On a Fort Trail in Goa with an Archaeologist

On a Fort Trail in Goa with an Archaeologist

In this day tour, we will visit 3 alluring forts of Goa. Having been a trading centre as well as the seat of power for several Indian kingdoms and the Portuguese, Goa has an enviable collection of Forts. We will start the Fort trail at  Reis Magos Fort which served as a strategic location for the Portuguese army since the 16th century, then move on to Aguada which used to harbour political prisoners of the Portuguese and end at Chapora which is famous for being featured in the Bollywood block bluster film Dil Chahta Hain.

845 AM- Hotel pick up

930 AM- Reis Magos Fort

We reach the northern banks of the river Mandovi to visit Reis Magos Fort. Our cultural evangelist will make you relive the life and times of a bygone era when this Fort was a prominent feature of the Kingdom of the day. It used to be a base for the  Portuguese army since the 16th century. During Goa’s struggle for the liberation, it was used as a prison for the political prisoners. Post-independence, it also served as a hospital for some time.  We will visit two mini-exhibitions on the Freedom Struggle of Goa and the Goa of yesteryears.

11 AM- Fort Aguada

We drive to the majestic Fort Aguada overlooking the Arabian Sea. Massive ramparts and bastions constructed using the laterite stone welcome us.  Our guide will narrate events that happened in this Fort during the liberation of Goa from Portugal. We will visit the famous lighthouse of Aguada which has been guiding ships for centuries. During the Portuguese times, trade and warships used to be stationed here. Later it came to house political prisoners of the Portuguese. We will next visit the sea level portion which contains gunpowder storage rooms, prisons, barracks, officers and chaplains living quarters and a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Good Voyage. A highlight of this visit will be the largest of all the freshwater springs called the ‘Mother of water’ or ‘Mae de Agua’.

1245 PM- Chapora Fort of  Bollywood movie “Dil Chahta hai” fame

The last Fort on this trail is Chapora,  a mighty fortress on the banks of River Chapora that separated  Portuguese Goa and the Goa under the rules of local Marathas. Our guide will recap the important events which happened here which changed the course of Goan and Indian history and geography including the story of how Marathas under the leadership of Chhatrapati Shivaji attempted to free Goa from the Portuguese rule.

The fort is very famous among Bollywood movie fans because of featuring in the blockbuster ‘Dil Chahta Hai’.

2 PM- Lunch

4 PM- Drop back to hotel