Maputo

Half a block west of Avenida Karl Marx, the National Art Museum has an excellent collection of paintings and sculptures by Mozambique’s finest contemporary artists, including Malangatana and Alberto Chissano.

These informative and recommended walking tours of Maputo focus on the city's rich historical, architectural and artistic legacies. They're a great way to get an overview of the city and an introduction to its major sights and rich traditions.

The heart of old Maputo is in the baixa (the lower-lying area near the port). Here, history and culture abound, with sights such as the National Art Museum and landmark train station. The imposing Praça da Independência is ringed by notable structures, including City Hall, the Cathedral of Nossa Senhora da Conceição and the Iron House.

A Maputo classic dating from 1938, this beachside place – now under new management – draws the crowds on weekend afternoons. There’s seating on the large sea-facing porch or indoors, and an array of seafood dishes and grills, with prawns the speciality. It’s about 5km from the centre at the northern end of Avenida Marginal.

Maputo has a wonderful array of restaurants and cafes, featuring all sorts of cuisines, from Portuguese-style pastries to matapa (a dish featuring cassava leaves, coconut milk and seasonings) and other traditional Mozambican specialities to tasty meat dishes and grilled seafood. The Fish Market is a fantastic option for the latter.

Catembe ('Place of the Tembe') is a bucolic town on the southern side of Maputo Bay. It offers a taste of upcountry for those who won’t have a chance to leave the capital. Head here for a day or overnight, munch on prawns, enjoy the views of Maputo’s skyline from across the bay and get into local rhythms.