Must-see attractions in Panaji

  • 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…

  • Altinho Hill

    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…

  • Mario Gallery

    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…

  • Goa State Central Library

    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…

  • Gitanjali Gallery

    Panaji

    Worth a look while walking around the district of Fontainhas, this spacious gallery in the beautiful Panjim Peoples displays works by local and…

  • Statue of Abbé Faria

    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…

  • Miramar

    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…

  • Chapel of St Sebastian

    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…

  • Menezes Braganza Institute

    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…

  • Maruti Temple

    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…

  • Public Observatory

    Panaji

    If you’re interested in gazing at the clear winter night skies over Goa, the local branch of the Association of Friends of Astronomy has a public…

  • Azad Maidan

    Panaji

    To the west of the Municipal Gardens, the grassy Azad Maidan won’t win any prizes at a flower show. Its centrepiece is a small pavilion (whose Corinthian…

  • Ashokan Pillar

    Panaji

    This pillar at the centre of the Municipal Gardens was once topped by a bust of Vasco da Gama, the first Portuguese voyager to set foot in Goa in 1498,…

  • Campal Gardens

    Panaji

    The road to Miramar from Panaji runs through the Campal district. Just before you reach the Kala Academy are the strollable riverside Campal Gardens, also…

  • Municipal Gardens

    Panaji

    Panaji’s central square is the leafy Municipal Gardens, also called Church Square (Largo da Igreja). The Ashokan Pillar is at the gardens’ centre.

  • Goa Science Centre & Planetarium

    Panaji

    Kids and families will enjoy the Goa Science Centre & Planetarium in Miramar, with an outdoor park, hands-on interactive displays, 3D movies and a…

  • Mahalaxmi Temple

    Panaji

    This modern, technicolor temple is not particularly imposing, but it’s worth a look inside as it was the first Hindu shrine established in the city during…

  • Jama Masjid

    Panaji

    Tiny Jama Masjid, barely 100m south of the Municipal Gardens and built about two centuries ago, is easy to miss. The exterior of the mosque is plain, its…