Between them, the western Indian states of Maharashtra and Goa offer an evocative blend of palm-fringed beaches, architectural masterpieces (including the World Heritage sites of Ajanta and Ellora), world-class cuisines, sacred sites (Hindu temples to Catholic churches) and, in recent times, a budding wine industry. Mumbai, widely lauded as India's most cosmopolitan city, is a major international gateway and popular jumping-off point to neighboring Goa, where sand and sea reign supreme.