Margao, the capital of the Salcete province, houses many commercial establishments. Margao is Goa's second largest city and commercial metropolis of Salcete taluka in South Goa. It still retains the atmosphere of Goa’s Portuguese colonial past, and is ideally connected to the rest of the Indian by rail. Margao is the headquarters of South Goa District and is regarded as the main commercial city of Goa. It is famous for its ancient cultural heritage and traditional customs of the people of Goa. Margao is known for its bazaars and restaurants, bus stands and railway stations. The picturesque Colva beach is just 5 km away from Margao.

Margao is also called Madgaon, Margaon and Margão. It is Goa's biggest city, the commercial capital of the state, and the administrative headquarters of South Goa District and of the Salcette Taluka.

The name may be pronounced as 'Modgow' in Konkani, the local language. Margão is the Portuguese form, and the form Margaon is also common. It is derived from Mathagram which means a place with a matha.

Nestled on the banks of the River Sal, Margão is amongst the oldest recorded towns in Goa. Margão is famous for the huge Portuguese style mansions which dot its landscape. It is also one of the fastest growing cities in Goa and includes several suburbs including Aquem, Borda and Fatorda.

Margão in pre-Portuguese times was one of the important settlements in Salcette and known as Matha Grama (the village of Mathas) as it was a temple town with nine Mathas in temple schools. Most of the inhabitant were Brahmin.It was then famous for its many outstanding and beautifully built temples, and long before the Portuguese came it had a university with a library. During the Portuguese conquest in 1543 Hindu temples were demolished and Catholic churches were built in their place. Almost all traces of Hindu settlements were wiped out. The first church to be built in Margão, and its replacement in 1579, were destroyed by raiders along with the seminary that had been built along side. The present church was built in 1675.

The initial settlement of Margao grew from the site of the Holy Spirit church. The original temple here was demolished and the temple tank was filled up. In its place the church and the church ground was built. On the western side the market place was developed and the settlement grew on the eastern side, that is, Borda region. The settlement grew with the church as its core and extended outwards.

Margão gained more and more importance as an administrative and commercial area because of the dependence on it of the surrounding towns and villages; hence the administrative centre with the town hall as its centre was built in the south. The commercial market became attached to it and was hence called mand-gaon or the market town of Goa, and since then the city has grown towards the east.

The Holy Spirit main square is defined on one side by the church with its baroque architecture and the parochial house, and on the other side by the palatial mansions of affluent elite Catholics, positioned in a row. The Associacao das Communidades building and the school being the odd exceptions. They add to its character and sense of scale. They have a maximum height of two stories, and balcaos and verandas facing the square. Parallel to the church square is the commercial street (old market). There is also a landscaped area next to the church called ‘Praca de Algeria’.

Holy Spirit Church

Places of interest in Margao are the Holy Spirit Church erected in 1565 with the outstanding cross built in front of the church.

Jorge Barreto Park

The large rectangular 'Jorge Barreto' Park in front of the colonial-styled building with its arched corridors is a remarkable feature, worth seeing.

Market of Margao

Margao's famous market presents the agricultural produce of the entire South Goa. The most notable of these is the 'Sat Burnzam Ghor', which originally had seven roofs. Thsi is one very ideal place to know about the market culture of Goa.

Monte ChurchMonte Church

The 'Monte Church' situated on a little promontory is another attraction worth visiting here. This place is an ideal point to get a bird's eye-view of the city below and the Arabian Sea, beyond.

Other Attractions

Chandreshwar Bhutnath Temple and the Rachol Seminary are also worth visiting in Margao.

By Rail

Margao's new Train station, the only stop in Goa for quite a few long distance express services on the Konkan Railway, lies 3 kms south of the town centre.

By Road

Local private buses to Colva and surrounding villages make stops at various places inside the town. Long distance buses to Panaji, Vasco and destinations outside Goa, stop and leave from the main Kadamba Bus Stand, 3 km away on the outskirts of the town.

Fruit and vegetables? Baked goods? Something to eat or drink or wear? Hardware or appliances or pots and pans? Silks by the meter in many thousands of colourful designs or rice by the kilo in any of dozens of varieties. You just think of anything and someone will sell you more than you ever knew you wanted. Yes, Margao is the place for all this. Margao is famous for its markets, which mostly offer agricultural produce. Even if you are not interested in buying anything, just stroll around and you will enjoy.