Surrounded by fertile farmland, the town has always been an important agricultural market, and was once a major religious centre, with dozens of wealthy temples and Dharamshalas - however; most of these were destroyed when the Portuguese adsorbed the area into their Novas Conquistas during the 17th century.
Today, Catholic churches still outnumber Hindu shrines, but Margao has retained a distinctly cosmopolitan feel, largely due to a huge influx of migrant labour from neighbouring Karnataka and Maharashtra.
Prime Attractions of Margao (Madgaon)
Colva Beach
A hot season retreat for Margao's moneyed middle classes since long before Independence, Colva is the oldest and largest of South Goa's resorts.
Benaulim Beach
In Sanskrit known as "Banali" it was later corrupted by the Portuguese to Benaulim. It lies in the centre of Colva Beach, 7-km west of Margao.
Chandor
13-km east of Margao across the fertile rice fields of Salcete lies sleepy Chandor village, a scattering of tumbledown villas and farmhouses ranged along shady tree-lined lanes. The main reason to venture out here is the splendid Perreira Braganza / Menezes-Braganza house, regarded as the grandest of Goa's colonial mansions. Dominating the dusty village square, the house, built in the 1500s by the wealthy Braganza family for their two sons, has a huge double-storeyed façade, with 28 windows flanking its entrance. Braganza de Perreira, the great grandfather of the present owner, was the last knight of the King of Portugal; more recently, Menezes Braganza, a famous journalist and freedom fighter, was one of the few Goan aristocrats to actively oppose Portuguese rule. Forced to flee Chandor in 1950, the family returned in 1962 to find their house, amazingly untouched. The airy tiled interiors of both wings contain a veritable feast of antiques. Furniture enthusiasts, and lovers of rare Chinese porcelain, in particular, will find plenty to drool over, while anyone interested in religious relics should request a glimpse of St. Francis Xavier's diamond-encrusted toenail, recently retrieved from a local bank vault and enshrined in the east wing's tiny chapel. Visitors generally travel to Chandor by taxi but one can also get there by bus from Margao, or by train via Chandragoa station, 1-km northwest. While many people turn up without an appointment, it is still a good idea to call ahead through the tourist office.
Chaud
Chaudi, 33-km south of Margao, is Canacona district's charmless headquarters. Packed around a noisy junction on the main Panjim-Mangalore highway, it is primarily a transport hub, of interest to visitors only because of its proximity to Palolem, 2-km west. Buses to and from Panjim, Margao, and Karwar in Karnataka Taluka trundle in and out of a scruffy square on the main street, from where taxis and auto rickshaws ferry passengers to the villages scattered across the surroundings fields. The area's only pharmacy stand just off the crossroads, handy if one is staying in Palolem
Lutolim
Peppered around the leafy lanes of Lutolim, 10-km northeast of Margao, are several of Goa's most beautiful colonial mansions, dating from the heyday of the Portuguese empire when this was the countryseat of the territory's top brass. Lying just off the main road, the village is served by eight daily buses from Margao, which drop passengers off on the square in front of a lopsided looking church. The cream of Lutolim's houses lie within walking distance of here, nestled in the woods, or along the road leading south. However, visits have to be arranged in advance through the Margao tourist office. Within Loutlim: Pick of the crop in Lutolim is Miranda house, a stone's throw from the square. Fronted by a plain classical façade, the mansion was built in the 1700s, though renovated later following raids by a clan of rebel Rajput bandits. Today, it is occupied by a famous Goan cartoonist, and his family, direct descendants of the wealthy Areca planters who originally owned the surrounding estate. Route Caetan Miranda house, two minutes' walk south of the square, and Salvador Costa House, tucked away on the western edge of the village, are other mansions worth hunting out; the later is occupied by an elderly lady who only welcomes visitors by appointment. Lutolim's other attraction is the quirky model village cum heritage centre, a short way east of the square, called Ancestral Goa. Set up to show visitors a cross section of local village life as it was a hundred years ago, it's a well meaning but ultimately dull exhibition of miniature houses and dressed dummies.
Excursions from Margao (Madgaon)
The Old Market
If one is arriving in Goa on the Konkan Railway from Mumbai or South India, one will almost certainly have to pause in Margao to pickup onwards transport by road. The other reason to come here is to shop at the town's excellent market. Stretching from the south edge of the main square to within a stone's throw of the old railway station, the Bazaar centres on a labyrinthine covered area that's a rich source of authentic souvenirs and a good place to browse
The Stately Church Of The Holy Spirit(13Km.)
While one is here, take a short rickshaw ride north to the Stately Church of the Holy Spirit, in the heart of a dishevelled but picturesque colonial enclave. Presiding over the dusty Largo de Igreja Square, the church, built by the Portuguese in 1675, is one of the finest examples of late-Baroque architecture in Goa, boasting a pristine white façade and an interior dripping with gilt crystal and stucco. The picturesque farming villages strewn across the verdant countryside around Margao host a scattering of evocative colonial monuments and a handful of Hindu temples that can be visited on day trips from the coast.
How To Get There - Margao
By Road
Local private buses to Colva and Benaulim leave from in front of the Kamat hotel on the east side of Margao's main square. Long distance bus services one can get at the main Kadamba Bus Stand, 3-km further north, on the outskirts of the town. This is also the departure point for interstate services to Magalore, via Chaudi and Gokarn, and for services to Panjim and North Goa.
By Rail
Margao's new Train station, the only stop in Goa for most long distance express services on the Konkan Railway, lies 3-km south of the centre. The Reservation office (Monday-Saturday, 8.00 am-4.30 pm, Sunday 8.00 am- 2.00 pm) is divided between the ground and the first floor; bookings for the superfast Rajdhani Express to Delhi are made at the hatch to the left of the main entrance. Tickets for trains for Mumbai are short in supply so make sure to book the tickets well in advance. There is also a 24-hour Information Centre and round-the-clock pre-paid auto rickshaw stand outside the exit.
Places To Stay - Margao
With Colvo and Benaulim a mere twenty-minutes bus ride away the accommodation options are available in plenty at Margao. GTDC Tourist Hotel is standard budget hotel one can stay in at Margao.
Useful Information - Margao
Tourist Information Centres
GTDC's Information Office: (Monday-Friday 9.30 am-5.30 pm) sells tourist maps and keeps useful lists of train and bus timings.
Banks / Money Changers
Exchange Facilities: Available at the State bank Of India (Monday-Friday 10.00 am-2.00 pm, Saturday 10.00 am-noon) of the west side of the main square; the Bobcard office in the market sub-branch of the Bank of baroda, on Luis Gomez road, does visa encashments.
GPO: The GPO is at the top of the municipal gardens, although its Poste Restante is in a different building, 200m west on the Rua Diogo da Costa.
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