February 10 – Teddy Day
· February 11 – Promise Day
· February 12 – Hug Day
· February 13 - Kiss Day
History Of Valentine’s Day
The history of Valentine’s Day finds its mention in Roman traditions and Christian culture. The Christian version of the story begins in the 5th century, when Pope Gelasius declared February 14 as Saint Valentine’s Day, since then it has been celebrated in many countries. According to historians and popular folk stories, the day commemorates the death anniversary of Saint Valentine, who performed marriages for couples at the time when they were banned by the then Emperor Claudius II.
According to Roman traditions, the festival had always been around from time immemorial but was celebrated with a different name Lupercalia. Historians claim that the Lupercalia festival celebrated fertility. An interesting fact that is cited along this story is that during this festival men and women used to pick their partners from the jars with folded piece of papers wherein the names of the bachelors and bachelorette were written.
History of Valentine’s Day in India
In India, people started celebrating this day after the advent of economic liberalization in the 1990s. During this time, India opened its doors for private players in many spheres of life and business. As a result of it, foreign TV channels, dating culture, café’s and card/gift shops came to India and became popular in a very short time. People admired and later adopted the foreign ways of expressing love to their dear ones through cards, gifts, and special days.
After liberalization, Valentine’s Day got very popular and the youth started celebrating it in many parts of the country, but it was not a rosy picture entirely. Numerous political, religious, and social groups opposed Valentine’s Day celebrations and termed it as western influence and unacceptable. Valentine’s Day witnessed violent protests across the country, predominantly in Mumbai, which were led by influential political leaders. Gradually, the violent protests ended and love triumphed!
Even today, many groups share their dissent towards Valentine’s Day but in a peaceful manner through social media posts or in debates at various public platforms. However, there is a large section of Indian society for which this day is an occasion to celebrate love, and friendship not just with their love interest but friends and family as well!
Major Attractions Of Valentine’s Day Celebrations
1. Restaurants
The cafés and restaurants on this day gear up with heavenly lighting, dreamy ambience, and a special menu with an appetizing presentation to treat the love birds. Besides the culinary delights and ambience, people are also pampered with special customized dining sections under the twinkling stars or with the view of the city/ocean that will certainly make you skip a beat in delight!
2. Beaches
Those who like to spend the day away from the hustle-bustle of the city with their partner must head to the beaches of Mumbai. The melodious gushing sound of water, the cold breeze, and mystical sunset make a surreal ambience by the shore to take a walk or have a quiet meal. Aksa Beach, Versova Beach, Juhu Beach, Girgaum Chowpatty Beach, and Gorai Beach are some great options for you to end the day with a long walk, hand in hand!
3. Adventures
If flowers, chocolates, and dinners are a thing of the past for you then you can add an adventurous twist to Valentine’s Day Date with some fun activities. You may go ice skating, helicopter rides, paragliding, hot air balloon safari, or sailing to make this day special for your bae!
4. Excursions
You can go on a mini Valentine vacation to the mesmerizing outskirts of Mumbai that are adorned with lush meadows, magnificent mountains, valleys, breathtaking landscapes, lakes, streams, and much more. Lonavala, Khandala, Mahabaleshwar, Panchgani, Alibaug, Kamshet, and Karjat, are some spectacular places that you can explore and enjoy over a weekend.
How To Reach Mumbai For Valentine’s Day Celebrations
The financial capital of India, the city of dreams, and home to Bollywood celebrities, Mumbai is easy to reach from every part of the country from various modes of transportation such as roadways, railways, and airways. Scroll down to know about some of the fastest routes and transportation modes to reach Mumbai.
- Nearest Airport. Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport
- Nearest Railbase. Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST), Mumbai Central Railway Station (MMCT), and Dadar Railway Station (DR)
By Air
Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport is the primary airport that serves the people of the city and receives regular domestic and international flights. If budget is not a constraint then you may consider travelling by air as it saves you a lot of time and offers an extremely comfortable journey. From the airport, one may take a taxi, bus, or an auto to reach the desired destination in Mumbai.
- Distance From Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. 7.7 Km
By Train
Train journeys are one of the most comfortable and economically sound options to consider. Some of the popular railway stations of Mumbai are Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST), Mumbai Central Railway Station (MMCT), and Dadar Railway Station (DR). Consider the following trains to reach Mumbai:
- Distance from Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus. 21 Km
- Distance from Mumbai Central Railway Station. 17.6 Km
- Distance From Dadar Railway Station. 10.4 Km
By Road
If you are planning a road trip to Mumbai from nearby cities then the following information will help you plan your itinerary. You may also consider travelling by interstate tourist buses that run on a regular basis from nearby cities and adjoining states.
- Distance From Pune. 148 km via Bengaluru Mumbai Highway
- Distance From Nashik. 166 km via NH 160
- Distance From Surat. 289 km via NH 48
- Distance From Hyderabad. 708 km via Pune Solapur Road
- Distance From Goa. 596 km via AH 47
- Distance From Indore. 584 km via Mumbai Agra Highway
- Distance From Delhi. 1400 Km
- Distance From Kolkata. 2100 Km
- Distance From Bengaluru. 980 Km
Frequently Asked Questions About Valentine’s Day in Mumbai
Ques 1. When did Valentine’s Day start to be celebrated?
Ans 1. The history of Valentine’s Day finds its mention in Roman traditions and Christian culture. The Christian version of the story begins in the 5th century, when Pope Gelasius declared February 14 as Saint Valentine’s Day, since then it has been celebrated in many countries.
Ques 2. How is Valentine’s Day celebrated in Mumbai?
Ans 2. People plan their V-Day dates well in advance in Mumbai and take this occasion as an opportunity to express their love and gratitude towards their partners, family, and friends. Candle-lit dinners, excursion tours, a walk on the beach, movie nights, etc., are just a few ways this day is celebrated by Mumbaikars.
You can plan your trip and create your own route to the city with Adotrip’s technically driven circuit planner. Click here
