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Djibouti's capital is evolving at a fast pace, and there’s a palpable sense of change in the air. With plenty of good restaurants, clubs, bars and hotels, it's now the place in the Horn of Africa to treat yourself to a fine meal. It’s also the obvious city to organise forays into the fantastic hinterland, or boat excursions. Today's city is vastly different from the battered French outpost to which it was reduced in the 1980s and 1990s. Its geostrategic importance and busy port have turned Djibouti City into a thriving capital where robed Afar tribesmen, stalwart GIs and frazzled businessmen all jostle side by side.
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Djibouti City.
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The focal point of the European Quarter is Place du 27 Juin 1977 (Place Ménélik). With its whitewashed houses and Moorish arcades, this vast square is a strange mix of the Arab and the European. It’s lined with cafés, bars, restaurants and shops. The European Quarter is connected to the Plateau du Serpent area to the north by the Blvd de la République, along which many of the principal administrative buildings can be found.
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The vast and chaotic Place Mahmoud Harbi (Place Rimbaud) is dominated by the minaret of this imposing mosque, Djibouti City’s most iconic building.
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The vast Place Mahmoud Harbi (aka Pl Rimbaud), which is dominated by the minaret of the great Hamoudi Mosque, Djibouti City’s most iconic building, is considered the real soul of the city. Eastward, the chaotic Quartier 1 is a crisscross of alleyways where stalls and shops are lined cheek by jowl. Spreading along Blvd de Bender are the stalls of Les Caisses Market. Crammed with every type of souvenir from woodcarvings to clothing, it’s a colourful place for soaking up the atmosphere.
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In the early evening, the walk along the causeway northwest of the centre makes a very pleasant stroll. The Moorish-inspired presidential palace (not open to the public) marks one end, the harbour of L’Escale, the other. The little marina is home to a variety of boats, from the traditional and picturesque Arab dhows to the simple local fishing skiffs and ferries to Tadjoura and Obock.
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These adjoining neighbourhoods north of the centre are residential areas where you’ll find many of the foreign embassies and residences, as well as lavish villas and Djibouti’s swankiest hotels.
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Spreading along Blvd de Bender are the stalls of this popular market. Crammed with every type of souvenir from woodcarvings to clothing, it’s a colourful place for soaking up the atmosphere.
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The cathedral has been recently restored and is one of the most eye-catching buildings along Blvd de la République.
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In a street running parallel to Blvd de la République, this Orthodox church, which is popular with the Ethiopian community, is well worth a peek.