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Old Goa: the churches of a vanished capital
16th-Century Cathedrals
Old Goa is what is left of the capital of Portuguese India, a city of some 200,000 people in the 17th century: a handful of huge churches standing in open green ground on the south bank of the Mandovi, about 10 km upriver from Panaji. The Basilica of Bom Jesus holds the relics of St Francis Xavier, Se Cathedral is reputedly the largest church Europeans built in Asia, and together they form a UNESCO World Heritage site. Most of it is free to enter.
What to see
A walk in the order the Portuguese arrived
Begin at the river, not at the Basilica. The Viceroy's Arch, built in 1599, was the ceremonial front door of Portuguese Goa: every new viceroy came ashore here and entered the capital through it. Nearby, slightly apart from the main cluster, the Church of St Cajetan (1661) was modelled on St Peter's in Rome and stays calm while the Basilica fills; it is open 9:00–19:00.
Walk on to the main square. The Basilica of Bom Jesus (1594–1605) keeps the relics of St Francis Xavier in a silver casket; sightseeing is 9:00–17:00 Monday to Saturday and from 11:00 on Sunday, after the morning masses. Se Cathedral stands opposite, with the Golden Bell in its surviving tower. Next to it, behind the plainest facade in Old Goa, the Church of St Francis of Assisi hides the richest gilded interior; the Archaeological Museum is in the former convent next door.
Finish on Holy Hill, five minutes from the Basilica. A single 46-metre belfry is all that stands of the Church of St Augustine, best in low light early or late. Up the same hill, the Museum of Christian Art in the Santa Monica convent holds five centuries of Indo-Portuguese sacred art, open daily 10:00–17:00 and ticketed. If there is time left, the ferry to Divar Island, free for foot passengers and two-wheelers, crosses from Old Goa.
These are working churches
The Basilica and Se Cathedral are places of prayer for Goa's Catholics and for pilgrims from across India. Cover shoulders and knees, leave beachwear for the beach, and if you arrive during mass, sit quietly at the back or come back after it ends. Photos wait until the service is over.
When to come, and how Old Goa differs from Panaji
Old Goa fits an unhurried half-day from Panaji: direct local buses run from Panaji and Ponda, and the last stretch is a short walk. The railway station for both is Karmali. Come early, before the heat and the tour buses; St Augustine's tower is at its best in the low light of the morning or late afternoon. Uber and Ola do not work in Goa, see getting around Goa.
The year's big day is the Feast of St Francis Xavier (24 November – 3 December 2026), after a nine-day novena: tens of thousands come, traffic is heavy, queues are long and the churches are packed. Come for it, or avoid those days if you want the churches quiet; details on the feast in Goa page. Panaji is a living town of houses and markets; Old Goa is a city that emptied, which is why its churches stand in open fields. For the lived-in Portuguese quarter, go to Fontainhas.
❓ FAQ
Where is Old Goa?
On the south bank of the Mandovi river in Tiswadi, about 10 km upstream from Panaji. It was the capital of Portuguese India.
Whose body is in the church in Old Goa?
The relics of St Francis Xavier, the Jesuit missionary who died in 1552, rest in a silver casket in the Basilica of Bom Jesus. Roughly every ten years they are carried to Se Cathedral for the Exposition, weeks of public veneration.
Is there an entry fee in Old Goa?
The churches are free. The Museum of Christian Art is ticketed.
Sources (5)
Facts checked: 12 October 2026. Prices and hours are approximate; check locally.
Other areas of Goa
In the app: the city's areas on the map, the places inside and a route.
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