Divar's hilltop church and old houses
Before the Portuguese arrived, Divar was a sacred island, home to an important temple of Saptakoteshwar, a form of Shiva later moved inland to Narve. The Portuguese built a church on the hill in the 16th century, and the present Church of Our Lady of Compassion dates from the 18th, with a white stucco interior that is among the most refined in Goa.
From the churchyard and the old cemetery beside it, the view runs across the Mandovi to the towers of Old Goa and upriver to the hills. Your guide explains the island's history, from temple to parish, and the way its villages are organised into wards, each with a chapel and a cross.
We then walk through the lanes below the hill, past houses with balcões, carved doors and tiled roofs, some restored and some crumbling, and stop at a chapel or a family's porch where invited. The visit ends at the jetty as the light goes, with the ferry back to Old Goa.
Questions travellers ask
Good to know
What is there to see on Divar island?
The hilltop Church of Our Lady of Compassion at Piedade with its views to Old Goa, old Portuguese-era houses and chapels in the villages, paddy fields and mangrove creeks. Divar is about quiet roads and village life rather than major sights.
How do you get to Divar island?
Take the government ferry from the Old Goa jetty, a crossing of about five minutes. Ferries carry cars and run from early morning to late evening. There is no road bridge from the Old Goa side, and timings change in the monsoon, so check current status before you travel.
Is there anywhere to eat on Divar?
There are a few small cafés and family-run places serving Goan meals, and some homestays cook lunch by arrangement. We book ahead so that a simple fish curry rice or a home-style lunch is ready when you arrive.
Also in Divar and Chorao islands
More hours to plan around
