In West Africa, at the shore of the Gulf of Guinea, tourists can visit Lome, the capital and the largest city in Togo. This is a major industrial, administrative, and political center of the country. When planning a visit to this region, tourists need to keep in mind that there are two rainy seasons in Lome. The first one starts in April and ends in June, and the second rainy season lasts from September to November. Surprisingly, December is the hottest month in Lome, and August is the coldest. Nevertheless, this is an incredibly beautiful city on the Gulf of Guinea, so no wonder why tourists enjoy visiting this city and admiring its natural and historic attractions.
The settlement was founded in the 18th century. People from the Ewe ethnic group were the first settlers in this area. In 1882, two brothers, Chiku and Octavian Olimpiu, founded the first company that was engaged in trading operations. Until that moment, the settlement had another name – Bay Beach – and was a village. As the brothers’ company became prosperous, Lome turned into one of the major trading centers in Africa. Two years after the arrival of the entrepreneur brothers, Germans captured the city and added it to the colony of Togo. The first port was built in Lome in 1904.
Do you want to indulge yourself in the fabulous world of exotic? There is an interesting market of fetishes in Lome, which is the largest market of this kind in the world. Surprisingly, many tourists get a feeling that this market is intended for tourists who like exotic stuff and unusual items. When taking a stroll here, it is easy to notice that this market is not just a place with street vendors but rather a complete “pharmacy” for witches, shamans, and wizards. The goods sold on this market are particularly popular with followers of the Voodoo magic traditions.
Almost all vendors offer to buy eccentric and incredible items, for example, skulls and bodies of dead birds, numerous dead rodents, monkey skulls, and other parts of wild animals. Needless to say, the venue looks impressive, and most visitors have mixed feelings when they visit his market for the first time. Tourists are always very welcome in the fetish market. Friendly and experienced sellers are always ready to tell tourists about the healing properties of local herbs and can easily select a suitable talisman for any situation and purpose.
The National Museum has been open in Lome starting from 1975. Visit this establishment to see an interesting exhibition dedicated to the national instruments that are popular in the country. There are drums of interesting shapes and configurations, traditional Togo flutes and jingle bells. Local craftsmen are skillful potters, so the museum’s exhibition has a collection dedicated to this craft. You will see many various artworks that local artisans make from clay. The collection of textiles is also worth checking out.
Botanic enthusiasts will find it incredibly interesting to visit the museum’s exhibition that is dedicated to different species of plants, many of which are widely used in the traditional medicine of the country. The Botanical Garden is one more place to get acquainted with the flora of Lome and Togo in general. The garden is open in the museum’s territory. Finally, the local zoo is a fantastic place to get acquainted with local fauna and rare species of animals from the African continent.
There is a big monument dedicated to the country’s independence on the main square of Lome. The monument looks original and creative – a big stone slab with a giant’s figure inside. This titan shows how he removes iron chains with his strong arms. The monument symbolizes the end of the colonial regime in the country. A woman with a torch in front of the giant symbolizes the motherland.
Tourists from many countries might find out that there are no direct flights to Lome from their homes. As a rule, travelers make a change in some European or African capital. Paris is a popular place to make a change because there are daily flights to Togo from this city. There are buses and minibusses to Lome from Benin. They take passengers to the capital of Togo in eight hours.
Sightseeing in Togo: things to see
A visit to the city of Atakpame is an amazing opportunity to get acquainted with the traditional lifestyle of indigenous people. This city was founded during the German colonization period. Just like many years ago, agriculture is the main occupation of local people. In the city’s suburbs, one can see multiple coffee bean, cocoa, and cotton plantations. There are many interesting artisan shops and workshops in Atakpame where tourists can buy souvenirs. The atmosphere in the city hasn’t almost changed over the last century. Just like many years ago, it is possible to see beautiful old houses of local people and a part of the old radio station.
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