Panjim, the capital city of Goa, is a vibrant and bustling capital town. Today, it is the educational, commercial and cultural center of Goa.
It was connected in 1632 by the then Viceroy, Count de Linhares, Dom Miguel de Noronha, who built the 3.2 km causeway linking Panjim with Ribandar village. It exists even today and is known as the "Pointe de Linhares" and at the time it was constructed, was the longest bridge in existence. Around this time, against the backdrop of the decline of Old Goa, the idea of Panjim becoming the Capital of Goa slowly gained momentum. On December 1, 1759, the then Viceroy, Dom Manuel de Saldanha de Albuquerque, Count of Ega, shifted his residence from Panelim (near Old Goa) to Panjim. He moved to the newly re-modeled Adil Shah Fort, since known as "Idalcao's Palace" (Today a Museum). The "Father of Panjim" is a title that is said to belong to the Viceroy, Dom Manuel de Castro de Portugal (1826-1835). He began the process of slowly reclaiming land, initiated public projects, drainage systems and was also responsible for many of its government buildings and set the stage for Panjim to evolve into a magnificent city. By a royal decree on March 22, 1843 its status was elevated to a "City" and became the capital of Goa and was called "Nova Goa".
Driving through the city, you can see its colonial architecture. The Church of Immaculate Conception is a popular tourist spot, and is located in a beautiful shopping area. Walk through the busy streets of Panjim and shop for gifts and souvenirs.
On the way back, we board a river cruise at 6 PM on the river Mandovi, for an hour. Cruising along the city of Panjim Return to hotel by 7.30 to 8.00 pm