Accra Things to Do Tips by sachara Top 5 Page for this destination

Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park

South of the 28th February Road is the Nkrumah Memorial in the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, This park is monumentally designed with fountains and green lawns.

The park and memorial are first established in the nineties in honour of Kwame Nkrumah, the founder of independent Ghana. In the park is his resting place. So when I came back to Accra in 2003 it was new for me.

You have to pay a small entrance fee and extra for the use of a camera.

Directions: In the south of the citycentre, south of the Highstreet, just west of the Arts Centre.

Independence Arch

The Independence Arch with the black star in top, direct north of the Independence Square - also called Black Star Square - is an important landmark in the south part of the citycentre.

The Arch is a replica of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. It has an eternal flame, lit by Nkrumah himself. The Independence Square is a big parade ground at the seaside with space for 30.000 people. There is also a huge stadium. All this is built by Nkrumah in the sixties.

When I visited Accra in December 2003, I was surprised by the traffic at this square, so much more than the first times I visited Accra. At the parade and stadion grounds was a large meeting of the Presbyterian Church. This wasn't difficult to find out because most women were wearing African dresses, showing the purpose of the meeting that day.

Address: 28th February Road

Directions: Downtown between 28th February Road and Labadi Road, just near the coast.

Accra citycentre

Accra is a lifely city, but easygoing at the same time. I stayed in Accra several times. The more I came back anf strolled around, the more I liked the city. Since my first three visits in the 80s a lot has changed. There are many more hotels, restaurants and shops and a lot of more traffic. You can find internet at several places in town. What a difference compared with my first visit. In 1980 I had to wait one week for an international call at the head postoffice.

What to see while walking around downtown:
* The big lifely Makola market and the shops around.
* The arts centre with a big craft market.

What to visit going a little away from the citycentre:
* Labadi beach,east of the centre.
* Legon University with a nice campus, bookstore and libraries, 5 KM north of Kotoka airport.
* Aburi gardens, 30 KM north from the city.