Elmina (Edina)

Elmina, or Edina, is a fishing town 20 km (13 mi) west of Cape Coast. It sits on a bay of the Atlantic Ocean and it is the oldest European settlement south of the Sahara.

There are two main sights in town. Ghana's oldest castle is St. George's Castle that was built between 1471 and 1482 by the Portuguese Don DIego de Azambuja and was then called São Jorge da Mina Castle. They used the castle as an outpost for their gold and ivory trade. It lies high on the rocks, providing excellent views over the surrounding area.

In 1637 the Dutch won control over the area and built Fort St. Jago not far from the castle in 1652. The fort was used to protect the Dutch control over the trade. After slave trade started becoming more important both buildings were expanded to house the slaves. You can visit the buildings and see the miserable circumstances in which the slaves were kept.

At the end of the 19th century both forts passed into the hands of the British after they bought out the Dutch. You can find both Dutch and British graveyards in town.

The best time to visit Elmina is during the fishing festival on the first Tuesday in July. There are several hotels and restaurants in town, which still bears European influences.