Holidaying through some of Goa’s major cities

Goa is definitely one of the top holiday destinations in the world. The Government and people market it as such and Goa is receiving a fair share of tourists. Obviously being marketed as a tourist destination requires a bunch of touristy locations and activities.

Here are some of the most active cities in Goa.

The cities in Goa are not on as large a scale as Mumbai, Bangalore or even Hyderabad. However, people can make their way around them easily since the are a lot smaller. Ideally, anything being hunted down can be found as well.

Panaji also called Panjim is the capital of Goa. It was moved from Old Goa to its new location during the time of the Portuguese. There is a lot of entertainment that one can succumb of in the capital. The Captain of Ports jetty is located here and allows people to take off on cruises and yacht rides. The Entertainment Society of Goa is located in Panjim as well. Movie screenings and other large-scale art events take place on their premises. Other than using the two bridges of Mandovi and Zuari bridge. People can also access the capital through a boat that leaves from Betim on one side and the nearby island of Chorao on the other.

Panjim has a patch of roads leading from the city to Miramar beach which is about 2 kilometres away. They are lined by old houses, maintained since the time of the Portuguese. Another architectural beauty of the Portuguese is seen in Fontainhas which is marked as an archaeologically protected area. The buildings in the area have to be maintained and looked after following Government standards so as not to damage the structure.

Mapusa is a smaller town, high up in North Goa. Mapusa has a lot of religious landmarks and structures. The St. Jerome Church, also called the church of Our Lady of Miracles is the main church in the area. The Maruti temple and the shrine of Shree Dev Bodgeshwar Sansthan of Lord Bodgeshwar are located in and around Mapusa.

The city of Margao is considered the commercial and cultural capital of Goa. It has the second largest population in the state and is the administrative headquarters of Salcette. Most of the people in Margao head to the Holy Spirit church at the entrance of the city for their Sunday masses. The alternative is Grace Church in the heart of the city. Margao has a train station in the vicinity and is a drivable distance from the airport.

Vasco, on the other hand, is where the airport is located. It is the largest city in Goa and  has been named after the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama who discovered Goa for the Portuguese. The city is also located near some amazing virgin beaches like Bogmalo and Baina.

Ponda is the most recently developed city in the state. It takes a long ride to get there since it is located right in the middle of the state, through long and winding roads. A lot of famous temples such as the temples of Shri Manguesh (Shiva), Shri Nagesh, Shri Ganapati, Shri Ramnath and the Goddesses Shri Shantadurga, Shri Mahalasa, Shri Mahalaxmi which are all located in the vicinity. Recently there are a lot of industrial estates and factories coming up in the area.