Old Goa
Famous throughout the Roman Catholic world, the imposing Basilica de Bom Jesus contains the tomb and mortal remains of St Francis Xavier, the so-called…
Must-see attractions in Panaji & Central Goa
Old Goa
At over 76m long and 55m wide, the cavernous Sé Cathedral is the largest church in Asia. Building commenced in 1562, on the orders of King Dom Sebastiao…
Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception
Panaji
Panaji’s spiritual, as well as geographical, centre is this elevated, pearly white church, built in 1619 over an older, smaller 1540 chapel, and stacked…
Panaji & Central Goa
Situated in the far southeastern corner of the Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary, Goa’s most impressive waterfall splashes down just west of the border…
Church & Convent of St Cajetan
Old Goa
Modelled on the original design of St Peter’s in Rome, this impressive church was built by Italian friars of the Order of Theatines, sent here by Pope…
Panaji & Central Goa
If you’re a history or temple buff, don’t miss the atmospheric remains of the unusual little Hindu Shri Mahadeva Temple at Tambdi Surla, 12km north of…
Panaji & Central Goa
Named after the late Dr Salim Moizzudin Abdul Ali, India’s best-known ornithologist, this serene sanctuary on Chorao Island was created by Goa’s Forestry…
Church of St Francis of Assisi
Old Goa
West of the Sé Cathedral, the Church of St Francis of Assisi is no longer in use for worship, and consequently exudes a more mournful air than its…
Goa State Museum & Secretariat Building
Panaji
Currently housed in the Secretariat, the oldest colonial building in Goa, the state museum features an eclectic, if not extensive, collection of items…
Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary
Panaji & Central Goa
The entrance to Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary is easily accessible from Molem and, with an area of 240 sq km, this is the largest of Goa’s four…
Old Goa
The archaeological museum houses some lovely fragments of sculpture from Hindu temple sites in Goa, and some sati stones, which once marked the spot where…
Panaji & Central Goa
About 5km north of Goa Velha, in the small village of Talaulim, the massive Church of St Anne (known to the local people simply as Santana) is an imposing…
Panaji
On the hillside above Panaji is the well-to-do residential district of Altinho. Apart from good views over the city and river, the main attraction here is…
Old Goa
This museum, housed in part of the 1627 Convent of St Monica, contains a collection of statues, paintings and sculptures. Interestingly, many of the works…
Old Goa
Modelled on the original design of St Peter's in Rome, the Church of St Cajetan was built by Italian friars of the Order of Theatines, who were sent by…
Panaji
This gallery and shop showcases work by India’s favourite cartoonist, Loutolim local Mario de Miranda, who died in 2011 at the age of 85. Along with…
Panaji
Panaji’s modern state library has six floors of reading material, a bookshop and gallery. The 2nd floor features a children’s book section and internet…
Panaji
Worth a look while walking around the district of Fontainhas, this spacious gallery in the beautiful Panjim Peoples displays works by local and…
Panaji & Central Goa
This 200-year-old plantation, 12km north of Ponda, is the least touristy in the region (and elephant-free). Knowledgeable guides will walk you through the…
Panaji & Central Goa
Around 5km north of Ponda, this is one of the most popular farms with tour groups, so is often busy and probably best avoided by independent travellers on…
Panaji & Central Goa
The Mahalsa Temple, 1km down the road from the Shri Manguesh Temple, is in the tiny village of Mardol. This temple’s deity originally resided in an…
Panaji & Central Goa
Around 9km north of Ponda, this temple is one of the most visited of Goa’s Hindu temples, admirably combining two key features of Goan Hinduism: first, it…
Church of Our Lady of the Rosary
Old Goa
Passing beneath the buttresses of the Convent of St Monica, about 250m further along the road is the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary, which stands on the…
Panaji & Central Goa
In the village of Khandepar, 5km northeast of Ponda, and set back in the dense forest behind the Mandovi River, are four small (well-hidden) rock-cut…
Panaji & Central Goa
At only 8 sq km, Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary is Goa’s smallest protected wildlife sanctuary. Though not particularly remote, it’s really only accessible if…
Panaji
Beside the Secretariat Building, look out for the sublime, starkly black statue of a caped man, arms, hands and fingers outstretched, towering over an…
Panaji & Central Goa
Surrounded by forest and paddy fields, the Shri Shantadurga Temple is one of the most famous shrines in Goa and is consequently packed with those who come…
Old Goa
Work on this three-storey laterite church and convent commenced in 1606 and was completed in 1627, only to burn down nine years later. Reconstruction…
Panaji & Central Goa
Almost immediately after leaving the village of Mardol on the main road, a side road to the right takes you up a hill towards the little village of…
Panaji
Miramar, 3km southwest of the city, is Panaji’s nearest beach. The couple of kilometres of exposed sand facing Aguada Bay are hardly inspiring compared to…
Panaji & Central Goa
In the village of Bandode is the small and peaceful Naguesh Temple. The most striking part of the temple is the ancient water tank, with its overhanging…
Church of Our Lady of the Mount
Old Goa
This church is often overlooked due to its location on a wooded hilltop, some 2km east of the central area. A sealed road leads to an overgrown flight of…
Panaji & Central Goa
Though undoubtedly one of Ponda’s less-attractive temples, Shri Ramnath is notable for the impressive and extravagant silver screen on the door to the…
Old Goa
About 100m to the west of the Church of St Francis of Assisi stands the small Chapel of St Catherine. An earlier chapel was erected on this site by…
Panaji
Fontainhas is notable for being home to the pretty Chapel of St Sebastian, built in 1818. This small whitewashed church contains one of only a few relics…
Panaji
The yellow-and-white Menezes Braganza Institute occupies part of the old buildings that were once the Portuguese army headquarters. It’s worth poking your…
Panaji
Dedicated to the monkey god Hanuman, this large orange temple built up the Altinho hillside is resplendently lit at night, and affords pleasant views over…
Panaji & Central Goa
Only 4km outside Ponda, and a stone’s throw from Naguesh Temple, is the relatively uninspiring Mahalaxmi Temple. The goddess Mahalaxmi, looked upon as the…
Old Goa
The melancholy, evocative ruins of this once vast and impressive Augustinian monastery are all that remain of a huge structure founded in 1572 and…
Old Goa
The Chapel of St Anthony, dedicated to the saint of the Portuguese army and navy, was one of the earliest to be built in Goa, again on the directions of…
