Most people’s image of Goa involves a combination of beaches, drugs, all-night raves, and burnt out hippies. Few come here to take in the Portuguese heritage of Panaji, its capital city. This is the side of Goa that captured my attention.

The Portuguese settled in India before the British and left after them. In the early 1500s they established a capital at Velha Goa. By the end of the century, the city surpassed the imperial capital in Lisbon, leading to the proverb “Quem viu Goa, dispensa de ver Lisboa” (He who has seen Goa, need not see Lisbon). Its heyday was short lived. Soon, cholera, malaria, and the inquisition led to a rapid decline. A population which once rivaled London and Paris was reduced to a mere handful. Velha Goa became a buggy ghost town with some very large cathedrals, most of which can be visited through this excellent quicktime tour.