Find places in Togo

Must-Haves

• Grand Marché de Lomé (Centre)
  The city's great market, home of the Nana Benz cloth traders and endless stalls of wax print, spices and everyday goods.

Off the Beaten Path

• Akodessewa Fetish Market (Akodessewa)
  One of West Africa's largest markets of traditional medicine and Vodun charms, a striking and unforgettable sight.
• Marché d'Hédzranawoé (Hédzranawoé)
  A huge market for used goods, furniture and everyday items, and a window onto Lomé's trading culture.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Marché d'Assigamé (Centre)
  The food and goods market streets around the Grand Marché, ideal for spices, produce and street snacks.

Fun for Everyone

• Cloth shops of the Grand Marché (Centre)
  Shop for wax print and have it made into clothes by a tailor in a day or two.

Must-Haves

• Palais de Lomé (Centre)
  The restored German governor's palace, now an art centre with exhibitions and large gardens by the sea.
• Monument de l'Indépendance (Place de l'Indépendance)
  The city's symbol of independence, set in a wide square near the Palais des Congrès.
• Cathédrale du Sacré-Cœur de Lomé (Centre)
  A German era Gothic style cathedral beside the Grand Marché, an old landmark of the centre.

Fun for Everyone

• Musée National du Togo (Palais des Congrès)
  A compact museum of traditional objects, instruments and regalia that gives context to the whole country.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Village Artisanal de Lomé (Centre)
  Watch weavers, carvers and leather workers at work and buy directly from the makers.

Fun for Everyone

• Plage de Lomé (Boulevard du Mono)
  The long palm-lined city beach where families stroll and gather at weekends, best enjoyed from the sand.

Off the Beaten Path

• Lagune de Bè (Bè)
  A lagoon in the heart of the city lined with gardens, fishermen and birds.
• Baguida beach (Baguida)
  A quieter stretch of coast east of the city where Germans first landed in 1884.

Great for Date Night

• Sunset walk on the corniche (Boulevard du Mono)
  The palm-lined seafront glows at dusk, ideal for a stroll for two.

Fun for Everyone

• Marché de Bè (Bè)
  A busy neighbourhood market in one of Lomé's oldest Ewe quarters, full of local life.
• Day trip to Lake Togo (Agbodrafo)
  An easy escape from the city to the calm lagoon and the pirogue crossing to Togoville.

Off the Beaten Path

• Walk the Ghana border at Aflao (Kodjoviakopé)
  See one of the busiest frontier quarters in West Africa, right on the edge of the capital.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Ride a zémidjan along the seafront (Boulevard du Mono)
  A quick motorbike taxi ride with a helmet is the classic way locals cross the city.

Must-Haves

• Explore Bè's shrines with a guide (Bè)
  Learn about Ewe tradition in one of the city's oldest quarters.

Must-Haves

• Hôtel 2 Février (Place de l'Indépendance)
  Lomé's landmark tower hotel with sweeping views over the city and the sea.
• Hôtel Sarakawa (Boulevard du Mono)
  A long-established seafront hotel with large gardens and a big pool, east of the centre.

Great for Date Night

• ONOMO Hotel Lomé (Boulevard du Mono)
  A modern, comfortable seafront hotel with a pool and a calm feel.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Maquis of Rue du Commerce (Centre)
  Simple street restaurants serving fufu, akoumé and grilled fish to office workers and traders.
• Akoumé stalls of Bè (Bè)
  Neighbourhood stalls serving akoumé with ademe sauce, the everyday dish of the coast.
• Street kebab grills at night (Nyékonakpoè)
  Spiced brochettes and fried yam sold from smoky grills after dark.

Fun for Everyone

• Grilled fish stalls at Boulevard du Mono (Boulevard du Mono)
  Fresh fish grilled over coals by the sea, eaten with pepper sauce and akoumé.
• Ablo and fried fish stalls (Centre)
  Soft steamed ablo with fried fish and pepper, a favourite coastal snack.

Must-Haves

• Seafront beach bars (Boulevard du Mono)
  Plastic chairs, cold beers and sea breeze at the paillote bars along the beach road.
• Nightlife strip of Kodjoviakopé (Kodjoviakopé)
  A busy quarter of bars and music near the border that stays lively late.

Fun for Everyone

• Live music nights at maquis in Tokoin (Tokoin)
  Highlife, afrobeat and local sounds at neighbourhood bars on weekend nights.

Off the Beaten Path

• Sodabi bars in Bè (Bè)
  Tiny local spots where you can taste sodabi palm spirit carefully alongside regulars.

Must-Haves

• Independence Day celebrations (Place de l'Indépendance)
  Parades and celebrations each 27 April across the capital.

Great for Date Night

• Seafront café terraces (Boulevard du Mono)
  Sea breezes and fresh juice at the beach road terraces.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Bissap and fresh juice sellers (Centre)
  Chilled hibiscus, ginger and baobab drinks sold from coolers on the street.

Must-Haves

• Mont Agou (Agou)
  Togo's highest peak, with views to Ghana and walks through cocoa farms and villages.
• Cascade de Kpimé (Kpimé)
  The best known waterfall near town, most impressive in and after the rains.
• Forêt de Klouto (Klouto)
  Hilltop forest famous for butterflies, best explored with a local guide early in the morning.

Off the Beaten Path

• Cascade de Womé (Womé)
  A forest walk to a waterfall with a pool at its base.
• Plateau de Dayes (Dayes)
  High country of coffee and cocoa farms, quiet roads and cooler air.

Must-Haves

• Centre Artisanal de Kpalimé (Centre)
  Workshops for carving, batik, ceramics and weaving where you buy direct from artisans.

Fun for Everyone

• Cathédrale de Kpalimé (Centre)
  A German era cathedral and a reminder of the town's colonial history.

Off the Beaten Path

• Painters' studios of Kpalimé (Centre)
  Small studios selling bright paintings of village and market life.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Marché de Kpalimé (Centre)
  The busy regional market where hill farmers sell fruit, cocoa and palm oil.

Off the Beaten Path

• Woodcarvers' street (Centre)
  Carvers at work in the open air, happy to explain their craft.

Fun for Everyone

• Cocoa farm visit (Kuma Konda)
  See how cocoa is grown, opened and dried on a family farm.

Off the Beaten Path

• Kuma villages walk (Kuma)
  Walk between hill villages with views across the Kpalimé valley.

Must-Haves

• Hike from Kpalimé to Kuma Konda (Kuma Konda)
  A classic half-day walk through forest and cocoa farms with a guide.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Guesthouses on the Klouto road (Klouto road)
  Simple stays with forest views and guided walks from the door.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Maquis around the market (Centre)
  Hearty plates of fufu and sauce at low cost.

Fun for Everyone

• Fresh fruit stalls of Kpalimé (Centre)
  Avocados, pineapples and mangoes straight from the hills.

Off the Beaten Path

• Local cocoa and coffee tastings (Dayes)
  Taste coffee and cocoa grown just up the hill.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Palm wine bars (Kpalimé)
  Fresh palm wine in village bars, a taste of everyday life.

Fun for Everyone

• Kpalimé market day (Centre)
  The busiest day of the week brings the whole region into town.

Must-Haves

• Pirogue to Togoville (Agbodrafo)
  Cross Lake Togo by dugout canoe to the village that gave Togo its name.
• Agbodrafo jetty at sunset (Agbodrafo)
  Watch pirogues return across the lagoon as the light fades.

Off the Beaten Path

• Lagoon birdwatching (Lake Togo)
  Herons, kingfishers and waders along the reed beds.

Fun for Everyone

• Hilla-Condji border (Hilla-Condji)
  The busy crossing into Benin just east of town.
• Pirogue tour of the lagoon villages (Lake Togo)
  Glide between fishing villages and fish traps on the calm water.

Must-Haves

• Togoville treaty monument (Togoville)
  Marks the 1884 protectorate treaty between Germany and chief Mlapa III.
• Cathédrale de Togoville (Togoville)
  A striking cathedral and shrine at the heart of the lagoon village.
• Maison des Esclaves (Agbodrafo)
  The Wood Home, a sobering place where enslaved people were held after abolition.

Fun for Everyone

• Vodun shrines of Togoville (Togoville)
  Shrines that sit beside the churches, explained by local guides.

Off the Beaten Path

• Colonial houses of Aného (Centre)
  Faded German and Afro-Brazilian houses on quiet streets between lagoon and sea.

Fun for Everyone

• Lac Togo (Agbodrafo)
  A calm lagoon with fishermen, birds and gentle swimming near the hotels.
• Fishing beach of Aného (Seafront)
  Colourful boats and fishermen hauling nets at dawn.

Off the Beaten Path

• Vogan market (Vogan)
  A big weekly market inland from the lake, full of local trade.

Great for Date Night

• Lake Togo sunset by pirogue (Lake Togo)
  A slow evening paddle on calm water, ideal for two.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Guesthouses of Aného (Centre)
  Simple stays in the old colonial town.

Must-Haves

• Epe Ekpe festival (Glidji)
  The Guin new year, when a sacred stone is revealed as an omen for the year ahead.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Marché d'Aného (Centre)
  A lively market by the lagoon with fish, produce and cloth.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Grilled fish by the lagoon (Agbodrafo)
  Fresh tilapia and barracuda with akoumé and pepper sauce.

Great for Date Night

• Lakeside dinner at Agbodrafo (Agbodrafo)
  Dinner by the water as the lagoon turns gold.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Beach bars of Aného (Seafront)
  Cold drinks and sea views in a low-key setting.

Must-Haves

• Marché d'Atakpamé (Centre)
  The hillside market town's busy heart, full of yams, cloth and palm oil.

Must-Haves

• Cascade d'Akloa (Tomegbé, Badou)
  One of Togo's most beautiful waterfalls, reached by a forest walk.

Off the Beaten Path

• Badou valley (Badou)
  A coffee and cocoa valley near the Ghana border with quiet hill walks.

Fun for Everyone

• Hill views over Atakpamé (Centre)
  The town's ridges give wide views over forest and farmland.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Maquis of Atakpamé (Centre)
  Fufu, guinea fowl and bean dishes served to locals and travellers.

Fun for Everyone

• Walk the ridges of Atakpamé (Centre)
  Climb the town's hills for views over the forest.

Fun for Everyone

• Cathédrale d'Atakpamé (Centre)
  A large church on one of the town's hills.

Must-Haves

• Koutammakou (Nadoba)
  The UNESCO-listed valley of Batammariba tower houses, explored with local guides.
• Takienta tower houses (Nadoba)
  The fortress-like mud homes with granaries that define the Batammariba landscape.

Off the Beaten Path

• Blacksmiths of Tcharè (Tcharè)
  Watch iron worked by hand with techniques passed down for generations.

Fun for Everyone

• Niamtougou crafts (Niamtougou)
  Pottery and craft villages near the northern airport.

Must-Haves

• Evala wrestling festival (Kara region)
  The Kabiyè coming-of-age wrestling festival held each July.

Fun for Everyone

• Kara market day (Centre)
  Villagers arrive from the hills to trade, filling the city with colour.

Must-Haves

• Grand Marché de Kara (Centre)
  The north's big market, with cloth, spices and tchoukoutou sellers.

Off the Beaten Path

• Kabiyè massif terraces (Kara hills)
  Terraced hills farmed in traditional ways, best on a morning walk.

Must-Haves

• Défalé gorge road (Défalé)
  A dramatic winding road through the hills north of Kara.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Guesthouses of Kara (Centre)
  Simple, clean stays in the calm northern city.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Tchoukoutou courtyards (Kara)
  Millet beer served by women brewers in neighbourhood courtyards.
• Pintade grills (Centre)
  Grilled guinea fowl with spicy pepper, a northern favourite.

Fun for Everyone

• Walk the Kara riverside (Centre)
  An easy evening walk where the city relaxes.

Off the Beaten Path

• Kandé market (Kandé)
  The market town on the edge of Koutammakou and a common starting point for the valley.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Evening maquis of Kara (Centre)
  Kebabs, fried yam and cold drinks under the stars.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Morning tea stalls of Kara (Centre)
  Sweet tea, bread and omelette at roadside stalls, the northern breakfast.