A coastal village known with the name of ‘the pride of Salcete’, Colva is one of the most beautiful places in South Goa. The village gives a tough competition to Calangute with its list of attractions and pristine ambience. Serenity seekers visit Colva in abundance to ditch the usual crowded places in Goa. It is also an ideal place to relish beach parties which let you have a whale of a time. Colva has a significant influence of Portuguese culture as it was the village of the Portuguese Roiz family in the past.
Colva beach remains the most popular lure here with a coastline of around 2.4 km. The white sands of the beach look beautiful and give a perfect contrast to the turquoise sea water. Unwind at the shoreline as the swinging palm trees wash away all your tiredness. The shoreline of Colva beach stretches to Bogmalo Beach to the north and Cabo de rama Beach to the South Goa. The beach is nestling with numerous beach shacks, food stalls and small restaurants where you can enjoy a great time.
Another popular attraction here is the Church of Our Lady of Mercy built in Colonial era. This ancient church was commissioned in 1581 and was finally founded in 1630. The main feature of the church is a statue of the infant Jesus. The church is known for hosting the annual Fama Festival in October when a huge procession is taken out on the streets with singing and dancing locals. Colva is also known for housing numerous Colonial Style Villas exhibiting British architecture and craftsmanship. Some of these villas have been transformed into resorts to offer travellers a taste of history of this place.
Travellers must also explore Benaulim Village and Beach located at a convenient distance of 2 km from Colva. This is a revered place for the Hindus and the Christians as it has some significant religious stories linked to it.
