Ghana has seen its fair share of ups and downs, but at its cultural and political heart in Accra, it represents the very best of modern Africa. No, it doesn’t entice tourists with daintiness, but with a beating authenticity.
The streets are cluttered and haphazard, with the summer heat raising temperatures and temperaments, with traffic and people buzzing around everywhere. But then the clouds burst open from the skies, washing away all of its troubles with great, big, fat drops of hot rain, leaving the air filled with humidity, mixed with the cries of market sellers and the smell of street food.
With excellent shopping, risk-rewarding dining, and a hopping night life, Accra aspires to be the best of contemporary Africa, and charms at every turn. Here are the top five things to do in Accra:
5. Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park
With the Ghanaian-independence leader’s mausoleum taking centre stage in this grand park, everything is focused on Kwame Nkrumah, the country’s first president. As memorial parks go, it is both grand and small in scale, with a collection or ornate bronze statues in various poses, displaying African strength and resilience, but also a collection of curios belonging to the leader, including his desk, bookcase, jacket, and even the sofa on which he plotted freedom from British control as a student.
[Flickr/iadoreghana]
4. Independence Square
Leaving behind British rule, Ghana embraced an almost Soviet aesthetic with its Independence Square, dominated by its Communist-looking architecture and huge spectator stands. Underneath the arched structure on one end burns the Eternal Flame of African Liberation, lit by the iconic Kwame Nkrumah. Independence Square, perhaps fittingly, is left to its own devices for most the year, though on special anniversaries it is packed it people.
[Flickr/Stig Nygaard]
3. Jamestown Lighthouse
If you’re a Dubliner, seeing this striped red-and-white tower jutting into the sky might give you a warm feeling of being back home. For everyone else, Jamestown Lighthouse, near the James Fort, offers the best view of Accra, and incredibly opportunities for taking photos of the bright and colourful fishing harbour.
[Flickr/said_the_lorax]
2. Labadi Beach
A real party place for Accrans, specially over the weekend, this beach can fill up very quickly, so if crowds are not your thing, it’s best avoided. But if you like lively music, street food, and a right good Ghanaian knees up that parties way on into the night. Lying 8km from the city, it’s a trek to get there on public transport, but a must-visit to see how Accrans really do it.
[Flickr/Paul]
1. Makola Market
As the premier street market in the capital, Makola swarms around you from nowhere, surrounding tourists and shoppers with stalls offering absolutely everything. It’s a place of business, so casual tourists hoping to stroll lazily through the streets should be aware that this is an bustling, frenetic experience, but one that offers visitors an honest and real look at everyday life in Accra.
[Flickr/Angela]
Every Tuesday on The Right Hook, travel writer Manchán Magan joins George in the Dublin studios of Newstalk, where he opens up the world to the rapt host. You can listen back to this week's segment below:
