Destination: Accra
December in Ghana.
Every holiday season, thousands of people in the Diaspora come home to celebrate the holidays. This guide is curated for the places you should visit, events to attend, and experiences not to miss. Ghana is one of the best destinations in the world and we hope this guide allows you to discover and connect authentically.
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Happy Holidays.
Visit the past, present, and future
ASSIN MANSO, GHANA
Much of the narrative around the transatlantic slave trade centers around the slave castles, but many don’t know that people marched, on foot, from the inland areas of the continent to the shores for hundreds if not thousands of miles. The village of Assin Manso was an important stop on this journey, here captives “rested” and washed in the Ndonko Nsuo river before making their final trek to Cape Coast or Elmina castles. Assin Manso was the final link in the slave route from Northern Ghana and was the largest slave market in the region.
Mankessim - Kumasi Rd | Assin Manso | +233 54 684 2853
CAPE COAST + ELMINA CASTLE
Some of the most jarring and visually charged relics of the transatlantic slave trade are Cape Coast and Elmina Castles. These massive structures, built by the British and Portuguese respectively, sit on the coastline of Ghana’s Central Region and are stark reminders of the history of the region. The castle visits are a life-changing experience that makes the journey we’ve all read about very real. You can feel the energy of what happened as well as the pride in having made it back to a place where at the time of the slave trade, it was thought that the Africans that left here would never return.
Elmina Castle, built by the Portuguese in 1482, was the first trading post built on the Gulf of Guinea, and the oldest European building in existence south of the Sahara. The Cape Coast Castle was built by the Swedes in 1653 and was later taken over by the British. This castle also houses the West African Historical Museum established by the Smithsonian Institute in collaboration with the Ghanaian Government in 1994.
KWAME NKRUMAH MAUSOLEUM, ACCRA CENTRAL
Kwame Nkrumah was an influential advocate/father of Pan-Africanism, and the first Prime Minister and President of Ghana. He embraced a doctrine that saw the diaspora as critical to the growth of his budding republic. Educated at Lincoln University, an HBCU outside of Philadelphia where he also pledged Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., he built relationships with the leading thinkers of his time and hosted them in his newly birthed nation. Maya Angelou, Muhammed Ali, and Stokely Carmichael (neé Kwame Ture) all visited Ghana during his time in office. The Nkrumah Mausoleum is a structure a powerful and beautiful tribute to the man who was the first to lead an African nation out of colonial rule.
KUMASI, GHANA
Kumasi is the center of government and traditional rule for the Asante (also known as Ashanti) people. Known for their Kente, resistance to colonial rule, adinkra symbols, and other storied traditions this powerful ethnic group is known around the world. A visit to Kumasi is a complete immersion into a culture that is central to Ghana’s identity. From visiting Kumasi weavers to the Manhiya Palace to the serene waters of Lake Bosomtwe, the city is best visited during one of its festivals like the Akwasidae harvest celebration that happens every six weeks.
Kumasi is a 40-minute flight from Accra or a six-hour drive.
CAPE THREE POINTS, GHANA
Cape Three Points is quite literally the center of the earth if you go by Google Maps coordinates. It also is one of the most beautiful stretches of beach in all of Ghana. The drive to Cape Three Points takes you through several rural communities, oil palm plantations, and an extensive rubber plantation which was originally planted by Kwame Nkrumah fifty years ago. The crowning jewel in Cape Three Points is its solar-powered lighthouse rebuilt in 1925, from the top you have a 360º view from the southernmost tip of Ghana. If you’re looking for stunning views and space for relaxation and reflection on your visit to the continent, build in a few days to spend here.
Cape Three Points is a two-hour drive from Takoradi Airport or an eight-hour drive from Accra.
VOLTA REGION, GHANA
The Volta Region is home to some of Ghana’s most beautiful and interesting landscapes and cultures. For adventure seekers, the upper Volta offers the thrills of Wli Falls, the tallest waterfall in West Africa, along with Kayaking and Rappelling along the Volta River. As you reach the lower Volta where the river begins to meet the Atlantic Ocean, you’ll find Ghana’s own “riviera” in Ada. From luxury villas that look straight out of Miami Beach to intimate resorts and even a private cigar lounge, it’s only 2 hours away from Accra and is indeed an escape.
W.E.B. DU BOIS CENTER, CANTONMENTS
W.E.B. Du Bois, the iconic Civil Rights pioneer, author, and scholar was invited to Ghana by Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first president, who helped him write the Encyclopedia Africana. Along with his wife, Dr. DuBois brought hundreds of books on his voyage to Ghana and renounced his U.S. citizenship. This collection along with ceremonial robes from Harvard scrolls gifted to him by Mao Zedong, notebooks, and family photographs eventually became the W.E.B. Du Bois Memorial Center for Pan-African Culture.
Second Circular Rd | Accra Central | +233 30 277 2502
BASECAMP INITIATIVE, E LEFON
A visit to Accra should include some time spent with the next generation of creators and innovators. The Basecamp Initiative is a perfect place to start, more than a “co-working space” Basecamp is a community space where politics, fashion, music, tech, and more intersect.
Crystal Park | East Legon | +233 26 735 3134
MEST, E LEGON
The Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology and its incubator provide training, seed investment, and mentorship for the next generation of entrepreneurs. MEST is special for its rigor in preparing its entrepreneurs for success on the global stage. From AI workshops on the weekends to venture competitions, popping into MEST is a surefire way to root yourself in Africa’s future.
20 Aluguntugui St | Accra | +233 30 274 2921
SIRIGU & BOLGATANGA, NORTHERN GHANA
Craftsmanship and culture are best seen in rural areas where preservationists and creators practice age-old methods daily. Bolgatanga is the capital of the Upper East region of Ghana and home to sweeping planes dotted with strong craft and artisan communities. One community Sirigu is home to a women’s cooperative and pottery production hub that practices a vivid painting style that can be seen in the homes of the surrounding village. A visit here is like being transported to another time with a relevance much needed in the present.
Sirigu can be reached by a flight from Accra to Tamale and a 2-hour journey north from the airport.
GALLERY 1957, ACCRA CENTRAL
With a name that honors the year of Ghana’s independence, Gallery 1957 is one of the leading galleries on the entire continent. Its artists include Zohra Opoku, the floor prize winner at the 2016 Armory Show in NYC, and Serge Attekwui Clottey featured in Vogue Magazine. Their work expands outside of the gallery walls through a public program that includes talks, performances and supporting cultural initiatives.
Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City & Galleria Mall | Accra Central | +233 54 531 1683
NUBUKE FOUNDATION, E LEGON
Nubuke Foundation is a visual art and cultural institution that serves as a nexus for arts and culture across the country while supporting the artistic practice of Ghanaians. Vibrant programming includes exhibitions, readings, talks, film screenings, performances, and workshops for the culturally curious.
Lome Close | East Legon | +233 289 102 163
ROYAL MANHYIA PALACE + MUSEUM, KUMASI
The Manhyia Palace is the seat of the Asantehene of Asanteman (Asante King), as well as his official residence. The original palace was destroyed by the British in 1974 during the Third Anglo-Ashanti War. The British then erected a new palace in 1925 (can you imagine?) that now serves as a museum. The museum itself houses Asante cultural relics including gold works for which the group is famous. You can learn more about the Asantehene and his current works on the official site of the king.
ELLE LOKKO, OSU
A wonderful store conceived by its founder Stefania, Elle Lokko houses West African designers at all ends of the price spectrum. From designer threads straight out of Lagos Fashion Week to locally produced tote bags with colloquial sayings from around Accra, you will surely hit your fashion jackpot with both traditional and contemporary threads and accessories.
F604/1 Lokko Rd | Osu | Accra
THE SHOP ACCRA, OSU
Eyetsa Ocloo has been contributing to Accra’s creative and entrepreneurial scene as a designer, restauranteur, and culture shifter. The Shop Accra is a wonderful creation of clothes and items from across West Africa and a multi-use space for food, events, entertainment, tours, and more.
Omanye Street | Osu | Accra