OUR DESTINATIONS
Let us help you find your perfect holiday by phoning us on
We offer holidays to the four corners of the globe. If you want specialist advise please phone our travel team and we will be happy to help.
Alternatively, check out some of our holiday offers below.
- Destinations
- Asia
- India
- Goa
- Old Goa
Old Goa
Old Goa was the state's capital city until 1843, when it was
moved down river to Panaji. Once a byword for splendour, with a
population of several hundred thousand, Old Goa was virtually
abandoned from the 17th century, as the river silted up and a
series of malaria and cholera epidemics drove out the inhabitants.
It takes some imagination to picture the once-great capital as it
used to be. The maze of twisting streets, piazzas and grand
Portuguese villas have long gone: all that remains are a score of
extraordinarily grandiose churches and convents. Old Goa has been
declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and today is the state's
main cultural attraction. Tourists take a break from the beach
resorts to come and admire the massive facades and beautiful
interiors of the city's well-preserved churches. The Tuscan St
Catherine's Cathedral is the largest church in India and took
eighty years to build, finally being consecrated in 1640. The scale
and detail of the Corinthian-style interior is overwhelming: huge
pillars divide the central nave from the side aisles, and no less
than fifteen altars are arranged around the walls. An altar to St
Anne treasures the relics of the Blessed Martyrs of Cuncolim, whose
failed mission to convert the Moghul emperor Akbar culminated in
their murder; while a chapel behind a highly detailed screen holds
the Miraculous Cross, which stood in a Goan village until a vision
of Christ appeared on it. Reported to heal the sick, it is now kept
in a box; a small opening on the side allows devotees to touch it.
Other sights worth seeing include the Arch of the Viceroys, built
in 1597 to commemorate Vasco da Gama's arrival in India, and the
distinctive, domed Church of St Cajetan (1651), modelled on St
Peter's in Rome. Old Goa is a major site for Christian pilgrims
from all over India who come to visit the tomb of St Francis
Xavier, the renowned 16th-century missionary whose remains are
enshrined in the Basilica of Bom Jesus.
Information & Facts
Language
Although English is generally used for official and
business purposes, Hindi is the official language and is spoken by
about 40 percent of the population. Urdu is the language common
with the Muslim demographic. India has a total of 22 official
languages
Money
The currency is the Indian Rupee (INR), which is divided into
100 paise (singular paisa). Major currencies can be changed at
banks, and authorised bureaux de changes. It is impossible to
obtain rupees outside India, but no matter what time you arrive in
India there will be an exchange office open at the airport. It is
illegal to exchange money through the black market and it is
advisable to refuse torn notes, as no one will accept them apart
from the National Bank. It is best to change money into small
denominations. Travellers cheques and major credit cards are widely
accepted, particularly in tourist orientated establishments. ATMs
are not generally available.