Goa > Towns

Panaji - Formerly known as Panjim, the capital of Goa is on the south bank of the river Mandovi. The capital was shifted here in 1843, when old Goa was abandoned after an epidemic.The places to see in Panaji are the Church of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception, a beautiful building above the square in the main part of the town. It was consecrated in 1541. The Goa State Museum is also well worth a visit. It has a small collection of Christian art and Hindu and Jain sculptures from all over India. Also worth exploring is the Old Portuguese district of Sao Tome. It has an atmosphere more Portuguese than Indian and many of the small eating-places offer interesting food. Other attractions are the Secretariat Building, which was formerly the palace of Adil Shah and the modern Mahalakshmi temple. The nearest beach is Miramar popular with the locals and further ahead is Dona Paulo, which offers water sports.

Mapusa - A small town with little to see, Mapusa is the nearest town to the beaches of Anjuna and Chapora. The Friday market is well worth a visit though, with many interesting stalls.

Vasco da Gama - 3 km from Dabolim airport and close to Mormugao Harbour is the town of Vasco Da Gama. There is not much to see here, though thanks to the nearby Naval Base, there are good grocery stores and some decent restaurants.

Margao is the capital of Salcete province and a busy town with a fairly large population. It is the closest big town to Colva and Benaulim beaches. The market is a great place to shop for Goan groceries. The Church of the Holy Spirit is richly decorated and deserves a visit. About 6 km from Margao is the Museum of Christian Art, which has displays of textiles, some old church silver and a mass kit, which was commonly used by missionaries out in the jungle.

The village of Chandor, 20 kms from Margao has some beautiful colonial mansions. The Briganza House, which has a private chapel, is open to the public. It has two wings, each owned by different branches of the Briganza family. Parts of it have been renovated and the house has lovely antique furniture, huge chandeliers and amazing stained glass windows.

Goa

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--Overview--

An Outline

About Goa

Goa Transport

--Touring Goa--

Beaches
Churches

Towns

Panaji
Mapusa
Vasco da Gama
Margao

History

Old Goa

--Features--

Carnival
Goan Cuisine