Discover Dakar: Island History, Art and Coastline

Dakar combines island history, museums and crafts with striking viewpoints. When planning your trip, it is exciting to move between these themes: a sea crossing takes you to Île de Gorée, while the lighthouse, city history and art offer other perspectives. Which holiday apartment in Dakar suits your plans also depends on which experiences you want to focus on.

Gorée: Island History and Routes on Foot

Île de Gorée can be reached from Dakar harbour by sea. The regular crossing takes fifteen minutes; check the timetable before your trip. The entire island of Gorée is pedestrianised, with no car traffic. Fort d’Estrées houses the Historical Museum of Gorée.

Covering 28 hectares, the island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Gorée is regarded as a symbol of the slave trade and is a pilgrimage destination for the African diaspora. The island’s size, pedestrian zone and historical significance give a visit here a different focus from visiting museums or art venues in Dakar.

Museums and Historic Architecture

The Musée des Civilisations Noires is a state museum in Dakar and opened on 6 December 2018. Its conception dates back to Léopold Sédar Senghor, following the first World Festival of Black Arts in 1966. This means the museum brings together a more recent opening history and a much earlier cultural point of reference.

The Palais de la République stands in the Plateau district. It was built in 1902 as the official residence of the Governor General of French West Africa. The building is therefore a tangible point of reference for the city’s administrative history. For a trip focused on history, it offers a different perspective from museums and craft venues.

Crafts and Religious Culture

Soumbédioune is a traditional fishing site on Dakar’s West Corniche. The Soumbédioune crafts village was established in 1961 on the occasion of the World Festival of Black Arts and developed into a major tourist destination. The Village artisanal de Soumbédioune is located in Dakar’s Médina district and showcases Senegalese crafts.

At the Village des Arts, the Galerie Leopold Sedar Senghor features changing exhibitions that are renewed monthly; the exhibition programme may change. Another cultural point of reference lies in Yoff-Layène: the mausoleum of Seydina Limamou Laye (1843–1909), founder of the Layène Brotherhood, is one of Senegal’s most important Muslim pilgrimage sites.

Views and Other Landscapes

The Phare des Mamelles stands on Les Mamelles, a volcanic geological site. Built in 1864, it is Dakar’s oldest lighthouse. From a hilltop, it offers panoramic views across the entire Cap-Vert Peninsula. This adds a striking landscape landmark to the historical and cultural themes.

Other landscapes round out the experience across the wider Dakar destination. Parc National des îles de la Madeleine is a destination for birdwatchers and features a protected ecosystem. Lac Retba, also known as Lac Rose, is a lagoon surrounded by dunes and filao trees. Its pink appearance is attributed to microscopic algae that oxidise the iron in the salt water when exposed to sunlight. Dakar’s coastline is also characterised by protected beaches and long stretches of sand overlooking the ocean waves. Tasting seafood is also part of what Dakar offers visitors.

Experiences to Guide Your Accommodation Search

You can use your travel interests to guide your choice of a holiday apartment in Dakar: Gorée combines the sea crossing with island life and history, while museums, the Palais, crafts and galleries offer cultural highlights. The Phare des Mamelles adds panoramic views to the mix; across the wider destination, there are also birdwatching, a lagoon and the coast. Consider which of these themes you want to shape your trip, and use that focus when searching for a suitable location.

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