Goa, India’s smallest state and former Portuguese colony

5-8 December 2023

Goa, India’s smallest state, has a rich history shaped by ancient dynasties, European conquest, and coastal trade. Once part of the Maurya and Satavahana empires, it later came under the rule of the Kadambas and the Bahmani Sultans before being conquered by the Portuguese in 1510 under the command of Afonso de Albuquerque. For over 450 years, Goa remained a Portuguese colony, becoming a major centre for the spice trade and the spread of Christianity. This long European influence left an enduring legacy in its architecture, cuisine, and culture.

Goa joined India in 1961, when Portuguese rule came to an end, and today it blends Latin charm with Indian vibrancy. The UNESCO-listed churches of Old Goa, including the Basilica of Bom Jesus and Se Cathedral, showcase their colonial splendour. Visitors can explore Panaji’s Latin Quarter (Fontainhas), forts such as Aguada and Chapora, and temples in Ponda. Goa’s golden beaches, lively markets, coconut groves, and tranquil backwaters make it both a historical treasure and a tropical paradise — where East and West meet along the Arabian Sea.

The Immaculate Conception Church, a Baroque-style Catholic church with a grand façade atop a small hill, completed in 1609.

Praça da Igreja from the steps to the Immaculate Conception Church, in Altinho, Panaji.

Saint Sebastian's Chapel, built in 1880, on the corner of Rua de Natal and St. Sebastian Street, in Fontainhas (quarter), Altinho.

The Consulate General of Portugal, along Father Angelo Road.

The Archbishop's Palace, (Paco Patriarcal), the residence of the Archbishop of Goa, , with a statue of "Christ the Redeemer" in front.

The Archbishop's Palace, a 19th-century Portuguese colonial building located in Altinho, Panaji.

Propaganda poster “Make in India” with a life-size cardboard cutout of the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, in the Panjim Municipal Garden.

Casino Majestic Pride, a floating casino on the Mandovi River in Panaji.

Big Daddy, a floating casino on the Mandovi River.

Kings Casino, a floating casino on the Mandovi River in Panaji, Goa.

'The Plastic Pallu', a larger-than-life sculpture that portrays a magnificent fish, crafted entirely from discarded plastic waste, at Miramar Circle, installed to commemorate 50th World Environment Day.

The beach at Miramar, one of the most visited beaches of Goa.

Miramar Beach, one of the beaches in Panjim (Panaji).

The Church of St. Francis of Assisi, built in 1661. The church, together with a convent, was established by eight Portuguese Franciscan friars who landed in Goa in 1517.

The Se Cathedral, (Sé Catedral de Santa Catarina), the cathedral of the Latin Church Archdiocese of Goa and Daman in old Goa. Construction began in 1562, was completed in 1619 and consecrated in 1640.

Interior of the Se Cathedral in Old Goa; it was built between 1562 and 1619 and consecrated in 1640.

Interior of the Se Cathedral, (Sé Catedral de Santa Catarina), the cathedral of the Latin Church Archdiocese of Goa and Daman.

The Church of St. Francis of Assisi, built in 1661 and, together with a convent, established by eight Portuguese Franciscan friars who landed in Goa in 1517. At left the Archaeological Museum of Goa.

In the Church of St. Francis of Assisi, established by eight Portuguese Franciscan friars who landed in Goa in 1517; the present church was built in 1661.

View towards the altar of the Church of St. Francis of Assisi, built in Old Goa in 1661 by the Portuguese in the Portuguese Viceroyalty of India.

The Basilica of Bom Jesus; construction started in 1594 by the Portuguese and it was consecrated in May 1605 by the archbishop, Dom Fr. Aleixo de Menezes.

The central courtyard of the Basilica of Bom Jesus in Old Goa. The basilica contains the body of St. Francis Xavier.

The St. Cajetan Church, also known as the Church of Divine Providence, built by the Portuguese and completed in 1661, Old Goa.

The garden in front of the St. Cajetan Church, or Church of Divine Providence, completed in 1661.

The Arch of the Viceroys, erected in 1599 by Viceroy Francisco da Gama, the grandson of Vasco da Gama, to mark the Portuguese conquest of Goa. The statue on the façade is of St. Catherine.

The Viceroy's Arch, erected in 1599 by Viceroy Francisco da Gama; the statue on the façade, facing the river, is of his grandfather Vasco da Gama, who was appointed Governor of India in 1524.

The Church of Our Lady of Grace, popularly known as St. Augustine Church, was of the Augustinian order who came to Goa and established their convent.

View from the Church of Our Lady of Grace (St. Augustine Church) to the Convent of Santa Monica (Museum Of Christian Art) and The Chapel of The Weeping Cross.

The Rua 31 de Janeiro, a street in Fontainhas (quarter), Altinho, Panaji.

The Rua 31 de Janeiro, in the old quarter of Fontainhas, Altinho.

Portuguese architecture in the old quarter of Fontainhas.

Balconies along St. Sebastian Street, in the old quarter of Fontainhas, Altinho, Panaji.

The Albuquerque Palace or Old Secretariat, in Patto Colony, Panaji.

View to Atal Setu, a cable-stayed bridge in Goa that runs between Panaji and Porvorim. It carries National Highway 66 over the tidal part of the Mandovi River. Below are two older bridges for local traffic.

The 1609 Immaculate Conception Church, a Baroque-style Catholic church with a grand façade atop a small hill, illuminated at night.