Panjim Travel Guide: Fontainhas, the Mandovi and Old Goa

Panjim became the official capital of Portuguese India in 1843, after the viceroy had moved his residence here from epidemic-struck Old Goa in 1759. Its old quarters, the church square and the river are close enough to walk between; the beaches, the forts and Old Goa are a short ride away.

Fontainhas and São Tomé

Between the Ourem Creek and Altinho Hill lie Panjim's old residential quarters, Fontainhas and São Tomé, built on reclaimed land in the 19th century. Fontainhas is named after the Fountain of Phoenix, a spring that was once the quarter's only source of water; São Tomé takes its name from its church. The lanes of painted, tile-roofed houses hold taverns serving Goan food and feni, and bakeries selling bebinca. These are people's homes, so keep your voice down and ask before photographing anyone.

Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception

Above Church Square (Largo da Igreja), Panjim's main square, the white Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception began as a chapel consecrated in 1541, where Portuguese sailors gave thanks after the voyage from Lisbon. The present Baroque church dates from 1619. Its double flight of stairs and the belfry were added in 1871, the belfry to hold a great bell brought from Old Goa's Augustinian monastery. The parish feast falls on 8 December, after a nine-day novena, with the church lit up, fireworks and a fair that is now held on the riverfront.

Museums and old public buildings

The Goa State Museum, set up in 1977, is now housed in the Adil Shah Palace; its collection runs from stone sculpture and bronzes to paintings, manuscripts and coins. Dharohar, the National Museum of Customs and GST, traces the history of Indian customs from ancient times. In the entrance hall of the Institute Menezes Braganza, blue-painted azulejo tiles of 1935 illustrate Camões's epic Os Lusíadas. And the Maquinezes Palace, which housed the Escola Médico-Cirúrgica de Goa from 1842, was refurbished to host the first International Film Festival of India held in Goa.

Miramar Beach

Miramar, about 3 km west of the centre, is Panjim's nearest beach. Goa's Department of Tourism asks swimmers to stay between the red-and-yellow flags, where lifesavers keep watch, and to keep out of the water wherever red flags fly. All beaches are closed from sunset to 7 am, the department advises against swimming in the monsoon, and alcohol and smoking are banned on every beach. The Goa Science Centre at Miramar is an easy half day with children.

Dona Paula

About 7 km southwest of Panjim, Dona Paula sits by the headland that divides the estuaries of the Zuari and the Mandovi; the story goes that it is named after a viceroy's daughter. Its jetty looks out across the bay, and jet skis are available for hire. Rocky outcrops on Goa's coast can take breaking surf, and the Department of Tourism warns walkers off damp rocks and against jumping or diving from rocks into the water.

Reis Magos Fort

Across the Mandovi in Bardez, Reis Magos Fort was built in 1551 by Afonso de Noronha, the fifth viceroy, as a second line of defence after the forts at Aguada and Cabo. It later served as a prison; restoration with INTACH and the Helen Hamlyn Trust began in 2008, and the fort now works as a heritage and cultural centre. The Reis Magos Church beside it, built in 1555, is one of Goa's earliest churches.

Old Goa

The road through Ribandar leads to Old Goa, capital of Portuguese Goa until the mid-18th century. Its churches and convents, spread along about 1.5 km, have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986, and the Basilica of Bom Jesus holds the mortal remains of St Francis Xavier. The link with Panjim is old: the Ponte de Linhares causeway, known as Patto Bridge, 3,150 m long and built in 1634, first joined Panjim to Ribandar by land. Our Old Goa travel guide covers the churches one by one.

Dr Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary, Chorão

A ferry from Ribandar crosses to Chorão island, where the Dr Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary protects about 1.8 sq km of estuarine mangrove. It is seen from a boat through the channels, with striated and western reef herons, mudskippers and fiddler crabs among the residents. The island's lanes, small churches and home-run eateries serving fish thalis make a quiet half day.

Take an evening cruise on the Mandovi. Our Goa sunset cruise is an evening boat trip past Panjim, timed so you are on deck as the sun goes down. Cruises typically run for an hour to ninety minutes from jetties near the city, and the trip includes transport to and from the jetty and the cruise ticket. Food and drink on board are usually sold separately, and the rail seats on the open deck go first, so arrive early. Other trips on the water are listed under beach and island experiences in Panjim.

Cross the river by ferry. A flat-bottomed ferry still crosses the Mandovi between Panjim and Betim alongside the bridges, and another runs from Ribandar to Chorão.

Time a visit for a festival. Panjim is the main centre of the Goa Carnival, whose four days fall in February or March depending on the date of Easter, with the largest parade in the state. Shigmo, the spring festival, brings float parades through Goa's towns in March or April. The International Film Festival of India brings eight days of screenings each November, with entertainment along the riverside promenade, and the church feast is on 8 December.

Eat Goan. Fish curry and rice, prawn balchão and xacuti are the dishes to try, with bebinca for dessert; Goan cooking mixes Indian, Portuguese and Konkani influences. For more ideas, see Panjim tours and experiences.

October to March is the main season. Goa Tourism describes it as very pleasant, with normally clear skies and normal sea conditions, and the busiest stretch runs from December through New Year. April and May are hot, with daytime temperatures reaching about 36°C, though a sea breeze usually picks up after 3 pm.

The south-west monsoon, from June to September, brings about 90 per cent of Goa's roughly 330 cm of yearly rain; July is the wettest month, with more than 995 mm. The countryside turns green, but the sea is not for swimming, and river cruises can be affected by rough weather. Our sunset cruise finds the most reliable clear evenings from mid-November to February. For the month-by-month picture, see our guide to the best time to visit Goa.

By air: Goa has two airports. Manohar International Airport at Mopa, which began operating in January 2023, is about 34 km from central Panjim by Goa Tourism's reckoning; Dabolim, near Vasco da Gama, is about 26 to 30 km away. At Dabolim, Goa Tourism points arrivals to government pre-paid taxis and to its Goa Miles app, which books cabs across the state.

By train: the nearest stations are Karmali, about 12 km away, and Thivim, about 20 km. Madgaon (Margao), the Konkan Railway's terminus in Goa, is about 35 km away, and Vasco da Gama about 30 km.

By road: buses from Mumbai, Pune, Belagavi, Hubballi, Bengaluru and Mangaluru run to the large Kadamba bus stand in Panjim, which is also the hub for the state-run buses around Goa.