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You'll handle Inacio's hand planes and chisels in his open-air workshop, cutting a simple mortise-and-tenon joint the way he was taught as a boy. Afterward he'll walk you through a nearby heritage home under restoration, pointing out the oyster-shell window panes and carved balcão seating his family has repaired for decades.
Goa's Portuguese-era homes rely on specific joinery and oyster-shell windows that modern carpenters rarely learn, and craftsmen like Inacio are essential to keeping the state's heritage architecture standing.
Goan Portuguese-era houses use distinctive carpentry, including translucent oyster-shell window panes and carved balcão benches, developed locally to suit the tropical climate and colonial architectural styles.
We're still verifying a practitioner for this experience — check back soon.
Morning
Learn basic hand tools and cut a joinery sample
Midday
Tour a heritage home restoration in progress
Afternoon
Finish and sand your own small wooden piece
Difficulty
Moderate — hands-on work with sharp hand tools
Age suitability
14 and up
Hand-planing timber
Oyster-shell window panes
Carved balcão benchPhotographs from this experience will replace these panels once available.
Do I need woodworking experience?
No, Inacio starts everyone with the same basic cuts regardless of experience.
Is the heritage home tour included?
Yes, a walk through a nearby restoration project is part of the day.
“Seeing the oyster-shell windows up close explained so much about these old houses.”
Kabir S. · 5/5
“Inacio's precision with hand tools alone was worth watching all day.”
Elena R. · 5/5
Not a sight to see — a practice to enter.