Praia

Praia de Santa Mónica is a golden sandy beach in the southwestern part of the island of Boa Vista.

Praia da Chave is a golden sand beach in the western part of Boa Vista island. The beach sits between turquoise waters on one side and impressive sand dunes flanked with palm trees on the other. You can find small local huts for food and beach sport rentals.

After spending a day on the golden send beaches you can try to continue your adventure with karting races. Test your driving skills and see if you can beat your opponents.

Boavista contains a real desert in the northwestern part of the island, the Viana desert. Just one kilometer long and about 5 km long, it is characterized by a light sand mixed with grains of black earth. The ocean winds continuously transport huge volumes of sand from the African continent, depositing them on the island of Boavista due to the conformation of the land and the proximity to the mainland. This sand creates real desert dunes, interspersed with a sparse vegetation and some very dark volcanic rocks. The result of this phenomenon is a rainbow of colors and the rapid passage of clouds projects onto the ground an alternation of almost hypnotic light and shadow. The lunar landscape, amplified by the total lack of artificial sounds, makes this place an obligatory stopping point: it is possible to walk without difficulty, in the tranquility of being a few steps from civilization, without the danger of encountering poisonous animals or quicksand.

See one of the country's most popular shipwrecks at Cabo Santa Maria, where the unfortunate vessel ran aground on a barren beach. Take a 4x4 ride across the cobbled tracks to the site, where a corroded Spanish cargo ship slowly crumbles among the ocean waves. Besides examining the gradually dissipating wreckage, you can also take a walk along the shoreline. Look for small stacks of rocks left by tourists who've cast wishes out over the ocean, and make your own little contribution.

It is interesting to tour around the restored engines and cars of the amazing National Railway Museum. You don’t have to be a rail lover to catch the fun of Clinetown museums, where there is a great collection of restored locomotives, including one for the Queen of England in year 1961.

Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary situated outside of picturesque Regent Village is only 30 minutes from Freetown. Located along the Regent/Bathurst mountain road, this sanctuary for orphaned and habituated chimpanzees is a refuge for human visitors as well. Offering daily scheduled visits, as well as 6 eco-huts for overnight stays, Tacugama is the perfect place for those wishing to escape the heat and hustle of Freetown and enjoy fragrant forest breezes in the company of some extraordinary creatures. The Sanctuary now offers self-catering accommodation in the form of 6 beautifully crafted lodges. Established to rescue orphaned and captured chimps, the facilities expanded to encompass two large reserves. Tacugama has been featured in various wildlife programmes and magazines. A rescued albino chimp at the sanctuary also helped to bring it to international attention. Sadly, the albino chimp is no longer alive but the sanctuary continues to grow from strength to strength. These endangered animals share 98.6 per cent of their DNA with humans and their complex social behaviours and human-like tendencies are fascinating to behold. The story behind Tacugama is just as riveting. Established in 1995, this sanctuary, which covers 100 acres of rain-forest and watershed, is home to 90 chimpanzees that have been victimized by the illegal hunting, capturing, and selling of their species. During the conflict, Tacugama staff smuggled food to the chimpanzees and pleaded with the rebels to spare their lives. Don’t miss the extraordinary experience of viewing these intelligent beings up-close in their natural habitat.

Located in the Sierra Leone River, a few miles north of Freetown, Bunce Island was home to one of the most lucrative slave trading operations in West Africa. Between the late sixteenth century and 1807, when it was outlawed by the British government, hundreds of thousands of West Africans became victims of the slave trade. From Bunce Island, the furthest point upriver that was accessible to commercial ships, slaves were sold to colonies in the West Indies and North America. The rice-growing skills of Africans from the west coast commanded high prices from rice plantation owners in North America. In recent years, studies have revealed clear connections between the linguistic traits and cultural traditions of the Gullah people in the U.S. states of Georgia and South Carolina and the people of Sierra Leone. As was also the case at other sites in West Africa, European companies erected a fortified trading post with ancillary buildings, referred to as a slave castle, on the uninhabited Bunce Island. The structures that remain, including bastions, walls of the merchants’ quarters, the gunpowder magazine, and the gate to the slave house, were constructed of local stones and imported brick. Although the isolation of the island has helped prevent much human destruction, the severe local climate has resulted in ongoing degradation from the elements. Uncontrolled growth of vegetation in and around the ruins and coastal erosion threaten the preservation of the site. Additionally, conflict and a weak economy that is still recovering from the effects of the 2014 Ebola epidemic have hampered many plans for the preservation of Bunce Island.

The very heart of the town (declared an Asset of Cultural Interest) is represented by the church of San Antonio Abad, from the 18th century, located right in the space that a hermitage occupied a hundred years ago. Inside the temple, the image of the Christ of Health is its most valuable piece. Around, the stately homes and cobbled streets invite a peaceful walk.

You can not miss that wonderful National Park. You will enjoy landscapes that will seem like another planet. You will breathe the pure air of the highest peak in Spain. You will walk among the volcanic lava and you will feel tiny when you see the impressive environment declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

If you love wild nature and surfing, Almáciga will make you fall in love. It is one of the three beaches of Taganana, a charming town that preserves its traditions almost intact. Located right under the farmhouse that gives it its name, it is next to the Roque de las Bodegas and Benijo, one of the most beautiful beaches in the northeast area of ​​the island.

Because of the spectacular fields of solidified lava that make up the island of Lanzarote, Timanfaya is the land of volcanoes.

The city grew around San Ginés, a historic fishing centre established on the shore. Amid its streets steeped in the local seafaring atmosphere is the church of San Ginés. Standing on the site of the first hermitage to be constructed in the capital, it was rebuilt in the 17th century, while its slender belltower dates from the 19th century.

Created at the initiative of architect César Manrique , the Museum of Contemporary Art (MIAC) is located in an old 18th-century fortress called San José Castle.

The Municipal Garden of Funchal, also known as Dona Amélia Garden, is located where the Convent of Saint Francis once stood. Here, you will find flora from Madeira and of many other parts of the World.

Located in a 16th century palace, the former residence of the Bishops of Funchal, it is one of the oldest and most well preserved museums in Funchal.

Agadir has one of the most stunning bays in the world. It opens to the Atlantic Ocean and features long expanses of sand that encourage idleness. These beaches are bathed in sunshine all year, making them a top destination for anyone who loves idle lounging or water sports.

Step back from the ocean front and slip into the medina. Lose yourself in alleyways lined with zellige-adorned walls, walk through ornate doors and get acquainted with the craftsmanship of Agadir's artisans. Then head to the Kasbah, which is perched on a rock 775 feet above the ground.

A few miles from Agadir, Taghazout awaits with a different kind of fun. This former fishing village is now a modern seaside resort with impeccable facilities where surfing and other water surface sports are the main attraction.

This National Forest Reserve on the outskirts of the city covers an area of 7,500 acres of tropical rainforest. While wildlife is rather hard to spot, there are walking trails, a lake, an arboretum and a great picnic area.

The museum is an initiative of the city council of Cocody, which was started in November 1993. Featuring a permanent exhibition of modern and contemporary works by Ivorian and other African artistes, the museum’s collection has over 150 paintings, 40 sculptural pieces, 15 ceramics, 11 tapestries and 216 books.

A decent little museum located centrally in the Le Plateau region, with a special focus on Ivorian art. Exhibits include; beautiful human and animal statuettes made of terracotta, jewelry, pottery, indigenous musical instruments, wooden masks and other carvings from all parts of the country.

The royal necropolis of the saadian family, a first series of funeral chambers was created after the burial of Prince Mohamed Cheikh in 1557. his son had a koubba erected, known as koubbat lalla Messaouda, where he was himself buried in1574. in 1591, ahmed el Mansour had his mother buried there. his three successors also lie there. a second edifice was raised, with a central room called the room of the twelve columns, it houses the sultan ahmed el Mansour’s grave, the mirhab room, the room with the three alcoves. another space is reserved to children’s graves. all the rooms are exquisitely decorated.

One of the most spectacular monuments in Marrakesh and one of the most beautiful mosques in the western Muslim world. Marked by a complex history, it is actually a double sanctuary with a minaret. The first koutoubia was inaugurated in 1157 and the second one as well as the minaret were built a year later on the initiative of abdelmoumen. The two sanctuaries are distinguished by the T-plan giving great importance to the wall of the qibla (orientation of the prayer). outlined against the landscape, the 77-m ashlar minaret has a ramp which leads to the top, soberly decorated with carvings and white and green tiles on the upper parts of the façade and the pinnacle.

Dar el Badii, the unrivalled palace was built between 1578 and 1603 by Yacoub el Mansour, an almohade ruler. The richest raw materials, some of which came from india were chosen for its construction: gold, onyx, italian marble…The andalusian influence in the plans of the palace is undeniable and one may think that the unknown architect must have come from granada. an almost absolute symetry was imposed in the plan of this magnificent residence completely built on arches with extremely solid bricks. The interior gardens, called gardens of desire, of which only an immense esplanade remains today with artificial lakes and orange trees, are surrounded by the ruins of the palace and high walls on which a multitude of storks is nestled.

There is nowhere in Morocco like the Jemaa el Fna Square – no place that so easily involves you and allows you to stay coming back for more. By day, most of the place is just a large open space, where a handful of snakes charming bewitched their cobras with flutes, medical men (especially in the north-east of the square) display cures and Panaceous, and tooth-pullers, wielding fearsome claws, offering to wrest pain from the heads of people suffering from toothache, trays of extracts attesting molars their skills. It's only in the afternoon that the square really happens. At dusk, as in France and Spain, people go out for a walk early evening (especially in the street Bab Agnaou), and the place fills up little by little until it becomes a carnival all of storytellers, Acrobats, musicians and artists. Go down and you will soon be immersed in the ritual: wandering around, crouching in the midst of spectator circles, giving a dirham or two as your contribution. If you want a break, you can walk to the rooftop terraces, such as the Grand Balcon Café, for a view of the square, its storytellers and musicians, and the crowds that come to see them.

“Bahia”: literally, the marvellous, the brilliant, this name probably refers to the favourite wife of Ba ahmed, the grand vizier who had the palace built. The plans were designed by the Marrakchi architect si Mohamed el Mekki el Mesfioui, like a real labyrinth reflecting the whims of a powerful man. The best Moroccan and andalousian craftsmen worked on this palace for fourteen years. The tiles were imported from Tetouan, the marble from Meknes while the cedar wood used for the painted and shimmering ceilings came from the atlas.

The Majorelle Garden is a small, peaceful heaven, located in the heart of the city of Marrakesh. This garden is a living masterpiece composed of exotic plants and rare species, which Jacques Majorelle, a botanical lover, brings back from his travels around the world: cactus, yuccas, water lilies, water lilies, jasmines, bougainvillea, palm trees, coconut trees, banana trees, bamboo... In 1937, the artist creates ultramarine both intense and clear blue, the Majorelle blue, of which he dyes his garden that opens to the public in 1947. The workshop became the Berber Museum, which was inaugurated in 2011 under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohamed VI. It presents a panorama of the extraordinary creativity of these people, the oldest in North Africa. From the Rif to the Sahara, more than 600 objects collected by Pierre Bergé and Yves Saint Laurent attest the richness and diversity of a culture that is still alive.

it is in the workshop of Jacques Majorelle that the Berber Museum was inaugurated in 2011 under the high Patronage of his Majesty king Mohamed Vi. it presents a panorama of the extraordinary creativity of this people, the oldest in North africa. from the rif to the sahara, more than 600 objects collected by Pierre Bergé and Yves saint laurent attest to the richness and diversity of a culture that is still alive. The museum unfolds in four distinct spaces, articulated around as many themes. The history and geography of the Berbers (amazighs) of Morocco, as well as a cartography of the most significant tribes, are presented: a rich audiovisual documentation accompanies the visitors throughout their visit.

Right in the heart of the medina, the Ben Youssef Medersa, one of the biggest medersas in the Maghreb, is one of the most remarkable historical monuments in Marrakesh and is worth a visit. it was built in the 16th century by the saadian abd allah al ghalib, which is confirmed by the inscriptions on the lintel of the entrance gate and on the capitals of the prayer room. Created on a 1,680-sq.m quadrilateral plan, the medersa used to accommodate 130 students rooms over two floors around an interior patio leading to the prayer room.

This museum promises to make us live a unique experience. form the distillation of floral waters to the extraction of vegetable and essential oils, including the collections of rare objects being of use to the creation of perfumes, those of medicinal and aromatic plants used in the hammam rite, we discover the Moroccan ancestral know-how regarding perfume shop. in addition to its exhibitions, it proposes recreational activities and workshops to understand better this universe so particular.

The Chapel of São Sebastião was built in 1426 under the order of the Infante D. Henrique. Later, in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, with the growth of the population, it was necessary to expand and remodel the said chapel, transforming it into the present church.

The Mobile Museum of the Carlos Machado Museum is an unprecedented project at national level that knows its first expression precisely in the Autonomous Region of the Azores.