South Goa Heritage Tour: Portuguese Mansions & History

Three centuries of Portuguese architecture in one afternoon

A guided tour of South Goa's heritage mansions (the Figueiredo, Braganza, and Deao estates) with private transportation and a local English-speaking guide. You move through three properties built between the 1590s and early 1800s, each one filled with period furniture, family artifacts, and architectural details that blend Portuguese and Hindu styles. The tour runs 6 to 8 hours and includes all fees and taxes. Pickup is from your hotel or port.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore heritage mansions in South Goa

• Visit Figueiredo Mansion
• Tour Braganza House in Chandor Village
• See 213-year-old mansion by Kushavati River

The experience

If you're arriving by ship or have a free afternoon in Goa, this tour takes you straight into the homes that shaped the region's colonial past. The Figueiredo Mansion, built in 1590, decades before the Taj Mahal, belonged to the Podiar family, who took the name Figueiredo after converting to Christianity. Jesuit priests from the nearby Rachol Seminary designed the house, and its interior sits in sharp contrast to the paddy fields and coconut trees surrounding it. An 18th-century expansion, still called the "New house," shows how the family's power grew over time.

The Braganza House in Chandor Village spans two separate wings, each with its own story. The east side, occupied by the Pereira-Braganza family, holds a small chapel with a relic of St. Francis Xavier and a Great Salon floored in Italian marble with an antique European chandelier overhead. The furniture (much of it from the 18th century, made from local seeso wood and inlaid with mother of pearl by craftsmen from Curtorim) includes a pair of high-backed chairs bearing the Portuguese royal crest, a gift from King Dom Luis of Portugal. The west wing belongs to the Menezes-Braganza family and houses Chinese porcelain from Macau, family portraits dating to the 17th and 18th centuries, and what is believed to be Goa's first private library, with nearly 5,000 leather-bound books collected by journalist Luis de Menezes Braganza.

The third stop is a 213-year-old mansion built by a Portuguese nobleman who was Dean of the Church and founder of Quepem town. The house faces the church he built and sits on the banks of the Kushavati River, blending Hindu and Portuguese architectural elements. Its gardens have been preserved as some of the most beautiful pleasure gardens in the region. Your guide, a local who speaks English, moves you between the three houses by private car or minivan, depending on whether you book as a private tour from your hotel or as a shared group excursion from the port.

What’s included

• Private transportation between the three mansions.
• a local English-speaking guide.
• all entry fees and taxes.
• pickup from your hotel or port.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 08:00, 09:00 and 10:00

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (6 to 11 years) · Infant (1 to 5 years)

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 4 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48h

Prices and times updated 7 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Crossmiles Travel Pvt. Ltd.

Is this one for you?Book the private tour if you're staying at a hotel and want to move at your own pace. Book the shared group option if you're arriving by ship and prefer to travel with other passengers in a minivan.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 11 years); Infant (1 to 5 years).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is inside the Figueiredo Mansion that makes it so old?

The Figueiredo Mansion was built in 1590 by Jesuit priests from Rachol Seminary for the Podiar family, who took the name Figueiredo after converting to Christianity. It predates the Taj Mahal by decades and is the oldest of the three houses on the tour. An 18th-century expansion called the "New house" was added as the family's power and wealth grew.

Can I see furniture and objects from Portugal at Braganza House?

Yes. The Braganza House holds 18th-century furniture made from local seeso wood inlaid with mother of pearl, a pair of high-backed chairs bearing the Portuguese royal crest (a gift from King Dom Luis of Portugal), Chinese porcelain from Macau, and family portraits from the 17th and 18th centuries. The east wing also has a Great Salon with Italian marble flooring and an antique European chandelier.

How long does the tour take and what is included in the price?

The tour runs 6 to 8 hours and includes private transportation between the three mansions, a local English-speaking guide, and all fees and taxes. Pickup is from your hotel or the port, depending on which option you book.

Is the Deao mansion also on the river?

Yes. The 213-year-old Deao mansion sits on the banks of the Kushavati River and was built by a Portuguese nobleman who was Dean of the Church and founder of Quepem town. The house faces the church he built and blends Hindu and Portuguese architectural styles, with gardens that have been preserved as some of the region's most beautiful pleasure gardens.