City: Bissau
Top Things to do in Bissau
Top Restaurants in Bissau
What to do and see in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau: The Best Places and Tips
Still damaged by the civil wars and unrest that have marked its history, Bissau is a city in the midst of reconstruction. The city is home to many monuments and museums, including the Guinea-Bissau National Arts Institute, the newly rebuilt Bissau French Cultural Centre, the Pidjiguiti Memorial, honoring those killed in the 1959 Bissau Dockers' Strike, and the Centro Artistico Juvenil, where local youth artisans create works of art on site. Local beaches provide a relaxing respite from the heat.
Restaurants in Bissau
1. Igreja Catolica da Bissau
Overall Ratings
4 based on 20 reviews
Reviewed By PhillKentUK - Kent UK
Nice light and airy church, wander in around mid day and blagged a visit up to the bell tower (just ask nicely). great view of Downtown Bissau. Dropped a reasonable tip and the choir who were practising burst into life with a couple of songs.
2. Mercado Central
Overall Ratings
4 based on 13 reviews
One of several markets in the immediate area, this one has vibrant fruits and vegetables.
Reviewed By priska_global - Zurich, Switzerland
As Guinea-Bissau is one of 10 poorest countries in the world the goods are rare and the market is basically to cover the most important needs. You will find the market together with shops. As there is almost no tourism in Bissau, you hardly can buy a souvenir. The market is for local people. They buy chairs, working tools, medicaments, food and cloth, if they have the money for it. The economic situation is critical and people often have no money in the pocket and buy on credit.
Mostly work is not paid much, they just pay the material and the use of energy for a service. You can find a lot of Chinese goods on the market but second hand things from Europe has a higher price because of its better quality and longer lifetime.
3. Bissau Main Market
Overall Ratings
4 based on 6 reviews
Reviewed By PhillKentUK - Kent UK
A typical huge West African Market, selling local weavings, WAX, food, Clothes, shoes, hardware, tailors.... you name it it's here somewhere. Usual jumble of tiny shops, and a massive maze to negotiate. Locals all very friendly and helpful. prices don't include a tourist tax, and zero hassle.
Not much english spoken, but a bit of French, Spanish, Portuguese or Arabic will get you anything you need
4. Presidential Palace
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 7 reviews
Reviewed By mahme - Monte-Carlo, Monaco
This Presidential Palace was rebuilt recently, after the Civil War, and as such, is not of any historical significance... It is however the most noticeable building in town, and could be considered the national landmark, along with the Old Town, the Church, and not much else...
5. Centro Artistico Juvenil
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2 reviews
The spirited young artists whose works can be purchased here are usually on site carving, painting and sculpting.
Reviewed By Dabiche - Bruxelles
Ce centre d'artisanat a été créé il y a près de 30 ans après l'Indépendance par un père italien, le père Batista, qui aujourd'hui prend progressivement sa retraite et se fait remplacer par un jeune. Il regroupait déjà à l'époque de jeunes scupteurs guinéens de toutes les ethnies et qui en même temps étudiaient au Lycée Nkwame N'Krumah, de Bissau. Ils leur permettait ainsi de se loger et de se nourrir tout en étudiant. J'étais professeur au Lycée et certains élèves du Centro Juvenil.
Mais le Centre a cela de particulier, c'est qu'il donne une vrai dimension culturelle au travail artisanal. Les objets sculptés sont vendus avec une explication de leur origine et de leur symbolisme. Cela n'a rien à voir avec les séries "pour touristes". C'est pour cela que c'est vraiment un Centre artistique juvénile, et non un lieu de production d'objets touristiques ayant perdu leurs racines culturelles. On y trouve des objets qui représentent la tradition sociale et culturelle de la Guinée BIssau en même temps que des création plus récentes. On peut toujours poser les questions qu'il faut pour s'instruire dans la compréhension de l'objet.
Nadine Dominicus van den Bussche.
[email protected]
6. Mesquita Bissau
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 2 reviews
Reviewed By Ibrahima S
Mosquée bien entretenue et très spacieuse. Les prières de vendredi emmènent beaucoup de monde et font converger aussi bien les bissau guinéens que la population étrangère de la sous région
7. Museu Nacional
Overall Ratings
2.5 based on 2 reviews
The folk art and handcrafted items from the region are the high points of this small museum.
Reviewed By nomade123 - San Francisco, California
The museum is small but you can see that they are making an effort to show some of what they have. It has reopened not too long ago, so I think that visiting is very helpful and very encouraging for the people running this place. The woman who showed me around was very nice and tried her best.
