About Margao
The capital of Salcete Province, Margao is the main population center of southern Goa and a pleasant provincial town which still displays many reminders of its Portuguese past. It is connected to the rest of the Indian sub-continent by rail. Margao is the headquarters of South Goa District and is considered the main commercial city of Goa. It is famous for its ancient cultural heritage and traditional customs of the people of Goa.
Places of Interest
The Largo
de Igreja
The Largo de
Igreja, or the Church of the Holy Spirit as it is also known,
dominates the entrance to the city, just north of the Municipal
Garden square. The church area is surrounded by beautiful old
residential houses still in pristine condition. The church was built
by the Portuguese in 1675 and is one of the finest examples of
late-Baroque architecture in Goa, boasting a pristine white façade
and an interior dripping with gilt crystal and stucco.
The famous "House of Seven Gables" or "Sat Burzam Ghor"
The famous "House of Seven Gables" or "Sat Burzam Ghor" is a
magnificent mansion was commissioned in 1790 by Sebastino da Silva,
emissary and private secretary of the Portuguese Viceroy. There are
only 3 gables exist now.
Best way to reach Margao
- By air: Goa International Airport at Dabolim, about 25 km away; Manohar International Airport at Mopa, in north Goa, is about 70 km away.
- By rail: Madgaon Junction on the Konkan Railway, with trains from Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru and Keralam.
- By road: On the coastal highway (NH 66); Kadamba Transport buses link Margao with Panaji and the rest of Goa.
Check flights at the Airports Authority of India and trains at IRCTC; distances are approximate.
Known for: Cashew feni
Feni, distilled from the juice of the cashew apple in small village stills, is Goa's own spirit; the cashew orchards of Salcete and the hills around Margao supply it.
Source: Geographical Indications registered in India, state by state, Geographical Indications Registry, as on 31 December 2025 (PDF).