Goa Tourist Attractions

Goa, the beautiful state located on the western coast of India, is blessed with many attractive tourist attractions. where all have you planned Goa for a weekend getaway or a honeymoon. You have the beaches, monuments, pilgrimage places, shopping centers, and off course the nightclubs and bars. Goa in the evening will remind you of the downtown in Chicago and the Las Vegas with its sparking lights and overcrowding streets. The other parts of the state are studded with temples, churches, monuments, and the forts.

Tourist places in Goa

Panaji

Panaji is the capital of Goa and an old city by the banks of Mandovi River. For many visitors to the place, Panaji is the first stop and a major gateway to other parts of Goa. Churches, old homes, and buildings make a major part of the tourist attractions in Panaji. Built in the Gothi style during the Portuguese era, Panaji is home to the Goa State Museum, Statue of Abbe Faria, Chapel of St Sebastian, and the Secretariat Building.

Goa Beaches

The famous Goan beaches attract tourists from all over the world. The 106 km long Konkan coast of Goa is dotted with numerous beaches divided into the north and south region of Goa. These beaches provide you with ultimate relaxation and tranquility. The beaches in North Goa cover Anjuna, Baga, Vagator, Sinquerim, Candolim, Calangute, Morjim and Arambol beaches. Colva, Benaulim, Cavelossim, Varca, Velsao, Majorda, Betalbatim, Mobor and Betul are the beaches lying in South Goa. The Majorda beach is the largest one with a stretch of 20 kms connecting it to the Cabo de Rama. There are also massage centers, gyms, swimming pools, Internet cafes, nightclubs, etc. by the beachside.

Goa Churches

Goa is literally synonymous with churches. They are living testimonies of the rich historical past of Goa. During the early days of the Portuguese rule in India, church building was the primary concern and occupation in Goa. This was because of their zeal to spread Christianity and convert as many people as they can.

Forts in Goa

The most famous forts in Goa include the Aguada Fort, the largest Portuguese fort in Goa, built in 1609-12 to fortify Old Goa; Cabo da Rama fort associated with the epic of Ramayana where Lord Rama spent few days with Sita during his exile from Ayodhya; Chapora Fort near Mapusa, built in 1617 by the Portuguese on a Muslim site and Terekhol Fort on the Terekhol River built by Maharaja Khem Sawant Bhonsle in the 17th century.

Museums in Goa

The popular museums and art galleries in Goa are the State Archaeology Museum in Panaji opened on 29th Sept 1977 with seven galleries namely the Banerji Art Gallery, the Religious Expression
Gallery, Sculpture Gallery, the Contemporary Art Gallery and the Western Bronzes Gallery, the Christian Art Gallery and the Cultural Anthropology Gallery. A vast collection of more than 8000 objects includes wooden objects, bronzes, paintings, anthropological objects, clay models, sculptures, manuscripts, numismatic collection etc.

Other tourist destinations in Goa

Goa has two famous museums that are visited by considerable number of visitors every year. The Archeological Museum houses the paintings and portraits of Vasco Da Gama, the sailor who discovered the sea route to India among many other items of archeological importance. The other on is the Museum of Goa Daman and Diu, where you will find huge collections of antiquities and Portuguese items. There are also manuscripts, coins, and utensils on the display for the public.