Accra

Ghana's seaside capital is very busy 24 hours a day. The buildings are mostly low-rise and the streets are lined with shady trees. Accra is more like a collection of towns that have amalgamated over time, than one city. Actually there used to be different villages when the seven branches of the Ga tribe controlled the area. The Portuguese built a fort in the area in the 16th century, for trade in gold, palm oil and slaves, but it has long gone. After that, the British built Fort James, the Dutch Fort Crêvecœur (Fort Ussher) and the Danes Fort Christiansborg, which is nowadays known as 'The Castle'. All three forts are government buildings and off limits.

The settlements of Jamestown, Usshertown and Christiansborg respectively started growing around the forts. between 1877 and 1957, Accra was the capital of the British Gold Coast.

Nowadays Accra's old town is the Jamestown area. It is to the southwest of the city center. The Ring Road, which runs from Korle Lagoon in the west to Osu in the east, forms a ring around the oldest parts of Accra. This central area includes Accra's CBD, as well as all of the city's historic districts. Most government ministeries and financial institutions are also located there. The Jubilee House is the office of the President and the Government of Ghana. The Parliament House of Ghana is also there.

In the city center, between High Street and Tudu Road, you will find the Makola Market. Another good market is Kaneshie Market in the west of the city. The latter is where you can buy all kinds of spices and foods, while the former is specialized in handicrafts. More handicrafts can be bought from the Arts Center on the junction of High Street and 28 February Road, between the city center and Independence Square. The square is just east of the center, near the seafront. Accra's oldest building, Osu Castle is not far away.

The National Museum is on Barnes Road. It shows the country's history and culture. The Du Bois Memorial Center is dedicated to black activist Dr. William Du Bois. It is home to a research library and there is a gallery of manuscripts. W.E.B. Du Bois and his wife Shirley Graham Du Bois are buried there.

Other places of interest in the city center include the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum, where Ghana's first President, Kwame Nkrumah, is buried. He oversaw the Gold Coast's independence from Britain. The National Theatre is home of the National Symphony Orchestra. it has a distinctive modern Chinese architecture. The Ohene Djan Stadium is also in the city's central area, as well as the Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT, the Accra Centre for National Culture and the Black Star Square, where you can see a monument dedicated to Ghana's independence. The African Fashion Foundation was established to support the national fashion industry.

Accra North is mostly residential. Several foreign embassies are located there, as well as the Flagstaff House. Accra's northern boundary is formed by the University of Ghana's Legon campus.

Accra East is mostly residential as well. It is called Accra East, but geographically it is north of the Ring Road.

Accra West is a mixed residential/business part of town. It include the large saltponds of Tettegu and Aplaku. It is the location of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.

There are numerous Christian churches and temples in Accra. Some of the most notable places of worship are the Holy Trinity Cathedral, Wesley Methodist Cathedral, Ebenezer Presbyterian Church, Holy Spirit Cathedral and the Accra Ghana Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The most important mosques in Accra include the Ghana National Mosque and the Madina Mosque.

The best beaches are all outside town, so you will have to take a minibus (tro-tro) or taxi to get there. Labadi Beach is east of Accra. Further east down the road is the much better Coco Beach where accommodation is available. Around Coco Beach are many interesting towns such as Mori, Biriwa and Anumabu. 30 km west of the capital is Kokrobite Beach where you can find a hotel as well. On the beachfront area you will find the Academy of African Music and Arts.

Most of the hotels in Accra are situated in the city center, around Jamestown and Kojo Road. There are also many hotels south of Ring Road Central and northwest of Independence Avenue, but they are all quite far from the center. Food stalls, chophouses and restaurants are scattered all over the capital.

Accra is famous for its nightlife. You will find many bars, discos and dance clubs clustered around Nkrumah Circle.

There is no central bus station in Accra. Each bus company has its own one, which can be quite confusing. There is also a system of minibuses (tro-tro). So-called 'dropping' taxis drop people off between major intersections. You can catch one and go to the next intersection. They are very cheap. More expensive are 'charter' taxis, but they take you anywhere you want or can be rented by the hour. Accra's railway station is in the city center and the airport is northeast of the capital.

Accra is on the coast of the Gulf of Guinea in the south of Ghana.