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Places · Accra

Things to do in Accra

Accra is not a pretty city, and it does not try to be. It is loud, hot, jammed with traffic and full of history most visitors drive straight past. Here is where to stop.

First, honestly

Most visitors treat Accra as a place to land, change money and leave for the coast. That is a mistake, but an understandable one. The city's sights are scattered, signposting is poor, and traffic can make a three-kilometre trip take an hour. Give Accra two full days, start early, group the sights by area, and use a driver or ride-hailing apps rather than trying to walk between districts in the midday heat.

AccraThe capital in depth, on ghana-net.com.

Old Accra: Jamestown and Ussher Town

Old Accra grew up around the forts on the cliffs, and this is where the city's story is most visible. Walk with a local guide: Jamestown is a working fishing community, not a theme park, and a guide makes the visit welcome rather than intrusive.

  • Jamestown Lighthouse: climb it for the best view over the fishing harbour and the old town.
  • James Fort: the English fort next to the lighthouse, later a prison.
  • Ussher Fort: the Dutch fort where the Big Six were imprisoned, now in shocking decay.
  • Brazil House: the story of the Tabom, formerly enslaved Afro-Brazilians who returned to Accra in the 1830s.
  • The fishing harbour: canoes, smoked fish and the boxing gyms that produced Ghana's champions.
Jamestown LighthouseOn ghana-net.com. James Fort and JamestownThe dedicated James Fort site. Brazil House and the TabomOn ghana-net.com. The five forts of AccraOn ghana-net.com.

The independence sites

  • Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park: on the site of the Old Polo Ground where independence was declared; Nkrumah's mausoleum and museum.
  • Independence Square (Black Star Square) and the Black Star Gate: the vast parade ground on the sea front.
  • Christiansborg crossroads memorial: for the three ex-servicemen shot in 1948.
  • Asomdwe Park: the resting place of President John Evans Atta Mills, beside Geese Park.
  • Old Parliament House and the new Parliament House.
  • Jubilee House: the seat of the presidency, seen from the outside only; no photographs.
Ghana's independence from BritainThe story behind the sites. Kwame Nkrumah Memorial ParkOn ghana-net.com. Black Star SquareOn ghana-net.com. Asomdwe ParkOn ghana-net.com. Atta Mills audio and video archiveOn ghana-net.com. Old Parliament HouseOn ghana-net.com.

Museums and memorials

  • National Museum of Ghana: archaeology, regalia and art. The exhibition has been greatly reduced over the years; go with modest expectations.
  • W.E.B. Du Bois Centre: the last home and resting place of the great Pan-African scholar.
  • George Padmore Research Library: named after Nkrumah's Pan-African adviser.
  • Museum of Science and Technology.
  • Osu Military Cemetery: the old cemetery near the stadium, with graves going back to colonial times.
  • Memorial to the three murdered judges: a reminder of the darkest days of 1982.
National Museum of GhanaThe dedicated museum site. W.E.B. Du Bois CentreThe dedicated Du Bois Centre site. George Padmore Research LibraryOn ghana-net.com. Osu Military CemeteryErased graves at Osu. The three murdered judgesOn ghana-net.com. Entrance feesMuseums and historic sites, on ghanamuseums.com.

Markets and crafts

  • Makola Market: the great central market, a maze of cloth, food, pots and everything else. Overwhelming, hot and unforgettable. Keep your phone and wallet close.
  • Accra Arts Centre (Centre for National Culture): the place for kente, carvings, drums and souvenirs. Bargain hard but with good humour; the first price is a starting point.
  • Tetteh Quarshie Art Market: crafts and art from across Ghana and West Africa.
  • Teshie fantasy coffins: the workshops where coffins are carved in the shape of fish, cars, bottles and airplanes.
Makola MarketWhat it is really like, on ghana-net.com. Accra Cultural CentreOn ghana-net.com. Tetteh Quarshie Art MarketThe dedicated site. Fantasy coffinsOn ghana-net.com.

Osu and the modern city

  • Osu and Oxford Street: restaurants, bars, shops and nightlife. Lively until late, especially at weekends.
  • Osu Castle (Christiansborg): the Danish castle, later the seat of governments. Access is restricted; ask before photographing.
  • National Theatre: the striking building in the centre; check for performances.
  • Holy Trinity Cathedral and the National Mosque: the city's faiths side by side.
  • Accra Sports Stadium: a Black Stars match is an experience.
  • Ghana International Trade Fair site, La: the old trade fair grounds, used for exhibitions and events.
National Theatre of GhanaOn ghana-net.com. Holy Trinity CathedralOn ghana-net.com. Ghana National MosqueOn ghana-net.com. Accra Sports StadiumOn ghana-net.com. The luxury and culture guide to AccraOn ghana-net.com. Accra by nightFor returnees and the diaspora, on myghana2027.com.

Beaches in and near Accra

Labadi is the city beach, busy with music and weekend crowds. Kokrobite and Bojo Beach to the west are calmer. Do not expect clean water in the city itself; for swimming, go further along the coast.

Beaches of GhanaThe honest guide to the coast.

Day trips from Accra

  • Aburi Botanical Gardens: cooler air and woodcarvers in the hills.
  • Shai Hills: baboons and caves on the plains.
  • Ada Foah: the Volta estuary and boat trips.
  • Akosombo: the dam and a boat trip on Lake Volta.
  • Tema: the port city and the Greenwich meridian marker; Ghana sits almost exactly where the meridian meets the equator.
  • Cape Coast and Elmina: possible as a very long day; better with a night away.
Ghana attractionsBeyond Accra. Tema and AshaimanOn ghana-net.com. Akosombo and Lake VoltaThe dam and the lake. Where to stay in AccraNeighbourhood by neighbourhood.

Accra tours and day trips

A guided city tour or day trip saves you the traffic, the haggling and the guesswork. Entrance fees are included in the tour price. Tips for your guide and driver are not included, but they are always welcome.

Updated and fact-checked: 1 October 2026 · GhanaNet.co.uk, Peter Terrace, Swansea, SA1 6FJ · travel@ghananet.co.uk

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