Burkina Faso · Local picks
100+ Places to Visit in Burkina Faso
These are the markets, maquis, museums, music spots, natural sites and stays that make Burkina Faso memorable, from Ouagadougou's crafts to Bobo-Dioulasso's old quarter. Always check your government's travel advice before going anywhere outside the main cities.
Places to Visit in Ouagadougou
Shopping and Markets
- Grand Marché Rood Woko (Centre)
The rebuilt central market, packed with cloth, spices, shea butter and everyday Ouaga life. - Village Artisanal de Ouagadougou (Ouaga 2000 road)
Bronze casters, weavers, leatherworkers and carvers under one roof, with fair fixed prices. - Centre National d'Artisanat d'Art (Centre)
A government crafts centre selling Faso Dan Fani cloth, bronzes and leather goods. - Marché de Sankaryaré (Sankaryaré)
A busy local market for fabrics, food and household goods away from tourist eyes. - Bronze Foundries of Niogsin (Niogsin)
Watch bronze casters use the lost wax method in the traditional casters' quarter. - Marché de Gounghin (Gounghin)
A neighbourhood market for fruit, vegetables, cloth and quick street food. - Shea Butter Women's Cooperatives (Citywide)
Buy pure shea butter and soap directly from women's cooperatives.
Arts and Culture
- Musée National du Burkina Faso (Boulevard Charles de Gaulle)
The best introduction to the country's peoples, masks, costumes and crafts. - Musée de la Musique Georges Ouédraogo (Centre)
A small museum of balafons, drums and string instruments behind Burkinabè music. - Place des Cinéastes (Centre)
The film camera monument that celebrates Ouaga's role as Africa's capital of cinema. - Cathédrale de l'Immaculée Conception (Centre)
The red brick cathedral at the heart of the old city, impressive on Sunday mornings. - Grande Mosquée de Ouagadougou (Centre)
The city's main mosque, a landmark best admired respectfully from outside. - Monument des Héros Nationaux (Ouaga 2000)
A towering monument on Ouaga 2000's main roundabout honouring the nation's heroes. - Mémorial Thomas Sankara (Conseil de l'Entente)
A memorial and statue at the site where the revolutionary leader was killed in 1987. - Institut Français de Ouagadougou (Centre)
Concerts, films, exhibitions and a pleasant garden café in the city centre. - CITO Carrefour International de Théâtre (Somgandé)
A respected theatre company staging Burkinabè plays in French and local languages. - Espace Culturel Gambidi (Centre)
A long-standing cultural space for theatre, dance and training young performers. - Ciné Neerwaya (Centre)
One of Ouaga's big cinemas, a main FESPACO venue showing African films. - Ciné Burkina (Centre)
A classic city centre cinema where local audiences cheer at African releases. - Monument de la Bataille du Rail (Centre)
A roundabout monument honouring the volunteers who built the railway extension. - Maison du Peuple (Centre)
The large public hall that hosts concerts, rallies and big cultural events. - Place de la Nation (Centre)
The capital's main square, steeped in the country's political history. - Bronze Statues of the Nation's Roundabouts (Citywide)
Ouaga's roundabouts carry monuments to cinema, the railway and national heroes. - Siège du FESPACO (Centre)
The festival headquarters with a film archive and a cinema heritage feel.
Events
- FESPACO (Citywide)
Africa's best-known film festival, held every other year with screenings across the city. - SIAO International Arts and Crafts Fair (SIAO grounds)
A huge crafts fair in alternate years, gathering artisans from across Africa. - Festival Jazz à Ouaga (Citywide)
A spring music festival bringing jazz, Afrobeat and blues to stages around the city. - Waga Hip Hop Festival (Citywide)
A youth festival of rap, dance and graffiti that shows Ouaga's modern side. - Kundé d'Or Music Awards (Centre)
The country's biggest music awards night, a showcase of Burkinabè stars. - Fête du Dodo in Ouagadougou (Citywide)
Masked dancers and drumming fill neighbourhood streets during Ramadan.
Things to Do
- Moro Naba Ceremony (Palais du Moro Naba)
A short Friday morning ritual at the Mossi king's palace that visitors may watch quietly. - Stade du 4 Août (Gounghin)
Catch a football match with the Étalons or local clubs in a lively crowd. - Faso Dan Fani Weaving Workshops (Citywide)
See the national woven cloth made on traditional looms. - Ouaga Craft Shopping Day (Centre)
Combine the crafts village and the national crafts centre for gifts. - Moped City Watching (Centre)
Watch the moped tide at sunset from a terrace, Ouaga's great free spectacle.
Nature and Outdoors
- Parc Urbain Bangr Weoogo (Centre)
Shady walking paths, a small zoo and a welcome green escape from the heat. - Barrage de Ouagadougou (Tanghin)
The city's reservoirs, edged with market gardens and birdlife at dawn.
Bars and Nightlife
- Le Zaka (Centre)
A garden restaurant and stage with regular live music in the heart of the city. - Jardin de la Musique Reemdoogo (Gounghin)
A music garden built for local bands, with concerts and rehearsals in a calm setting. - Brakina Beer at a Maquis (Citywide)
The local lager, the classic companion to an evening of grilled meat and music.
Restaurants
- Le Verdoyant (Centre)
A long-running favourite for wood-fired pizza and Italian dishes in a leafy courtyard. - Le Gondwana (Zone du Bois)
A restaurant decorated with African art, known for refined local and international dishes. - Riz Gras (Citywide)
The national celebration dish of rice cooked in rich tomato and meat sauce. - Poulet Bicyclette (Citywide)
Lean, flavourful free range chicken grilled or braised, a Burkinabè classic.
Stays
- Hôtel Silmandé (Bangr Weoogo)
A large hotel beside the lake and park with gardens, pool and strong security. - Azalaï Hôtel Indépendance (Centre)
A historic central hotel with a pool and garden, close to banks and restaurants. - Ramada Pearl Ouagadougou (Ouaga 2000)
An international chain hotel popular with business visitors in Ouaga 2000. - Splendid Hôtel (Centre)
A central mid-range hotel with a pool, convenient for the market and museums. - Hôtel Les Palmiers (Centre)
A friendly mid-range hotel with a garden and traditional style rooms. - Bravia Hotel Ouagadougou (Centre)
A modern business hotel with a rooftop pool near the city centre.
Cafés
- Garden Café at the Institut Français (Centre)
A shady terrace for coffee, juice and a quiet hour between sights. - Bissap and Gingembre Juice Stands (Citywide)
Chilled hibiscus and ginger juices sold in bags from street coolers.
Places to Visit in Laongo
Arts and Culture
- Laongo Sculpture Park (Laongo)
Granite boulders carved by artists from around the world in a quiet open landscape.
Places to Visit in Bazoulé
Nature and Outdoors
- Mare aux Crocodiles Sacrés de Bazoulé (Bazoulé)
A sacred crocodile pond where villagers have long lived alongside the animals.
Places to Visit in Ziniaré
Nature and Outdoors
- Parc Animalier de Ziniaré (Ziniaré)
A wildlife park with elephants, giraffes and lions north of the capital.
Places to Visit in Koudougou
Shopping and Markets
- Marché de Koudougou (Centre)
A big regional market known for cotton cloth and Faso Dan Fani weaving.
Places to Visit in Dédougou
Events
- FESTIMA Festival of Masks (Dédougou)
A gathering of masked dancers from many communities in the west of the country.
Places to Visit in Sabou
Nature and Outdoors
- Mare aux Crocodiles de Sabou (Sabou)
A sacred crocodile pond on the road west of the capital, a classic family stop.
Places to Visit in Bobo-Dioulasso
Arts and Culture
- Grande Mosquée de Dioulassoba (Dioulassoba)
The city's icon, a mud-brick mosque bristling with wooden beams. - Gare de Bobo-Dioulasso (Centre)
The Sudano-Sahelian style railway station, one of the city's most photographed buildings. - Musée Communal Sogossira Sanon (Centre)
A small museum of masks, costumes and the traditions of the west. - Maison de la Culture Anselme Titianma Sanou (Centre)
The city's main stage for concerts, dance and festival events. - Institut Français de Bobo-Dioulasso (Centre)
Concerts, films and exhibitions in a pleasant garden setting. - Bobo-Dioulasso Old Town Walk (Dioulassoba)
A slow walk from the mosque through the old quarter to the riverbank.
Things to Do
- Kibidwé Old Quarter (Dioulassoba)
The oldest part of Bobo, explored with a neighbourhood guide who explains its customs. - Koro Village (Koro)
A hillside village of stone and earth houses overlooking the plain. - Mango Season (Citywide)
Taste dozens of mango varieties in the city's markets from spring into early summer. - Bobo Railway Heritage (Centre)
The line from Abidjan shaped the city, and the station still anchors the centre.
Shopping and Markets
- Grand Marché de Bobo-Dioulasso (Centre)
A large central market for cloth, spices, baskets and mangoes in season.
Events
- Semaine Nationale de la Culture (Citywide)
A national culture festival held every other year with music, dance and crafts. - Fête du Dodo (Citywide)
A Ramadan season street festival of masked children's parades in the west.
Nature and Outdoors
- Mare aux Poissons Sacrés de Dafra (Dafra)
A sacred pool of catfish reached by a rocky walk through the hills. - Forêt Classée du Kou (Nasso)
A shady gallery forest with springs and a swimming spot locals call la Guinguette. - Mare aux Hippopotames de Bala (Bala)
A UNESCO biosphere reserve lake where hippos gather in the dry season. - La Guinguette Swimming Spot (Kou)
A clear stream in the forest where families swim and picnic at weekends. - Mango and Kapok Shaded Avenues (Centre)
Walk or ride the leafy avenues that make Bobo the country's greenest city.
Bars and Nightlife
- Dolo Cabarets of Bolomakoté (Bolomakoté)
Taste millet beer in neighbourhood cabarets in the city's famous music quarter.
Stays
- Hôtel L'Auberge (Centre)
A central hotel with a pool and a terrace restaurant, a long-standing Bobo favourite.
Cafés
- Street Coffee Stands (Centre)
Sweet Nescafé and bread with butter at roadside kiosks, a Bobo morning ritual.
Restaurants
- Soumbala Seasoned Sauces (Citywide)
The fermented néré seed that gives Burkinabè sauces their depth.
Places to Visit in Banfora
Nature and Outdoors
- Cascades de Karfiguéla (Karfiguéla)
Waterfalls stepping over rock ledges, at their fullest after the rains. - Dômes de Fabédougou (Fabédougou)
Rounded sandstone towers rising from the plain, glowing at sunset. - Lac de Tengréla (Tengréla)
A lake known for its sacred hippos, seen by pirogue with local fishermen. - Pics de Sindou (Sindou)
A jagged ridge of sandstone needles sacred to the Sénoufo people.
Shopping and Markets
- Marché de Banfora (Centre)
A lively regional market for fruit, rice, sugar cane and cloth.
Stays
- Hôtel La Canne à Sucre (Centre)
A well-known hotel with a garden restaurant and simple, comfortable rooms.
Things to Do
- Sugar Cane Plantations (Banfora)
The green cane fields that give the town its sweet reputation.
Places to Visit in Loropéni
Arts and Culture
- Ruins of Loropéni (Loropéni)
Burkina Faso's first UNESCO World Heritage Site, a stone enclosure linked to the gold trade.
Places to Visit in Tiébélé
Arts and Culture
- Cour Royale de Tiébélé (Tiébélé)
The royal compound of earthen houses painted in bold Kassena designs. - Kassena Architecture Tour (Tiébélé)
Guided walks explain each house shape, from round houses to figure of eight homes.
Things to Do
- Kassena Wall Painting (Tiébélé)
Learn how women paint the houses with earth, chalk and néré varnish.
Nature and Outdoors
- Ranch de Gibier de Nazinga (Nazinga)
A protected area once famed for its elephant herds near the Ghana border.
Shopping and Markets
- Marché de Pô (Pô)
The main market of the Nahouri province, busy on market days.
Events
- Annual Repainting of the Royal Court (Tiébélé)
The yearly community repainting after the rains.
More to Explore
We are still checking these with fresh sources, so confirm opening times before you go.
- Maquis Riz Gras Stalls of Gounghin (Gounghin, Ouagadougou)
Neighbourhood maquis serving riz gras and grilled chicken the way locals eat it. - L'Eau Vive (Centre, Ouagadougou)
A restaurant run by a religious community, known for calm service and French cooking. - Poulet Bicyclette Grills on Avenue Kwame Nkrumah (Centre, Ouagadougou)
Roadside grills turning out the country's famous free range chicken in the evening. - Laico Ouaga 2000 (Ouaga 2000, Ouagadougou)
A big conference hotel in the diplomatic district with pools and secure grounds. - Le Pavillon Vert (Centre, Ouagadougou)
A long-time budget guesthouse with a shady courtyard and simple rooms. - Hôtel Yibi (Centre, Ouagadougou)
A comfortable mid-range hotel with a pool and reliable generators. - FITMO Theatre and Puppet Festival (Citywide, Ouagadougou)
A festival of theatre and marionettes held in venues across the capital. - Rendez-vous Chez Nous Street Arts Festival (Citywide, Ouagadougou)
Street performances, circus and theatre brought into neighbourhoods for free. - Dégué and Zoom Koom Street Sellers (Citywide, Ouagadougou)
Try dégué, a millet and yoghurt drink, and zoom koom, a ginger and millet drink, from street sellers. - Pâtisserie Ouaga 2000 Strip (Ouaga 2000, Ouagadougou)
A cluster of bakeries and cafés for coffee, pastries and air conditioning. - Maquis Terraces of Dapoya (Dapoya, Ouagadougou)
Classic open-air maquis where friends share cold Brakina and grilled meat at dusk. - Barrage de Boulmiougou (Boulmiougou, Ouagadougou)
A reservoir at the city's edge where fishermen and market gardeners work at sunrise. - Tô and Sauce Feuille at Neighbourhood Maquis (Citywide, Ouagadougou)
Eat the national staple with okra or baobab leaf sauce for an authentic meal. - Musée de Manéga (Manéga, Manéga)
A private museum of masks, funeral rites and Mossi traditions in a village setting. - Nuits Atypiques de Koudougou (Koudougou, Koudougou)
A world music festival in the country's third city, famous for its relaxed spirit. - Ciné Guimbi (Centre, Bobo-Dioulasso)
A restored cinema that has become a community film and culture hub. - Ciné Sanyon (Centre, Bobo-Dioulasso)
A historic city cinema showing African and international films. - Hôtel Watinoma (Centre, Bobo-Dioulasso)
A friendly mid-range hotel in a quiet street near the centre. - Hôtel Relax (Centre, Bobo-Dioulasso)
A simple, central hotel with a garden restaurant. - L'Eau Vive Bobo-Dioulasso (Centre, Bobo-Dioulasso)
A calm restaurant run by a religious community, known for French and local dishes. - Grilled Fish Maquis of Bobo (Citywide, Bobo-Dioulasso)
Neighbourhood maquis grilling fish and chicken with attiéké or chips. - Bogolan Workshops (Citywide, Bobo-Dioulasso)
Watch artisans paint mud cloth with fermented mud and plant dyes. - Balafon and Djembe Lessons (Bolomakoté, Bobo-Dioulasso)
Learn a rhythm from griot families in the city's music quarter. - Live Music Evenings in Courtyard Maquis (Centre, Bobo-Dioulasso)
Small concerts in courtyards are the best way to hear Bobo's musicians. - Koumi Village (Koumi, Bobo-Dioulasso)
A village known for its earthen church and the seminary founded there. - Marché de Kôkô (Kôkô, Bobo-Dioulasso)
A neighbourhood market for fresh produce and spices away from the centre. - Tô with Soumbala Sauce at the Grand Marché (Centre, Bobo-Dioulasso)
Eat the city's everyday staple at simple stalls around the market. - Gorges de la Comoé (Comoé, Banfora)
Rocky gorges along the Comoé river, once a favourite for hikes and picnics. - Grilled Fish by Lac de Tengréla (Tengréla, Banfora)
Simple lakeside meals of fish caught that morning. - Lac de Douna (Douna, Banfora)
A quiet lake near rocky hills, rarely visited by outsiders. - Tiébélé Pottery and Crafts (Tiébélé, Tiébélé)
Buy pottery and crafts made by the families who keep the paintings alive. - Tangassogo Village (Tangassogo, Tiébélé)
A nearby Kassena village with painted houses in the same tradition. - Harvest Festivals of the Cascades (Banfora, Banfora)
Village celebrations of music and dance after the harvest.