Fontainhas Heritage Walking Tour, Panaji

Located in the heart of Goa, the colourful neighbourhood of Fontainhas stands as a testament to the region’s rich history and cultural heritage. Characterized by its picturesque narrow streets, vividly coloured Portuguese-style residences, and lively markets, this neighbourhood offers a captivating insight into Goa’s colonial legacy and is best explored on a Fontainhas heritage walking tour.

Panaji, Goa | India

Fontainhas, popularly known as the ‘Latin Quarter’ of Panaji, is a neighbourhood that William Dalrymple rightly called a “small chunk of Portugal washed up on the shores of the Indian Ocean”. It was established in the 18th century by Antonio Joao de Sequeira, a Goan who made his fortune in Mozambique. This area is a distinct reminder of Goa’s tryst with the Portuguese. The houses, painted in bright primary colours have white trims and terracotta tiled roofs. Narrow lanes, overhanging balconies, and an abundance of azulejos tiles give Fontainhas its quaint Mediterranean feel. The area is dotted with eateries selling fresh seafood and feni and old-world bakeries laced with the mouth-watering aroma of buttery bebincas and the ubiquitous Goan pao. Many of Fontainhas’ oldest residents trace their ancestry to Portuguese seafarers and traders who settled here and speak the language of their ancestors to this date.

A visit to Fontainhas is a must-do on any trip to Panaji. Grab your comfy-est walking shoes, a bottle of water, your camera and notepad, and put on your sunglasses as we hit the streets to explore Fontainhas on a heritage walking tour! 

Fontainhas Heritage Walking Tour: Stops

Panaji’s most Instagrammable spots other than the stops themselves are marked with a ‌‌‌‌📷.

Fonte Phoenix

Located at the base of the Altinho Hill, Font Phoenix or Fountain of the Phoenix gives Fontainhas its name (fountain, fonte in Portuguese) and thus it’s the perfect starting point for our Fontainhas walking tour. We wanted to see if the image of the golden phoenix wearing the viceroy’s crown still exists but we couldn’t climb down as the façade was being renovated. The current structure around the natural spring was constructed during the tenure of the Portuguese Governor, Joaquim Jose Januario Lapa in 1885. (Here, we would like to mention that Fontainhas was built on reclaimed land rich in natural springs. Only two– Fonte Phoenix and Boca de Vaca– survive to this day.)

Maruti Temple¹ 

The most important landmark in the Hindu district of Mala is this bright orange temple that is decked with lights every night. Located on Altinho Hill, Maruti Temple is dedicated to Lord Ganesha. Huff and puff up the slope and you will be rewarded with gorgeous views of Fontainhas and its red-roofed vista of maroon, yellow, and indigo houses shimmering in the sun.

Rua Armada Portuguesa² 

We stumbled upon a beautiful stairway adorned with colourful tiles at the western end of Rua Armada Portuguesa while rambling through Fontainhas at sundown. To reach, trace your steps down Altinho Hill and head north along Ramachandran Naik Road. It is definitely one of the most Instagrammable spots in Panaji.

Fundação Orienté

The next stop on our Fontainhas heritage walking tour is a marvellous Indo-Portuguese-style building on Felipe Neri Road. Fundação Orienté works to preserve Goa’s colonial-era cultural legacy. They organize several events throughout the year and the annual Monte Music Festival in the courtyard of the restored Capela da Nossa Senhora do Monte. The building houses a collection of paintings by Goan painter António Xavier Trindade (1870-1935).

Bombay Coffee Roasters

Stop for coffee by Bombay Coffee Roasters at Old Quarter by the Hostel Crowd. If you are a tea lover like us, we recommend the chilli chai.

If you are looking for a place to stay in Panaji, the Old Quarter Hostel is an excellent option. We stayed here on our trip to Goa and absolutely recommend it.

📷 The colourful graffiti on the southern façade of the hostel is one of the most Ingrammable spots in Panaji.

Gallery Gitanjali

Heading north along Rua 31 de Janeiro, the next stop on the Fontainhas heritage walking tour is Gallery Gitanjali. Located across the street from Panjim Inn, the gallery houses a fantastic collection of artworks by local artists. Also on display are lithographs, etchings, woodcuts and other artworks by Scandinavian artists from the 50s and the 60s. The gallery is in a bright maroon heritage Portuguese house with a terracotta tiled roof and bright mosaic floors.

📷 Rua 31 de Janeiro, the stretch between Panjim Inn and La Maison Fontainhas, has a wealth of colonial-era architecture.
📷 If you can, tour Panjim Pousada (a restored Hindu home turned heritage hotel) for its display of artworks. 
📷 The bright yellow building that houses Guesthouse Afonso.

Marçou Artifacts

We picked up a souvenir, a set of Mario Miranda postcards, from this wonderful curio shop selling artefacts designed and crafted by local artists. Their collection is quintessentially Goan. Apart from posters and paintings, they stock an impressive selection of ceramics ranging from trays, vases, and azulejos tiles to the cutest baby squids and fishes.

📷 The tiny altar of Jesus on the wall between Marçou and Viva Panjim.

Viva Panjim

A brief stop at Viva Panjim, one of the best places to eat in Panaji, will ensure that we are well-fed on our Fontainhas heritage walking tour! Opt for any of their pork or seafood dishes. We recommend the xacuti, the crab xec xec, masala surmai, and the vindaloo. To finish off, please your sweet tooth with a serving of serradura or bebinca. You can either lunch here or further ahead at Horseshoe.

📷 The vintage furniture at Viva Panjim, especially the majestic mirror.

Chapel of St. Sebastian

On the large wooden crucifix, Christ’s eyes are open to strike fear in the heart of “heretics,” so beware! Built in 1818, this pretty whitewashed church houses one of only a few relics remaining as a testament to the Goan Inquisition: a crucifix, which until 1812 stood in the infamous Palace of the Inquisition in Old Goa. Mass is held daily in Konkani at 6:45 am and in mid-November, the streets are lit up to celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Livrament. To reach, walk west from Viva Panjim and turn south on Rua de Natal.

Also read: Read The Complete Guide to Vagator to plan a trip to this lovely beach town.

📷 The intersection of Rua Natal and St. Sebastian Road is marked with azulejos tiles on a maroon wall.
📷 Walking south from the chapel, through a tangle of houses, we found some of the prettiest nameplates painted on azulejos. Check out the narrow staircase on your right.

Poço do Rego well

Right next to the Chapel of St. Sebastian, this wishing well with two brightly painted roosters keeping watch seems straight out of a book of illustrated fairy tales! Don’t miss this wishing well on your Fontainhas heritage walking tour.

Rua de Natal

Rua de Natal is, perhaps, my favourite slice of Fontainhas. Traditional Portuguese houses flaunt their brightly painted façades and house signs hand-painted on azulejos tiles. Keep an eye out for the strips of seashells stuck on the window panes. They are supposed to keep the interiors cool and dry.

📷 Abrigo de Botelho, the bright blue building with overhanging balconies.

Confeitaria 31 Rua Janeiro‍³

Drop in at this little gem of a bakery tucked away in an alley because you owe your tastebuds some love! The beef pastries and mushroom pastries at Confeitaria 31 Rua Janeiro‍ are to die for! If you’re craving sugar, go for their Swiss roll.

Global to Local

A brainchild of two amazing women, Global to Local is a recent addition to Fontainhas and stocks Goan pantry staples like kokum, tirphal, atom sola, and various other ingredients, including spice mixes for Goan dishes like rechaedo. They also stock guava cheese and a variety of biscuits. The staff is helpful and they’ll tell you how to use the ingredients.

Joseph Bar

If you continue north on 31 de Janeiro and take a right on Gomes Pereira Road, you’ll find Joseph Bar, our favourite neighbourhood bar in Fontainhas. Stop here for a tipple before we continue on our Fontainhas heritage walking tour.

Horseshoe Bar and Restaurant

From Confeitaria, if you head east on the Rua Sua Janeiro and turn left on Rua de Ourem, you will reach Horseshoe known for its authentic Luso-Indian fare. Vasco Silveira, owner and chef, sources fresh ingredients daily and the spices are ground in-house.

📷 The pedestrian bridge across the road from Horseshoe.

Patto Bridge⁴

Post lunch, head north to one of Goa’s historical monuments, the Patto Bridge. Painted in white, the curved balustrade structure supported by Roman-style arches straddles the Ourem Creek. Though this is officially not a part of Fontainhas, we will end our walking tour of Fontainhas on this bridge with the cool breeze fumbling against our skin.

Thus with minds full of historical nuggets and bellies full of food, we end our walking tour of Fontainhas on the busy Rua de Ourem that snakes along the Ourem Creek.

Fontainhas Heritage Walking Tour: Detours

You can take a few detours to cover some more places on this Fontainhas heritage walking tour.

• If you continue along the switchbacks on 20 de Junho Avenue, past the Maruti Temple, you will reach the Bishop’s Palace.
• Turn right on Rua Tomas Ribeiro to reach the Goa Bench of the Bombay High Court of Bombay.
• Head west along Rua Emidio Garcia to the Church of the Immaculate Conception.
• Head east along Rua Dom Joao de Castro to Sao Tome Chapel and further towards Adil Shah’s Palace.

Fontainhas Heritage Walking Tour: Map

You can use our Fontainhas heritage walking tour map to plan your tour.

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Would you do the Fontainhas heritage walking tour on your Panaji trip?