Goa

Calm, quaint, post-colonial Panjim pokes its white-washed walls and rooftops above the canopies of the palms forests and acacia trees on the verdant banks of the great Mandovi River. Here it symbolises the affluent, laid-back charm of Indian Goa as a whole, a city where wide boulevards, tree-lined avenues and old Portuguese architecture rub shoulders with the bright and brilliant Hindu temple complexes of Mahalaxmi and Maruti. Panjim’s undisputed pièce de résistance is its sprawling historical downtown district, the post-colonial Fontainhas. Here the instantly-recognisable façade of the gleaming 16th century Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception stands watch over the city, while the winding cobbled streets and curious European architecture does well to transport visitors far from the typical Indian cityscape. What’s more, from the bustling main street of Avenida Dom Joao Castro to the hidden side roads of Sao Tome, Panjim offers up all the classic seafood delights of Goa (think fish curries and coconut crab), along with a healthy array of international foods to suit the city’s overarching style. Many Panjim tour guides will also recommend taking one of the popular day trips out of the city, perhaps to the golden sands of the Miramar and Dona Paula beach, or the UNESCO-attested colonial spot of Old Goa just to the north.