Mario Miranda Gallery
For those who are unfamiliar with Mario Miranda, he was a well-known Indian cartoonist and painter based in Goa and best known for his beautiful caricatures and paintings that portrayed Goan pop culture. Representing the Goan spirit, the beautiful items with a Mario print make for a perfect souvenir to take back home with you and brighten up your shelf. You’ll find these items at the four Mario Miranda Galleries in Goa: Panjim, Calangute, Porvorim, and Margao. In these galleries, there is an array of keepsakes in the form of mugs, frames, cups and saucers, tiles and T-shirts, to name a few.
Panjim Market
For souvenirs truly unique to Goa, head to Panjim Market, which is brimming with street-style stalls and malls that sell the very famous, indigenously produced Goan feni (there are two types – cashew feni and coconut feni), Goan port wine, Goan spices, Portuguese-style handicrafts, seashell jewellery and cashew nuts. If you are hungry, you are in luck as there are a plethora of eateries dishing out delicious local food.
Anjuna Flea Market
The Anjuna Flea Market is a perfect place to experience the liveliness of Goa. Nestled in Anjuna Beach, this vibrant spot features a plethora of canopy-covered stalls and hundreds of travellers finding the perfect Goan item. In this market, you will find everything that will help you relive your travel moments. Handicrafts, antiques, souvenirs, hammocks, wooden crafts and carvings, Goa trance music CDs, trinkets, clothes, junk jewellery, boho accessories, footwear, bags, and beachwear – if you can name it, this market will have it. Another great thing about it is that there are numerous food stalls from where you can grab a snack while shopping. This market, however, is only open on Wednesdays from 9 am until 6 pm. And while everything looks tempting, be sure to bargain well before you fill your shopping bags to the brim.
Tibetan Market
The Tibetan Market is a fascinating place with a blend of items from different parts of the country, and the Buddhist prayer flags and jap malas clinging to the market contribute to the wonderful atmosphere here. It features a series of stalls by Tibetan refugees, Kashmiris and even locals. Whether you want a souvenir to gift or something for yourself or a showpiece to embellish your house, you will find an array of everything. The art pieces, silver artefacts, precious stones, jewellery, embroidery, T-shirts, wall hangings, clothes, accessories and knick-knacks are the most sought-after items here that you can buy as a keepsake. If you show your haggling skills, you will be rewarded.
Panjim
Tilework is taken seriously in Goa, especially azulejos (painted tiles), which are a form of Portuguese hand-painted, tin-glazed ceramic tiles. Panjim is one of the best places where you can find some beautiful Portuguese tile souvenirs, which are exclusive to Goa. Some of the spots in Panjim to buy azulejos are Galeria Azulejos, Velha Goa Galleria and De Goa Ceramics.
Handicrafts Emporium
Goa is known for its handicrafts, and you will find an impressive selection of them in the area. Some unique items you’ll run across are crafts made of coconut shells, hand-made hats, seashell jewellery, carpets, artistic weaving, and woollen tapestry, just to name but a few. There are numerous government handicraft emporiums as well as many flea markets that sell exquisitely crafted wares at reasonable prices.