Margao

See

Some landmarks in Margao include the Presentation Convent (Holy Spirit Church area) and the Fatima Convent (near the municipal square). They are two of Margao's oldest unisex high schools started and being run by Catholic religious congregations, for girls.

Clergy Home along arterial Padre (Pe.) Miranda Road was among the first shelters for retiring priests built by the Goa Archdiocese. Today you can see the reconstructed version. It is near today's district hospital, Hospicio, which is a unique edifice in its own right. It was founded by Rev. Antonio Joao de Miranda, a humble Catholic clergyman, after whom the thoroughfare outside is named.

Clube Harmonia was originally called the Clube de Margao (subsequently renamed as Teatro de Harmonia) operating from a house at the Borda locality. The idea of a modern building for the Teatro de Harmonia was mooted by its members in 1936. The present structure was built 1955. Together with Bernado Peres da Silva (BPS) Club, Clube ABC and Margao Cricket Club, Harmonia is today a leading social club of the town.

Hindu Mathagramasth Sabha: As the 'mathagram' in the name suggests, it's a Brahmin institution. It has provided yeoman's service in education, irrespective of creed or caste, to Margaoites. It runs the Damodar Arts & Science Higher Secondary School (not to be mixed up with Damodar College, that's run by Vidhya Vikas Mandal, a different ball game), one of the best higher secondary schools in Goa, if one goes by Std. XII science b…

Do

See the musical fountain on weekend evenings, near Nanutel hotel Watch an Indian movie at one of the several cinemas If you go around May/June, there is a feast of the Holy Spirit church. To celebrate this, there is a huge street side sale of everything from clothes to furniture to kitchen utensils. It's near the KTC bus stand along the road. Try to lay your hands on the inexpensively priced "Margao Heritage Walk Map", that has been researched by architect-urban planner Ashish K Sinai Rege of Altinho Panjim. This is a creatively crafted map that offers suggestions for three 'heritage walks' around Margao. Each is of 20, to 35 and 45 minutes.

Buy

Margao also has a 'covered' market (earlier Mercado de Afonso de Albuquerque, near Pimplapedd or Pimpalakatta in Konkani), along Francisco Luis Gomes Road (a.k.a. Old Station Road), even if the town's main market today adjoins the Kadamba bus terminus near its northern reaches.

There are markets all over the place.

Gandhi Market In and around the Municipal Building, in the heart of town. Near the KTC bus stand, at the entry to the town, from the Panjim side.

Eat

Margao isn't as rich in decent eating places as the touristic coast nearby. But because Margao is a town rather than a tourist destination, the restaurants are open year-round.

Check some on these list: the restaurant at Hotel Nanutel (Indian/Chinese/mixed). Longuinhos (Goan/Indian/Chinese). Hotel Woodlands' bar. The restaurant of Hotel Saaj (Malayalee specialities). Shahi Durbar along FL Gomes (Old Station) Road for Mughlai/Indian, with nice cuisine even if a crowded area. Gaylin along Varde Valaulikar Road (behind the Collectorate) and Rice Bowl at Reliance Park, along the Margao-Colva Road, just beyond the municipal limits (Chinese), which is worthy of a recommendation.

Tato's (Apna Bazaar Complex) MainLand China (behind Loyola High School) Kamat Hotel (Colva bus stand) Shalimar Golden Chariot's Relish: multi cuisine restaurant,but specialists in seafood (GOGOL) Bhel Puri stands around the park China Gate (west of the police station) Kandeel is very popular with locals, including retired couples. The ambience is very plain but the Goan food (fish curry thali) and cocktails are inexpensive and excellent (as of 2011).

Sleep

Places to stay include the GTDC-run Margao Residence (fair place to stay on a budget), behind the municipal building; Hotel Woodlands; Nanutel; Hotel Saaj (behind Fatima Convent), Miguel Loyola Furtado Rd (behind Fatima Convent); Government Rest House, Monte; and Gold Star Hotel (Isidorio Baptista Road).

Others: Woodlands, Margao's first multi-storeyed modern hotel (the ones before were lodges and traditional pensoes that almost went to rot), Hotel Saaj and the slightly upper middle-end Nanutel which stands on part of the Cine Metropole property, opposite Ana Fonte.

There are of course numerous lodges farther away from the city centre, (₹300-500), and with corresponding facilities. Milan, Goa Lodge, and a sprinkling around the Khareaband road leading to Benaulim, are generally patronised by outstation travelling salesmen. But there are better places to eat and stay outside of Margao proper.

Go next

Move on to the nearby beaches of Colva, Benaulim or Palolem.

Ponda Karwar Udupi Dharwad Anshi National Park