Best things to do in Bissau
Find out more about those top places in Bissau
Bissau the largest city and the administrative center of Guinea-Bissau, is also the capital of the country. You can get to Bissau by plane through Osvaldo Vieira International Airport. In February/March, the city hosts one of the most celebrated festivals of the country known as the Guinea-Bissau carnival. The carnival includes street dancing and much more. There are more than ten ethnic groups in the country and the Guinea-Bissau carnival is a good chance to see the country’s ethnic diversity. The old city center known as Bissau Velho is full of old Portuguese buildings which are sadly, decaying. Many old buildings in the city such as Bissau French Culture Center and Guinea-Bissau Presidential Palace and many others were destroyed during Guinea-Bissau civil war but fortunately both Bissau French Culture Center and Presentational Palace have been rebuilt.
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O Bistro
O Bistro offers a great variety of food including European, Italian and Mediterranean and is quite popular among tourists, expats and locals. The restaurant has a very nice and calm ambiance and the overall environment is pleasant and relaxing. The restaurant also has an outside sitting. O Bistro is definitely one of the best restaurants in the city.
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Presidential Palace
The presidential palace was destroyed during the Guinea-Bissau civil war but it is now renovated with modern features and it is a good place to visit in Bissau.
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Bissau Cathedral
Bissau cathedral, also called Sé Catedral de Nossa Senhora da Candelári is a beautifully designed church which was originally built in 1945 and rebuilt later. It is not only a place of worship but it also acts as a lighthouse and has a light located on its north tower which is about 118 ft (35.97 m) high.
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Carnival
If you are planning to visit Bissau make sure you go during February/March if you don’t want to miss one of the best and most attended festivals in the country, the carnival. The carnival is celebrated on the streets of Bissau and continues for several days. During the event you will see many groups of dancers in the streets wearing different costumes. There is also a big parade for several hours. You will see different people, some with their body painted, some wearing traditional masks and some wearing colorful dresses.