Saturday Night Market

Goa can easily be dubbed as the Saturday Night capital of India. Come Saturday and the streets are swarming with people heading out to have a good time. But the one thing that stands above everything else is the Saturday Night Market. Possibly the most symbolic of all activities in Goa, the Saturday Night Market is popular with tourists and as well as locals. It all started out in the ‘70s when a German guy named Ingo settled down in Goa and decided to open up a night market that would be different from the flea markets of the time.

And so began a whole new experience – craftsmen, artists, musicians from all over the globe came together on the hills of Arpora to showcase their skills and celebrate the spirit of Goa. Over the years many Saturday Night Markets have come up, but the spirit of the Ingo’s Saturday Night Market now called just the Saturday Night Market stays alive. Once the season begins, every single Saturday night is an electrifying and eclectic experience at the bazaar.

There is no other place in Goa that offers you such a collection of exotica. Most of the time it is interesting to just walk around and see the items up for sale – it’s not exactly a window shopping experience, but certainly most of the items in the stalls are definite conversation starters. Needless to say, for a die-hard shopaholic, there is a multitude of stuff available at a bargain. But other than that you also find unique stalls by foreigners that are steeply priced but sell designs you have never seen before.

A Foodie’s Haven

The Saturday Night Market is a melting pot of international gastronomic delights. The best restaurants in Goa have a stall here so this is the perfect place to taste them all in one place. From Janet & John’s famous sea-food preparations, Greek restaurant Thalassa’s Souvlakis to health food by Bean-Me-Up, it’s all available right here. You could also have pizzas. One is absolutely spoilt for choice here – with pizzas from Italy, falafel from Israel, cheesecake from Germany and the list goes on….

A Musician’s Muse

If there is one thing that is unique to the Bazaar it is its lineup of musicians and artists. With stalls centred around the entertainment stage, it’s difficult to ignore the sheer genius of the musicians at play here. It’s one of those rare platforms where visitors are treated to the talent of artistes from all over the world. The gigs are as diverse as they can get – from dancers from Africa and musicians from New Zealand and our very own Goa. It’s not uncommon for different musicians to just meet here and have an impromptu jam!

The Saturday Night Market is a must for anyone looking for the best in Goa. It’s one of its kind and is a culmination of all things that a traveller expects from Goa – a care free attitude, a fun filled evening, good food and high spirits. But above all this, this is a place to soak in the sights and sounds of Goa.Market#sthash.R5sIzSZ8.dpuf