Connecting African Culture Through the Seas
The Amazing Journey of Bill Pinkney Imagine leaving your life and the familiar touch of soil beneath your feet to sail across treacherous seas around the globe with only a …
With its high humidity and chaotic streets, Accra can be a hard city to love — few visitors fall in love at first sight. But once you’re there for a while, you’ll discover the thrilling, beating heart of the city in its monuments, malls, markets and beaches.
Accra used to be a small town during the century it was the capital of the British Gold Coast, but it has since turned into a teeming modern metropolis, where life happens in public spaces. You’ll find people trading, cooking, gossiping and flirting on almost every bustling street, particularly in the vibrant street markets such as Makola and Osu night market.
Culture, art and history lurk around every corner in Accra. Though the city lacks iconic sites such as the castles of Cape Coast and Elmina, monuments exist like Independence Arch and Black Star Square, which commemorate the independence Nkrumah fought so hard to win. It’s also worth visiting the National Museum, which is small but boasts a collection of stools, currency and Ashanti kente cloth. For a deeper look into history, head to the neighborhoods of Jamestown and Usshertown, where a few colonial-era buildings still survive, notably the lighthouse, the General Post Office, Ussher Fort and Fort James. For an art fix, there’s the Artists Alliance, a free three-story gallery founded by Ghanaian painter Ablade Glover, and the Nubuke Foundation’s art and education centre in East Legon, with two small galleries, a cafe and a shop. Once a year, the streets of Jamestown come alive with art, music and theater during the Chale Wote Street Art Festival, one of the best in Africa.
If the heat in the streets get too much, duck into one of Accra’s many restaurants, cafes, and innovative shops. The night club and bar scene is thriving, especially uptown on Oxford Street, and the food scene here is top-notch. Or head to Labadi Beach and take a dip in the refreshing ocean while listening to reggae and enjoying the party atmosphere.
Hotel offerings range from budget hole-in-the-walls to luxury boutiques, and accommodate just about every kind of traveler.
SAFETY: As with many cities in Africa, pickpocketing is common, especially around street markets. Women are generally OK walking alone, but this should be avoided by both male and female travelers at night. Avoid flashing any jewelry, and carry your phone and camera gear discreetly.
The Amazing Journey of Bill Pinkney Imagine leaving your life and the familiar touch of soil beneath your feet to sail across treacherous seas around the globe with only a …
In part one of a six-part series on Ghana, Starrene Rhett-Rocque, a first-time visitor to the country, blazes a trail through the capital city of Accra in search of culture, …