Panjim Goa

Locate : Panaji is situated on the south bank of the wide Mandovi River Goa, India
Touring Seasons : Throughout the year. The climate is best through out the year.


Panjim (Panaji)
Panaji is one of India's smallest and loveliest state capitals. For many centuries, Panaji, the capital city of Goa was little more than a minor landing stage and customs house. Panaji became capital in 1843 after the port at Old Goa had silted up and its rulers had fled the plague. The small town thereafter developed rapidly in the 1960's and 1970's.

Panaji, is popularly known as the seat of the Government, and also houses the head offices of most business concerns. The town has finely preserved its Portuguese heritage. The quaint looking city still consist of narrow winding streets, old houses with over hanging balconies, red-tiled roofs and numerous small bars and cafe's. Panaji is very small city, and has little scope for growth as it is bounded by Altinho (a hillock), on one side, the Arabian sea on the other Mandovi River on the third side, and Ourem Creek on the fourth.

Accessibility
Airlines : Air Domestic flights from Mumbai, Bangalore, Cochin, Delhi, Chennai and Thiruvanantpuram land at Goa's Dabolim airport 29km south of Panaji.

Bus Lines : Long distance and local buses pull into Panjim at Kadamba Bus Terminal. Cars with drivers are available for local sightseeing.

Auto-rickshaws : This is the most convenient way of getting around Panjim.

Lodging in Panaji
Accommodation is not a problem here, as tourist keep on coming through out the year. Panaji has plenty of accommodation and finding a place to stay is only a problem during the festival of St. Francis in December and during peak season (mid-December to mid-January). Panjim is packed with good places to eat. Venite, Goenchin, Chunghwa, A Pasteleria, atkar, Sher-E-Punjab are some of the good restaurants in the city.

Charming Spots near Panaji
Church Square
Church Square, also known as the Municipal Garden is a green park, forms the heart of Panjim. To the east of this square is the Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, built in 1541 for the benefit of sailors coming to Goa from Lisbon.

The Secretariat
The Secretariat is the oldest surviving building in the city of Panaji. Originally the palace of Goa's 16th century ruler the Adil Shah, was later converted into rest house for the Portuguese governors and then a residence for the viceroy. Today, it houses, the Goan State Legislature.

The Museum
The collection here are mostly pre-colonial artefacts, which includes village deities, puja utensils, sati and hero stones, fragment of temple sculpture, Jain bronzes rescued from smugglers and Christian icons and antique furniture etc.

Fontainhas and Sao Tome
Fontainhas is the Panaji's oldest district. Here, many buildings have retained their traditional coat of ochre, pale yellow, green or blue - a Portuguese order that, every building in Goa except churches, which had to be white, should be colour-washed after the monsoon. At the southern edge, the whitewashed Chapel of St. Sebastian is one of many Goan churches, which has retained the old colonial style.

Miramar and Dona Paula Beach
Miramar is the nearest beach from Panaji, just at a distance of 3 km west of Panaji. 4 km further, along the same road is Dona Paula, a small town with several resorts circuit.