Full-Day Goa Shore Excursion Including Lunch at Spice Plantation

Your day starts with a morning pickup from Goa Cruise Port, then set off in an air-conditioned vehicle to explore the city with your private tour guide.

A beautiful temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located on a Hillock. The 400-year-old temple is known for its elegant structure and the pillars which are considered to be the most beautiful among the temples is Goa. A beautiful seven-story Deepa Stambha (decorative lamp tower), stands at the gates in the temple complex. The tank (reservoir) in front of the temple is the oldest part of the complex. If you walk down to the right-hand side of the temple you can also see the giant raths (chariots) that are used to parade the deities during the temple’s festival, which takes place in the last week of January or the first week of February.

Set amidst lush emerald hills, this temple is dedicated to Shree Shantadurga Devi. The Temple has an impressive idol of Goddess Shree Durga who mediated between Shree Vishnu and Shree Shiva and stopped the fierce-full war going on between the two. In Goa Goddess Shree Durga is worshipped as the goddess of peace and has traditionally had a large following.

Then, take a break for lunch at a tropical spice plantation. Guests are welcomed in a traditional way by offering Aarti, Kumkum, and a garland of flowers. Healthy and nutritious food is served in a traditional manner on a banana leaf. Afterward, have time to stroll around the grounds, taking in the butterfly garden and looking out for some of the 75 spices of birds that can be found there. Catch sight of some very rare and endangered species of birds.

Visit the World Heritage-listed Basilica of Bom Jesus, completed in 1605 and home to Saint Francis Xavier, who is said to have brought Christianity to the region. Famous throughout the Roman Catholic world, the imposing Basilica de Bom Jesus contains the tomb and mortal remains of St Francis Xavier, the so-called Apostle of the Indies. St Francis Xavier’s missionary voyages throughout the East became legendary. His ‘incorrupt’ body is in the mausoleum to the right, in a glass-sided coffin amid a shower of gilt stars.

Continue on to Se Cathedral, a magnificent 16th-century monument and the largest church in Goa. The Cathedral is dedicated to St. Catherine of Alexandria hence it is also known as St. Catherine's' Cathedral. With its superb Iberian façade, soaring ceilings, fabulous mosaic work, intricate wood and gilded carvings, the Se Cathedral, also sometimes called St. Catherine's cathedral is an absolute must-see for any visitor in Goa.

Finally, stop at the Church of St. Francis of Assisi, built in the 17th century , attached to the church is a convent, which has been converted into a museum by the Archaeological Survey of India in 1964. Thanks in part to its renovation in 1665, this graceful building displays a charming mix of architectural styles and intricately carved artwork.