Saligao holidays

Holidays to Saligao take you to an off-beat village in North Goa, where lush landscapes meet a rich colonial heritage.

Goa at its most authentic

Saligao’s only 10-to-15 minutes’ drive inland from holiday hotspots Calangute and Candolim, but this under-the-radar village feels worlds away from its lively beach town neighbours. Traditional Indo-Portuguese-style houses line up along narrow lanes. Locals tuck in to thali dinners in casual Goan restaurants. A Gothic church glows in the evening light. And it’s all wrapped up in a pea-green blanket of lofty coconut trees and open fields. Stay here, and you’ll get to experience Goa at its most authentic, while still being just down the road from the popular tourist haunts – it’s the definition of ‘the best of both worlds’.

Colonial homes and a grand church

Signs of Saligao’s Portuguese heritage are all over. The first landmark you’ll notice is the whitewashed Mae De Deus Church, complete with Gothic spires, an intricately carved wooden door and a gold-splashed interior. It was built in the 1870s when Goa was under Portuguese rule. That era – which spanned over 450 years – also influenced the style of the village’s homes, a lot of which are grand mansions with ornate balconies set along leafy, winding lanes. Fancy a peek inside? You’re in luck – some have been given a splash of paint and converted into shops and restaurants.

Back-to-back beach towns

When it’s time for a change of pace, nearby Calangute will be your go-to. Tea-tinted sands, high-octane watersports and seafront bars make up its buzzy beach scene, and the backstreets are lined with cafés and market stalls. Just down the road in Candolim, things are a little quieter, so if you’re after crowd-free sands, it’ll be just the spot. There’s still plenty to get your teeth into there, though. The main thoroughfare’s packed with North Indian restaurants and souvenir shops, and there’s an old Portuguese fort with views out to sea.