Guinea-Bissau

Attractions

Bissau

From Portuguese slave-trading centre in 1687 to free port in 1869 and capital of Guinea-Bissau in 1941, this buzzing town has seen it all. It's calmer than cities in neighboring Senegal, but with hotspots for night owls and cultural sites for history buffs, there is something to interest most visitors.

The main street, Avenida Amílcar Cabral, runs from the Praça dos Heróis Nacionais at its northern end down to the port and the old Portuguese quarter, with its endearing winding streets and Mediterranean-style houses. By the port the Pidjiguiti Monument honours the striking dockworkers who were shot by police on August 3, 1959. East of here is the Fortaleza d'Amura whose imposing bulk is unfortunately closed to visitors (and guarded by men with guns); revolutionary hero Amílcar Cabral is buried here. The presidential palace is at the other end of the avenue, but put your cameras away, no snaps are allowed. For local art and artifacts the Museu Nacional is small but interesting.

The Centro Artistico Juvenil, which has work by young local artists, is a good place to pick up arts and crafts; you can also watch craftsmen at work. As for markets, Mercado Central has colorful fruit stalls, Senegalese-style clothing and souvenirs. The Mercado de Bandim has fewer arts and crafts but wins on fresh produce.

Bissau has a number of places to stay, ranging from rooms in locals' houses to hotels with clean, air-conditioned accommodation. Minibuses go to Bafatá and Gabú. Ferries service the islands of Bubaque and Bolama, and Enxudé and Catió.