Panjim: Goa's Riverfront Capital and Latin Quarter

Panjim (Panaji) is Goa's capital and the centre of the state's Portuguese heritage and culture, alongside neighbouring Old Goa. It sits on the Mandovi River, with the pastel houses and criss-cross stairways of the old Latin Quarter, Fontainhas, giving it a character unlike either coast's beach towns.

It is the practical base for the central, heritage-focused part of a Goa trip: close to Old Goa's churches, within reach of spice plantations, and a short hop from both North and South Goa's beaches by private car.

Panjim rewards walking, and these are the fixtures:

The Goa Carnival fills Panjim with colour and parades in February, before Lent, one of the two events worth timing a trip around. The International Film Festival of India (IFFI) brings the film world to Goa each November, and Panjim is central to it.

A day or two is typical for Panjim itself — enough for Fontainhas, the church, the riverfront and a sunset cruise — often combined with a day that also takes in Old Goa's churches and a spice plantation. Dabolim Airport (GOI), in the centre of the state, is the closer option; the newer Mopa airport is further north.

Panjim's accommodation runs from heritage guesthouses set in converted Portuguese-era townhouses in Fontainhas to riverfront hotels along the Mandovi — a different character from the beach resorts and shacks of the coast.