A self guided walking tour of Fontainhas – the Latin quarter of Goa

Finally we took a self guided walking tour of Fontainhas – the Latin Quarter of Goa!

Although dreamy beaches, awesome parties, mouth watering food & vibrant night life are definitely the identity of Goa that most of us relate to. But, Goa has a lot of heritage, culture and history. Which many of us don’t bother to explore. Even we ourshelves are sinful of not exploring much of Goa beyond the beaches and party scenes on our previous trips to Goa. The first time we traveled to Goa, we stayed on Calangute Beach at Resort Terra Paraiso. All we did on this trip was to spend time on the beach. And took this one day trip covering the highlights of Goa. The next time we stayed in Beleza by the Beach – a beautiful property right on Colva beach in South Goa. And just relaxed. Except for visiting Arpora Night Market on Saturday evening for some shopping in Goa. Which was definitely very refreshing.

Related read :

Our stay at Beleza By the Beach Goa

Resort Terra Paraiso Goa

But on none of these trips we dug into the rich history and culture of Goa. So, this time around, we are determined to do the same. And what can be a better place to explore the culture and history of Goa than the old Latin Quarters of Panjim, fondly called Fontainhas!! These quarters are flanked by an ancient creek called Orium Creek on the eastern side. And the Altinho Hills with springs to the west. In between lies a maze of some broad streets and some extremely narrow lanes. Which are flanked with vibrant colorful houses, built in Portuguese styles. For once, you will feel like you are in Portugal – while you explore Fontainhas.

How we toured Fontainhas

We took a self planned self guided walking tour of Fontainhas this time around. And that is what we are going to share with you today. We also have a map included in the post which you can easily follow to see all the pretty locations in Fontainhas. So, don’t forget to add this place to your list of places to visit in Goa when you are in Goa next. Self guided tour of Fontainhas will give you the flexibility to explore the streets at your own pace. And you can take deviations as well. But, if you are more comfortable with the idea of a guided tour, you can always book this walking tour of Fontainhas.

A little history about Fontainhas

Let’s begin our self guided walking tour of Fontainhas with a little history about the place. Antonio Joao de Sequeira, a wealthy Portuguese founded Fontainhas in the 18th century. At that time, Goa was a Portuguese colony. When the Portuguese government shifted it’s headquarters to Panjim, Fontainhas was transformed into a residential area. Many of the administrators of the Portuguese government lived here. In 1984, UNESCO recognized Fontainhas as a Heritage.

The Portuguese impact is very evident from the architecture of the houses that you see in Fontainhas. In some of these houses, the last generations of Portuguese families of Goa reside. While some others have been converted into libraries, art galleries, cafes, administrative offices, guesthouses and B&Bs. Interestingly, some of the main streets here are named after some important historical dates. For instance , “Rua 31 de Janeira” means January 31, the date when the Portuguese became independent from Spanish rule. Similarly, the 18th June  Street is named so to mark the day Portuguese rule ended in Goa.

Self Guided Walking Tour of Fontainhas

We reached Fontainhas in the evening around 5:30pm. And parked our car in the street right in front of St. Sabastian Chapel, besides Afonso Guest House – two of the important landmarks in Fontainhas. After this started our self guided walking tour of Fontainhas following this map:-

You can also take this 1.5 hours comprehensive cultural walk of Fontainhas with a group if you like group tours and guided tours. Through this tour you will definitely hear a lot of interesting stories behind the colorful and heritage buildings that Fontainhas houses.

St. Sabastian Chapel

Between all the colorful Latin Quarter of Goa stands tall a striking whitewashed Church – the St. Sabastian Chapel. It makes for a perfect spot to start the self guided walking tour of Fontainhas. Pay special attention to the crucifix at this Chapel. It has Jesus’s eyes open. Locals believe that this crucifix has special powers to heal, and reward the good, while punishing the bad.

Afonso Guest House

On the same street as St. Sabastian Chapel lies Afonso Guest House, our next stop in our self guided walking tour of Fontainhas. It is a guest house run by the famous Afonso family of Goa. But, it is much more than a mere guest house for those looking to immerse in the old Goan Culture. With modern comfort and tranditional Portuguese style setup, it’s hospitality is a class apart.

Velha Goa Galeria

Velha Goa specializes in traditional hand painted azulejos. Visit the store as the next stop on the self guided walking tour of Fontainhas. Pretty in yellow, the building itself is beautiful. But even more beautiful are the artifacts that it houses. Hand painted, as well as a collection of ceramic items. The raw materials for these items are directly imported from Portugal! And the craftsmanship is on the tranditional lines, yet with modern touches. So, everyone finds something here to their liking.

Gitanjali Gallery

A beautiful art gallery that is next on our self guided walking tour of Fontainhas is Gitanjali Gallery. Almost located at the heart of Fontainhas, this art gallery of Fontainhas houses a lot of original art work. And these are done by not just renowned souls. But also local artists. Moreover, Gitanjali Gallery houses all forms of art including contemporary, modern and traditional. So, all kind of art lovers are definitely going to find something to their liking here.

Bombay Coffee Roasters

Although it is one of the many Coffee shops or cafes in Fontainhas, the reason we put Bombay Coffee Roasters on our self guided walking tour of Fontainhas is the quaint setting and the graffiti wall.  Indeed, the coffee here is as refreshing as the cafe itself! So, many visitors to Fontainhas like to take a coffee break here, enjoying some refreshments while admiring it’s ambiance.

Fundação Oriente

The Fundação Oriente’s delegation in India was established in Panjim, Goa in 1995. Since then, it works in conjunction with Archeological Survey of India & Indian Council of Cultural Relations and several other institutions. It is the next stop on our self guided walking tour of Fontainhas. Housed in a very traditional portuguese building, it helps support several important activities that help keep the Portuguese spirits of Goa alive. These include – teaching of Portuguese in the secondary schools of Goa, conservation and restoration of cultural heritage. And it also helps the deserving with scholarship support for artistic and cultural research works and projects.

Peacock Steps

Further down on the tour you will come across one of the most colorful steps that you would have ever seen – The Peacock Steps. This was one stop in my self guided walking tour of Fontainhas for which I had to put zero effort to recognise. Since, from a distance itself you can see the beautiful large peacock painted all over the steps. In good times, one can take these steps to cross the area and reach other side of the quarters. But they were closed when we visited. Alas, we couldn’t walk on them!

Font Phoenix Springs

Font Phoenix or Fountain Phoenix or the Phoenix Springs is the last stop on our self guided walking tour of Fontainhas. But also the most special one. Since, the whole region of Fontainhas gets it’s name from Font Phoenix. At the foothill of the Altinho hill lies this spring. It consists of a natural spring near which a pillar is constructed with a golden Phoenix perched atop the pillar. This officially marks the other end of Fontainhas. And we come to an end of our self walking heritage walk of Fontainhas.

But, right atop the Altinho Hills lies the famous Maruti temple. So, if you still have got time at hand, do visit this as well while on your self guided walking tour of Fontainhas.

What else to do on a Fontainhas Heritage Walk

Initially I was very keen on seeing all of the above landmark spots in Fontainas. But as I walked through the cobbled streets, past beautiful heritage homes of Panjim, I realized my self guided tour was not about just visiting these places. It was more about getting lost into some of those quaint streets, taking random turns. Trying to get lost (We never actually could since all streets here are inter-winded and you end up in the same spot where you started !!). Eating in some of the beautiful cafes. Clicking random houses since each one is as pretty as the other. And imagining the era when all these houses were thriving with owners & their families who made a vibrant community! So, we encourage you to just deviate and explore as you wish.

In the process of our random exploration, we discovered a beautiful house with a well in front of it. Which is obviously not operational anymore. And there was a rooster figurine as well sitting on top of the well.

Further, I came across several beautiful and antique doors.

And some very colorful houses.

In fact, while I was busy clicking pictures of a cute door to a heritage home, the owner arrived. Without making any sound, he just stood behind me patiently. And when I was done taking the picture & turned to walk away, he silently entered his house. Actually, Abhishek noticed it and told me the story later!!

There are a few beautiful Churches right outside of Fontainhas, you can visit them as well.

Where to eat in Fontainhas, Panjim

The streets of Fontainhas are dotted with cute cafes, beautiful little inns, homely breakfast places and bakeries. Every few steps you will find one. While some like Nostalgia, Viva Panjim and Panjim Inn are famous for their fine experience. There are many others which are very light on the pocket. We ate in one newly opened small cafe cum restaurant called “Rice & Curry“. The food was tasty and the staff very courteous and friendly. Another one very famous for it’s authentic Portuguese recipes is Horse Shoe. Even the bakeries of Fontainhas have some of the most mouth watering cookies, cakes, pastry rolls and cream rolls. So, don’t forget to try these out while you are at Fontainhas.

Where to stay in Fontainhas

There are many B&Bs & Guest Houses in Fontainhas. You will encounter several on your self guided walking tour of Fontainhas. Needless to say, many of these are housed inside heritage homes. And serve authentic Portuguese and Goan food to their guests. Thus, staying in one of these means living the heritage! Some of the famous accommodation option in Fontainhas include:

1. Welcome Heritage Panjim – a 19th Centuary house that is specially renowned for its antique furnitures and traditional decor.
2. Panjim Inn
3. La Maison Fontainhas
4. Mitaroy Goa Hotel 

General tips on visiting Fontainhas

• Visit either early in the morning or late in the evening to avoid the afternoon heat.
• Keep at least 1 hour apart to explore the area.
• There is not too much of walking to be done, most of the sites are located within 30-50 feet of each other.
• Do be mindful of not disturbing the people who actually live here. Don’t create too much noise. Park you vehicle without blocking their entryways. And most importantly, don’t photograph people and the insides of the houses until you have taken the owner’s due permission
• You can as well club your trip to Fontainhas with a Walking Tour of the Churches of Old Goa. Or, simply visit Panjim city, shopping etc.
• Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception is also nearby

 

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