Things to do in Accra in three days

Before you start

Two rules make the difference. First, group your day by area — crossing Accra twice in a day is how itineraries die. Second, start early. The city is dramatically easier before the morning peak and after the evening one.

Day one — the centre and the history

Begin at Black Star Square (Independence Square), the vast ceremonial ground with the Independence Arch — the symbolic heart of the country. Walk it before the heat builds.

Then the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, the mausoleum and museum dedicated to Ghana's first president, which gives the political history context that makes the rest of the city legible.

Afternoon: Jamestown, the old colonial quarter, for the lighthouse, the fishing harbour and some of the most atmospheric streets in Accra. Go with a guide, not alone on foot at dusk.

Finish in Osu — Oxford Street for dinner, and the busiest, most sociable part of the city.

Day two — markets, culture and the coast

Makola Market in the morning, when it is at its most alive. It is vast, loud and completely genuine — go early, keep your bag in front of you, and take a guide if you want to understand what you are looking at.

Then the National Museum of Ghana for the country's material history, or the W.E.B. Du Bois Memorial Centre if you would rather spend the time on pan-African history — it is the former home of the man who died here in 1963.

Afternoon at Labadi Beach, the most accessible of Accra's beaches, for a swim and something grilled. Weekends are lively; weekdays are calmer.

Day three — choose one

Option A — the hills. Drive up to Aburi, about an hour north, for the Botanical Gardens and the craft market. The temperature drops on the way up and it feels like a different country. This is the single best day trip from Accra.

Option B — stay in the city. The Legon Botanical Gardens are a pleasant, green escape without leaving Accra, and the Arts Centre near Black Star Square is good for carvings, textiles and drums if you have gifts to buy.

Where to stay while you do all this

Our apartments are in the residential north-east and the Eastern Region — quieter, with private pools and kitchens, and cheaper than the central hotels for anything longer than a couple of nights. Adenta Serenity and Lakeside Estate are well placed for both the city and the Aburi road.

You will want a car or a ride-hailing app. See where to stay in Accra for how the areas compare, and our apartment or hotel comparison if you are still deciding.