Highlights
- Fort Aguada and its lighthouse
- Sunset at Chapora fort
- Calangute and Candolim beaches
- Basilica of Bom Jesus and Se Cathedral
- Fontainhas lanes in Panaji
- Evening river cruise on the Mandovi
This is Goa for a family with a long weekend and a bit: one hotel, no packing and unpacking, and one easy outing a day so the children still get their beach time. We base you near Candolim because it’s close to Aguada and the North Goa beaches but quieter at night than Baga. The forts and churches give grandparents something to see beyond the sea.
Day-wise itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Goa, evening on the beach
Pickup at Mopa airport, Thivim station or Dabolim airport, and drive to your hotel in the Candolim or Calangute area. Afternoon to settle in and the first evening on the beach.
Day 2: North Goa forts and beaches
Fort Aguada and its old lighthouse in the morning, with views over the Mandovi mouth. Then Candolim and Calangute beaches and lunch at a shack. In the late afternoon, drive up to Chapora fort for the sunset over Vagator, and stop at Anjuna on the way back if there’s time.
Day 3: Old Goa churches and Panaji
Morning in Old Goa: the Basilica of Bom Jesus, with the remains of St Francis Xavier, and the Se Cathedral across the road. After lunch, a walk through the Fontainhas lanes in Panaji and Miramar beach. In the evening, a river cruise on the Mandovi with Goan music and dance.
Day 4: Departure
A free morning. Drop at your airport or station. If you leave from Dabolim or Madgaon, we can route the drive past Colva beach in South Goa.
Adding Dudhsagar or a fourth night
Between October and the monsoon, we can add a day for the Dudhsagar falls: an early drive to Collem, the forest jeep to the falls, and a spice plantation lunch near Ponda on the way back. It makes this a 4-night trip. The jeep track is bumpy, so for grandparents we’d suggest a spice plantation morning on its own instead. In the monsoon, when the sea is closed for swimming, we swap the beach time for inland outings and a hotel with a good pool.
What's included and what isn't
Included
- Hotel in North Goa for 3 nights with breakfast
- Private car with driver for airport/station transfers and all sightseeing
- North Goa forts and beaches day
- Old Goa and Panaji day
- Pickup and drop at Mopa, Dabolim, Thivim or Madgaon
Not included
- Flights or train tickets (quoted on request)
- Mandovi river cruise tickets
- Water sports and Dudhsagar jeep
- Lunches and dinners
- Tips and personal expenses
Visa, costs, best time and travel tips: Goa Tour Packages.
