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Assemblée Nationale
The road has since been renamed Av Léopold Senghor, although most locals still refer to it by its old name. The Assemblée Nationale, with its modern glass façade, is easy to reach from here.
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cathedral
The cathedral is a large but fairly unspectacular 1920s building. It's still worth a glimpse, being the main cathedral of the capital city, and the adjacent garden has a leafy children's playground - your kids will no doubt prefer to staying there rather than take a tour of Dakar's impressive colonial buildings.
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Chambre de Commerce
There's the Gouvernance and the Chambre de Commerce on either side of Place de l'Indépendance, a remarkable space itself because it is huge, wide, lined by grand buildings and symmetrically laid out.
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Espace Culturel VEMA
The Espace Culturel VEMA is a ray of hope in the dreary industrial lands near the Île de Gorée ferry. Its spiced-up warehouse frequently houses exhibitions and events, but you need to phone first to see if anything's on.
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Galerie Arte
Galerie Arte looks more like a shop than a gallery, and though all items are for sale, there's no pressure to buy.
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Galerie Le Manège
The brilliant little Galerie Le Manège, in a beautifully restored 19th-century building, is also part of the French cultural complex.
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Galerie Nationale
The space of the Galerie Nationale is slightly less enticing, but its frequently changing exhibitions of photography or paintings are usually very good.
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Gouvernance
There's the Gouvernance and the Chambre de Commerce on either side of Place de l'Indépendance, a remarkable space itself because it is huge, wide, lined by grand buildings and symmetrically laid out.
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Grande Mosquée
The impressive Grande Mosquée built in 1964, sits in the heart of Médina, a lively neighbourhood where tiny tailor shops fight for space with improvised market stalls, and creative ideas brew between street cafés and makeshift football grounds.
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Hôtel de Ville
Central Dakar has a few impressive colonial buildings. There's the Gouvernance and the Chambre de Commerce, both on Place de l'Indépendance. The stately Hôtel de Ville sits right behind, and a short walk north takes you to the elegant building of the train station.
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IFAN Museum
Near the Palais Présidentiel, the IFAN Museum has good, though slightly dusty, displays of masks and other items from across West Africa.
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Institut Fondamental d'Afrique Noir (IFAN) Museum
The IFAN Museum is one of the best museums in West Africa. Lively, imaginative displays show masks and traditional dress across the region (including Mali, Guinea-Bissau, Benin and Nigeria) and provide an excellent overview of styles, without bombarding you with more than you can take in.
Read more about Institut Fondamental d'Afrique Noir (IFAN) Museum
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Institut Français
Dakar has a vibrant contemporary arts scene to be discovered in the cluster of small art galleries and ateliers hidden in the city's side streets. The leafy garden of the Institut Français is a hub of creativity.
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Layen Mausoleum
There's a fantastically wide beach near the fishing village of Yoff. The stretch of beach closest to the village is quite polluted, with a fish market dominating most of the scene. The traditional Yoff village and its majestic Layen Mausoleum, however, are well worth a visit. The residents there are noted for the strong Islamic culture. Smoking and drinking are not allowed and visitors should be appropriately dressed (meaning long skirts for women, long trousers for men).
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Lighthouse
Les Mamelles Lighthouse, off Rte de la Corniche-Ouest, is just a 25-minute walk or 1km drive north from here, on a small volcanic hill. You get an excellent view across Dakar from the 1864 building; visits are best made during the day and are free of charge.
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Maison des Esclaves
This building is one of the last remaining 18th-century slave-trading houses on the island. Built in 1786 and renovated in 1990, it serves as a graphic reminder of that cruel commerce. There is, however, considerable debate as to the building's historical significance.
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Mosqué de la Divinité
Taking the coastal road northwards, you'll see the stunning Mosqué de la Divinité perched on the coast near Les Mamelles quartier . Les Mamelles Lighthouse, off Rte de la Corniche-Ouest, is just a 25-minute walk or 1km drive north from here, on a small volcanic hill. You get an excellent view across Dakar from the 1864 building; visits are best made during the day and are free of charge.
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Palais Présidentiel
South of Place de l'Indépendance, the 1907 Palais Présidentiel is surrounded by sumptuous gardens.
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Piscine Olympique
Sports-lovers are well catered for by the sublime Piscine Olympique in Point E, which is part of a huge sports complex.
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Plage de Hann
The Plage de Hann, once one of Dakar's finest strands, is now an environmental catastrophe due to illegal sewage disposal by the adjacent industrial zone.
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Plage de l'Anse Bernard
Beaches within easy reach of the city centre include the private Plage Lagon II, near Hôtel Lagon II, and Plage de l'Anse Bernard near Hôtel Le Savana. Those along the Rte de la Corniche-Ouest are popular with local joggers, picnic parties and Sai-Sais. Strong currents make them less suitable for swimming.
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Plage de la Voile d'Or
The Plage de Hann, once one of Dakar's finest strands, is now an environmental catastrophe due to illegal sewage disposal by the adjacent industrial zone. South of here, in the shelter of Pointe de Bel-Air, are the private beaches Plage de la Voile d'Or and the adjacent Plage Monaco (admission around CFA650 ), where occasional beach concerts take place year-round.
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Plage de N'gor
Dakar's best beaches are found in the north of the peninsula. Plage de N'gor isn't bad, but better are the beaches on Île de N'gor, reached by pirogue ( US$1 ) from there.
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Plage Monaco
In the shelter of Pointe de Bel-Air, are the private beaches Plage de la Voile d'Or (admission around CFA650 ) and the adjacent Plage Monaco, where occasional beach concerts take place year-round.
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Salon Michèle Ka
In Point E, the Salon Michèle Ka is not only the funkiest hairdressing salon in town, but also one of the most original art galleries. The whole salon, from styling tables to wall displays, is decorated with urban sous-verre motifs à la car rapide . It's an absolute must-see - you don't need to get a new hairstyle to visit.
