Dan Cruickshank's Mumbai - Telegraph It has to be the bar at the Taj Mahal Palace, the perfect place to adjourn to for a Bombay gin and tonic after a hard day's sightseeing. I like to go to Café Leopold (2282 8185; leopoldcafe.com), which dates from the 1870s and serves a mixture of Western, Chinese and Indian cuisine. When I can, I dine at the Taj Mahal Palace, regardless of whether or not I'm staying. The food is first class and the hotel, of course, looks out over the water. I usually opt for vegetarian, not-too-spicy food from the south of India. You have to see some of the wonderful European-style Victorian architecture; but just as importantly, you must visit Banganga, the ancient temple area of the city, where you'll also find some markets. Despite the terrorist bombing and shootings of a few years ago, Mumbai is in general a very safe city. However, I'd avoid buying food and water from street vendors - and avoid salads at all times, even in good restaurants. You can pick up some fantastic printed cotton and silk fabrics, as well as little statues of all sorts of Hindu deities. I tend to pass on the tailor-made suits because they never quite turn out as expected. I didn't much like Bucharest, which I thought had a rather sad air, a result perhaps of Ceausescu tearing out the old city's architectural guts and putting up such terribly poor-quality modern buildings. The Country House Revealed: A Secret City of the British Ancestral Home," by Dan Cruickshank, is published by BBC Books (£25) Getting there Air India (020 8560 9996; airindia.in) has flights from Heathrow to Mumbai from £497 return and British Airways (0844 493 0787; ba.com) from £557 return. Packages Greaves Travel (020 7487 9111; greavesindia.com) offers five nights" b & b in Mumbai staying at the Trident, Nariman Point, from £1,250, including flights. The cost also includes a guide and an excursion to the Elephanta caves (see below). Valid between April 16 and May 30. Take a stroll Walk down to the honey-coloured Gateway of India, which was built to commemorate the visit of George V and Queen Mary in 1911. Very atmospheric and great for people-watching, particularly at weekends. Grand station Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji, formerly Victoria Terminus and still known as VT, is an amazing Victorian Gothic structure which was opened during Queen Victoria's Jubilee year in 1887. Even if you don't join the two million plus passengers who throng the station every day, it's worth a visit just to take in this extraordinary vision with its central dome, Corinthian columns and stained glass. Island carvings Take a trip to Elephanta Island, which offers some respite from the city. Here in this ancient temple cave complex, dating from the seventh century, the feature is the enormous Mahesamurti Hindu sculpture, which depicts Shiva in his three aspects. The island can be reached on an hour-long ferry ride (£3.20) from the Gateway of India; weekdays are less busy than weekends and the site is closed on Mondays. Get real Reality Tours (0091 22 2283 3872; realitytoursandtravel.com) offers a two-and-a-half-hour Mumbai By Night Tour (£10) which takes in Chowpatty Beach, Banganga Tank (known for its reputed healing powers), the Kamathipura red light district and Kamala Nehru Park. Simon Horsford