Most of Goa’s towns are situated in the coastal belt where the Portuguese first settled. Apart from well-known centers like Panjim and Old Goa, there are places like Margao and Vasco, Mapusa, and many other places of tourist attractions.

Panaji is the official capital of Goa. It is also one of India's smallest and most charming state capitals. Panaji has carefully managed to preserve its Portuguese heritage and parts of this quaint town still consist of narrow winding streets, old houses with over hanging balconies and red-tiled roofs, and many small bars and cafe's. Signs written in Portuguese still hang over shops, cafes and administrative buildings. The Idalcao Palace was once the castle of the Adil Shahis of Bijapur. It served as the Viceregal Palace until 1759 after the Portuguese rebuilt it in 1615. In 1843 it housed the secretariat and now it is the Passport office. Our Lady of Immaculate Conception is Panaji's main church, which was built in 1541 and enlarged in 1619. it is modeled after the church at Reis Magos, and the second largest bell in Goa that was salvaged from the ruins of the Augustian Monastery in Velha Goa is now placed here. The main attraction of the Braganza Institute is a blue tiled frieze depicting the Portuguese colonization of India. The Jama Masjid located in Panaji is one of the few mosques in coastal Goa. It was built after the Inquisition. The Chapel of St Sebastian is a relatively new structure that was built in the 1880's. It has the crucifix that was originally in the Palace of Inquisition in Velha Goa. A Hindu temple, the Mahalaxmi Temple stands as a reminder of the Hindu population and its dominance in Goa. The carnival held in the month of February lasts 3 days and is begun on Sabado Gordo (Fat Saturday) when colorful floats parade and celebrate on the streets of Panaji. The nearest beach form Panaji is at Miramar, about 3 Km along the road to Dona Paula. The most charming attractions of Panaji are still its narrow winding streets, small cafes and bars, and occasional old stone buildings dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries.

The town of Vasco-da-Gama was originally called Sambhaji. This spick and span, and geometrically planned well laid out coastal town popularly known as Vasco is also the oldest railway terminus for passenger service. Vasco is a key shipping center, with container vessels and iron ore barges clogging the river mouth, but doesn’t hold anything of interest for visitors. The only usual reasons for tourists to come to Vasco is to catch a bus to Dabolim airport, or the Bogmalo beach that lies 8-km southeast. Its city center is dominated by imposing multi-storied buildings and a church. Goa's only airport, Dabolim lies at one end of Vasco, and the internationally famous natural port of Mormugao is also close by. The Mormugao harbour is certainly one of the finest natural anchorages on the West Coast of India. Passenger and Cargo ships dock here from all over the world

Margao is Goa's second largest city and commercial metropolis of Salcete taluka in South Goa. It still retains semblance of Goa’s Portuguese colonial past, and is connected to the rest of the Indian sub-continent by rail. Margao is the headquarters of South Goa District and is considered the main commercial city of Goa. It is famous for its ancient cultural heritage and traditional customs of the people of Goa. Places of interest in Margao are the Holy Spirit Church founded in 1565 with the distinctive cross built in front of the church a century earlier. The large rectangular 'Jorge Barreto' Park in front of the colonial-styled building with its arched corridors is a noticeable feature. Chandreshwar Bhutnath Temple and the Rachol Seminary are also worth visiting. Margao's famous market offers the agricultural produce of the entire South Goa. The most noteworthy of these is the 'Sat Burnzam Ghor', which originally had seven roofs. The 'Monte Church' situated on a little promontory also merits a visit to get a bird's eye-view of the city below and the Arabian Sea, beyond.

The town of Ponda can easily be considered the heart of Hinduism in Goa. For when the Hindus abandoned their coastal settlements and moved inland during the Inquisition, a majority of them settled in Ponda. Ponda is now a transportation hub and some of the best temples in Goa are located here. A few small factories and industrial estates have sprung up on the outskirts of the town due to its proximity to some of Goa’s largest iron ore mines. It has fewer hotels as compared to Panaji and Margao and most restaurants serve vegetarian cuisine. The Safa Masjid is Goa's best-preserved sixteen-century Muslim monument. It was constructed by Adil Shah in 1560 and is also known as Safa Shahouri Masjid. It has a beautiful backdrop of wooded low hills rising in the background. The Shri Mangesh Temple is set atop a hill at Priol, northwest of Ponda leading to Old Goa. The temple has a seven-storey lamp tower (which is a unique trait of Hindu temples in Goa), a Nandi bull (Lord Shiva's conveyance), as well as shrines to Parvati and Lord Ganesha. During the festival of Mangesh Jatra, the rath (temple chariot) is pulled by several devotees. The Mahalsa Narayani Temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu's consort Laxmi, though some people believe it is the Lord Vishnu's female form Mohini. A lamp tower, which is seven floors high can also be found here. Garuda, the great bird that was Lord Vishnu's conveyance sits atop a pillar, which rests on the back of a turtle. There are intricately carved columns and painting of the 10 avatars or incarnations of Vishnu. The Shantadurga Temple is dedicated to Durga. Shant means peace and Durga supposedly mediated a dispute between Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu, bringing peace to the world; in the temple she is depicted in between the two deities. The interior has polished marble and several chandeliers provide that light. The deity of Shantadurga with Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva on either side is behind a silver screen. This is one of the largest Hindu temples in Goa. The Nagesh Temple is dedicated to a form of Lord Shiva, Nagesh, the God of serpents. There is an inscription here dating the temple back to 1413, which was renovated some time in the 18th century. This temple also has a lamp tower, five floors high. There are woodcarvings depicting scenes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata. There is a Nandi bull, Lord Shiva's vahana or conveyance as well as shrines to Lord Ganesha and Laxmi-Narayan. South of here lies the Mahalaxmi Temple. It is said to be the original form of the principal deity of the Shakti sect. A Marathi inscription dates this temple back to 1413. The Bhagvan Mahaveer Sanctuary and Bondla Sanctuary are locted close by

Mapusa’s main claim to fame is its famous Friday market where people from all over Goa come to buy and sell their wares. It is otherwise a small town forming the hub of north Goa. It's location as the converging point of all overland routes in Bardez taluka as well as its proximity to the Rio de Mapusa, (the Mapusa River, which in ancient times was a much used waterway for transport of agricultural products and spices) has enabled it to develop a commercial reputation of sorts. Mapusa lies 13kms from Panaji, and has an even blend of residential and commercial establishments and gardens. The beaches nearest to this town are the Anjuna and Chapora beaches. The Kansarpal-Kalbadevi temple, believed to be about 800 years old lies 14 km from Mapusa. There's not much to see in Mapusa, though the Friday market is worth a visit.

Velha Goa or Old Goa rose as the second capital of the Bijapur Kingdom though all that remains of that era today are pieces of the Gateway, part of the wall that surrounded the Sultan's palace. The Portuguese colonization of Goa with Alfonso de Albuquerque’s victory over the Sultan's forces also began here. It then served as the Portuguese capital of Goa until 1843 and from the mid 16th century onwards, the Christian Doctrine began to be spread from here by St. Francis Xavier. The ruins of the Towers of St. Augustine are located near the St. Augustine church. They originally consisted of eight chapels, a convent and one of the best libraries in Goa, which decayed because because they were abandoned in 1835 due to religious intolerance and persecution. The Basilica of Bom Jesus has been declared a World Heritage Site. It contains the remains of St Francis Xavier, Goa's patron saint who founded the Jesuit order. Francis Xavier was a missionary whose body is claimed to be miraculously preserved even till now, without the use of any chemicals. The body’s right hand was removed and taken by the Jesuits in Japan, part of his right arm sent to Rome in 1615 where it is idolized in the 'Gesu.' It is kept in a silver casket with 3 locks, the keys being with the Governor, the Archbishop and the Convent Administrator. An exposition of the body is conducted every 10 years, since 1859, the next one being in January 2005. Millions of pilgrims come to view the miracle of the saint’s body. The Se Cathedral, dedicated to St Catherine, is the largest church in Goa. Its construction began in 1562 under the reign of King Dom Sebastiao though it was finally completed by 1652. The church is built in the Portuguese Gothic Style with a Tuscan exterior and Corinthian interior. It has twin towers though one was struck by lightning. The remaining tower contains 5 bells including the Golden Bell, one of the largest in Goa. The Church of the St Francis of Assisi was built by eight Franciscan Friars in 1517. It has carved woodwork, murals with scenes from the life of St Francis and the floor is made mostly of gravestones that date from the 16th century. The convent behind this church is now an archaeological museum with portraits of Portuguese viceroys, and sculptures from Hindu temples, amongst other things, on display. The Viceroy's Arch was built at the end of the 16th century to commemorate the centennial of Vasco da Gama's discovery of the sea route to India. His grandson, Francisco da Gama was Viceroy then and after each new Viceroy took charge, the monument was decorated. There is a figure of a lady with a sword in one hand and a book in the other standing over a figure with his head on a bent arm. This arch was rebuilt in 1954.

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