Things to do in Saligao, Sangolda & Pilerne

These inland villages along the CHOGM Road between Porvorim and Calangute have become Goa's design and dining belt, with old houses converted into restaurants, stores and studios. Saligao's landmark is the Gothic-style Mae de Deus church of 1873, floodlit at night. Sangolda and Pilerne hold the area's arts spaces: the Museum of Goa in the Pilerne Industrial Estate shows contemporary art and runs talks, workshops and children's sessions, and cafés in Sangolda host film screenings, markets and small gigs. There is no beach here and little late-night noise. Buses on the Calangute routes pass through, but a scooter is the practical way to hop between stops.