Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Chandor
The lush village of Chandor, 15km east of Margao, makes a perfect day away from the
beaches, and it's here more than anywhere else in the state that the once opulent lifestyles
of Goa's former landowners, who found favour with the Portuguese aristocracy, are still
visible in its quietly decaying colonial-era mansions. Chandor hosts the colourful
Feast of
the Three Kings
on the 6 January, during which local boys re-enact the arrival of the three
kings from the Christmas story.
Braganza House
, built in the 17th century, is possibly the best example of what Goa's
scores of once grand and glorious mansions have today become. Built on land granted by
the King of Portugal, the house was divided from the outset into two wings, to house two
sides of the same family. The
West Wing
( 2784201; admission ?150; 9am-5pm, last admission 4pm)
belongs to one set of the family's descendants, the Menezes-Bragança, and is filled with
gorgeous chandeliers, Italian marble floors, rosewood furniture, and antique treasures
from Macau, Portugal, China and Europe. Despite the passing of the elderly Mrs Aida
Menezes-Bragança in 2012, the grand old home, which requires considerable upkeep, re-
mains open to the public. Next door, the
East Wing
( 2857630; admission ?100; 9am-5.30pm)
is
owned by the Braganza-Pereiras, descendants of the other half of the family. It's nowhere
near as grand, but it's beautiful in its own lived-in way, and has a small but striking family
chapel that contains a carefully hidden fingernail of St Francis Xavier - a relic that's un-
derstandably a source of great pride. Both homes are open daily, and there's almost al-
ways someone around to let you in.
About 1km east of Chandor's church, the original building of the
Fernandes House
(
2784245; admission ?200; 9am-6pm)
, also known as Casa Grande, dates back more than 500
years, while the Portuguese section was tacked on by the Fernandes family in 1821. The
secret basement hideaway, full of gun holes and with an escape tunnel to the river, was
used by the family to flee attackers.
The best way to get here is by taxi from Margao (?350 round trip, including waiting
time).
