Dakar with all its hustle and chaos is a wonderful city to enjoy the colorful life of the urban Africa. It is said to be trend setter of urbanism in the continent and more than 2 million residents of the metropolitan Dakar give it a feel of one of the liveliest city of Africa. The city not only has a vibrant lifestyle and a lively nightlife but also is famous for the historical richness and the awesome colonial architecture left by the most of the major European colonial powers that controlled Dakar for more than five centuries.
The city was first settled in the 15th century and soon the slave trade forts started springing up in the area the most famous being the Portuguese fortifications in the Goree Island. The city was the ground of continuous struggle between the Portuguese, Dutch, English and French. The biggest attraction of course was the lucrative slave trade as Dakar was one of its major hubs but when the trade was abolished in 1815 by the French the city lost its prominence. But still it is one of the largest cities in western Africa and one of the economic engines of the region and that’s why one can easily find a cheap flight to Dakar from most of the major European airports.
There are quite a few good quality hotels in the city and you can easily find one according to your taste and budget. There are a lot of sightseeing opportunities in the city and you can start your tour Place d’Independence a large museum which will help you in learning and understanding the history of the country.
The famous IFAN museum is the Africa’s oldest art museum and is working to preserve and promote the African arts and culture. Unlike the other museums of the continent the IFAN gives more significance to the pre colonial era history and arts than the colonial one. You will find exciting masks, carvings and musical instruments not just from Senegal but from all over the continent. What makes IFAN even more special is the fact that it is not only promoting the art of Senegal but also working for the promotion of the 9 other regional countries.
The Sandaga Market is the best place for shopping if you are looking for some good quality clothes at a cheaper price. Like any other developing country the rule of shopping in Senegal is simple, you have to bargain. It is a norm in the country and the shopkeeper will expect you to bargain and will always quote a price that is far higher than the actual one.
Another historical must see place is the famous Goree Island which was the largest slave trade centre in the region. This peaceful island is one of the most visited place in the country and you can easily hire a ferry from Dakar to take you to the island. The museum called the House of Slaves that includes dungeons, prisons and torture cells from the slave trade era will give you an idea of what horrors the slave had to go through.
