Panaji - Fontainhas

Fontainhas is an interesting quarter in Panaji, it is one of the old Portuguese districts located west of the Ourem River. The terra cotta tiled houses with neoclassical facades have retained their colored exteriors. The yellow, ochre, blue and green paint is from the period when the Portugese insisted that only churches could be painted white.

The narrow cobbled streets of Fontainhas, named for the natural spring Fonte Phoenix, is reminiscent of the Mediterranean. The whitewashed Chapel of St. Sebastian contains a number of interesting features including a crucifix that hung in the Palace of the Inquisition in Old Goa and the Viceregal Palace.

Fontainhas and San Tomé, another old quarter, provide great atmosphere and scenery for a step back in time.