About Goa
Goa is India's smallest state, with a long Arabian Sea coast and four centuries of Portuguese history. That mix shows in its whitewashed churches, red-tiled houses and a kitchen built on coconut, kokum and fresh catch.
The north is lively, the south is calmer, and the villages inland are the part many visitors wish they had seen sooner.
Choosing your stretch of coast
Baga, Calangute and Anjuna suit travellers who want beach shacks, markets and nightlife. Palolem, Agonda and Benaulim in the south are slower, with wider sands and quieter evenings, and work well for families and couples.
Old Goa and Fontainhas
The churches of Old Goa are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Basilica of Bom Jesus holds the relics of St Francis Xavier. In Panaji, the Latin Quarter of Fontainhas is a pleasant walk past painted houses and small bakeries.
Spice farms, forts and food
Plantations around Ponda offer guided walks and a home-style lunch. Fort Aguada looks over the Mandovi estuary. For dinner, try fish curry rice, xacuti or prawn balchão, with bebinca to finish.
