Glimpses de Goa: Igrejas, Templos e Plantação de Spices

Everything about the tour was a memory that's etched deep in our lives - i would rather say that Mario was the perfect host and made us feel comfortable Carefully chosen places - each with a story as exclusive and special through the eyes and words of Mario is captivating and surreal Cheers to Mario Regards Vaibhav soni (loads of love from Ira)

Mario has a detailed knowledge of the history of Goa which made the tour very informative. Covered all the main tourist spots and the plantation visit was very interesting and educational

Mario provided a bespoke tour for myself and the family taking us to the places that would interest us. He has amazing knowledge of the area, lots of contacts and knows what to recommend. He speaks perfect English and made our trip to Goa. Would fully recommend without hesitation.

The trip was informative and the plantation was delightful. Opportunity to have a refreshing lunch. Bought many spices and met wonderful people. Good photo opportunity.

Mario was very informative and managed to cover many of the highlights of Goa in one day. He also was flexible in accommodating the tour to meet our interests (shopping) and dinner plans. Highly recommend this private tour to anyone visiting the area.

Mr. Mario is definitely the best tour guide we have had in all our experiences anywhere in the world so far. Super knowledgeable, kind, and always available to accommodate last-minute requests. Qualities that any traveler looks for, whether the trip is for relaxation or adventure. The main strengths of his service are: Experience: Mario has been doing this job for 25 years now— and you can feel it! Even the smallest details are planned in advance rather than randomly arranged and later rationalized. There’s a huge difference, especially when it comes to services. Safe immersion: He wants to introduce you to the local environment while still keeping all necessary precautions. Lunch was fantastic, with delicious local cuisine—an absolute must-try. He truly cares about food quality. 5-star hygiene and service: Throughout the tour he constantly checked whether we were comfortable and if we needed water. During two points of the long route (right after the sweatiest parts) he provided us with sterilized towels soaked in cool, pleasantly scented water. All that after providing sanitazing gel. Wow! Warm personality and expertise: All the explanations he gave were delivered with passion and attention to detail. Being a tourist quite interested in history, I usually ask more questions than average. Despite this, he answered everything with enthusiasm and politeness. The one time he didn’t know the answer, he never tried to make something up or justify himself. He simply said, “I don’t know, but I’ll find out and let you know.” Great respect for this gentleman—with a capital G. Flexibility: Besides everything related to the tour, he allowed us to start a bit later since we had arrived in Goa the night before. He let us stop three times to buy what we needed and protected us in every situation to avoid typical tourist surcharges. Very much appreciated. I won’t go into detail about the activities, as they are described much better (and were fully respected throughout the tour) on his website or on those of third-party travel operators who resell his services. Specifically, we chose the package including the visit to the churches and Old Goa + a guided tour of a spice plantation (with local Goan lunch included). Thank you again, Mr. Mario — see you soon to continue our South Indian adventures.

I cannot compliment Mr. Mario enough for the Glimpses of Goa tour. We spent the most wonderful day learning about Goan culture and heritage. The history of the Portuguese presence in the area, along with the architecture and Christian churches, was fascinating, as was the visit to the spice plantation. We enjoyed a great traditional lunch and learned a lot about spice cultivation, their properties, and some interesting tips on how to use them. The plantation is located in the middle of the forest, giving you the feeling of being in the Indian jungle. I also wanted to buy some typical Indian jewellery, and he kindly took us to a place where we found very fine pieces that suited our budget perfectly. Mr. Mario thought of every small detail. Since the day was very hot, he provided us with chilled water and cool towels for refreshment throughout the tour. It was definitely one of the best tours we’ve ever had, and we are looking forward to taking another tour with him the next time we visit Goa.

We had the absolute pleasure of exploring Old Goa with Mario. His deep knowledge of Goa's history, culture, and architecture brought each site to life in a way that was both engaging and informative. We visited some truly stunning places – from the iconic Basilica of Bom Jesus and Latin Quarters to some lesser known hidden gems that we would never have discovered on our own. Mario didn’t just show us around; he shared stories, local insights, and even some interesting trivia that made the whole experience memorable. What stood out most was his passion for Goa’s heritage and extremely warm and friendly nature. I highly recommend booking a tour with Mario. It’s an experience you won’t forget!

Mario was amazing and really added to our experience exploring Goa! He’s knowledgeable and passionate about the area, and he took great care of us!

This tour was wonderful! Mario was so full of knowledge starting from the history of Goa’s founding to the detailed history of all of the places we visited. He did a great job of telling the story of Goa in such a way that kept you intrigued to find out what would be next on the tour. We were able to see a variety of places and had great first hand experiences with the things that make up Goa. I would give Mario and his crew 10 stars if I could!