I Stayed At And Captured Goa’s Latin Quarter Just Weeks Before Lockdown (20 Images)

I travel to Goa almost yearly and sometimes have stayed for as long as three months at a time, for work. I’ve heard and seen a couple of images of Goa’s Latin Quarters (Fontainhas) but this is the first time I visited it along with my sister. We stayed there for 3 days and took many pictures. These are some of my favourite ones.

About the locality: Located in Panjim, the Fontainhas is colourful spectacle that will bring you delight. It was founded in the late 18th century by Portuguese colonists and the houses there are painted in hues of green, pale yellow, and blue, along with red coloured tiled roofs, artistic doors, and overhead balconies. There are cute little cafés and bakeries that are over 100 years old dotting the streets of Fontainhas. One of the intriguing features of the houses and cottages in Fontainhas is that they are painted every year after monsoons; it’s a rule that was laid out by the Portuguese, which is followed today.

If you happen to be in this historic neighborhood during February, make sure to attend the Fontainhas festival. It is an art and cultural festival in which the historic houses are transformed into art galleries with locals putting on display their artworks that showcase the Goan heritage. In addition to that, musical and dance events are also held.

It’s best explored on foot and there are tons of walking/biking tours available. On average, it would take about 2 hours to explore the entire neighbourhood.