EASY DESTINATION
        HOME      WORLD TRAVEL GUIDE       INDIA TRAVEL GUIDE      ADVERTISE           TRAVEL FORUM

  INDIAN CUISINE     SKI RESORTS     TREKKING      MEDICAL TOURISM      WORLD CITY GUIDE    CYCLING


                 PANAJI TRAVEL GUIDE

Panaji is the capital of the Indian state of Goa. It lies on the banks of the Mandovi
estuary, in the district of North Goa.
Panaji is Goa's third largest city after Vasco and Margao. The current official name is
Panaji. The Portuguese name was Pangim. The city is called Panjim in English. It
has been spelt as Panaji since the 1960s, and is also called Ponnje in Konkani, the
widely spoken local language.

Earlier a small village on the river front, in 1843 the city had been renamed Nova Goa
(Portuguese for New Goa) when it officially replaced the city of Goa (now Old Goa) as
the administrative seat of Portuguese India, though the viceroy had already moved
there in 1759.

When Operation Vijay ended Portuguese colonial rule, Panaji was incorporated with
the rest of Goa and the former Portuguese colonies, into India in December 1961

GENERAL INFORMATION

Time zone         IST (UTC+5:30)
Area                   36 km² (14 sq mi)
Elevation           60 m (197 ft)
District(s)          North Goa
Population        58,785 (2001)
Density              1,821/km² (4,716/sq mi)

PLACE TO VISIT

Miramar - is a place in Panaji city in the state of Goa, India. It is the nearest beach
to the Goan capital and unarguably the most visited beach of Goa. Hordes of people,
mostly tourists, are found every day flocking to this beach. Originally named Gasper-
de-dias because of the Portuguese influence, the name was then changed to the
ever-popular Miramar.

Fontainhas - This is the oldest and most interesting area in Panaji.
a charming area west of Pato, is one of Panaji’s liveliest areas.

Chapel of St Sebastian - The chapel was built in the 1880s and contains a
lifelike crucifix. It is now hung in the Palace of the Inquisition in Old Goa.An annual
street fiesta is held here in mid-November to celebrate the patron saint’s day.

Idalcao Palace - This palace was built by the famous Muslim ruler of Goa, Adil
Shah. This is one of the oldest building in Panaji.The Portuguese used it as the
Viceroy’s Palace till 1759.

Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church -  was originally
built in 1541. It is the most prominent and elegant church in Panaji. It has a beautiful
gilded main altar. The huge bell in the main tower used to be in Old Goa in the
ruined Augustianian monastery.


HOW TO REACH

Panaji is 30km from Vasco da Gama (Dabolim airport).

Taxis and buses go to Panaji, but if you have only got backpack, motorcycle taxis are
a bargain, plus you get to ride on the pillion seat! Be sure to fix fares before the ride.
Madgaon is a Konkan Railway train station.