The most beautiful city in West Africa
While Africa is considered the poorest continent in the world, it is home to 54 sovereign nations with some cities that can make you feel like you are in the most beautiful place in the world. You might be wondering what is the most beautiful city in West Africa. Read the article below to know the answer.
What is the most beautiful city in West Africa in 2018?
One of the most progressive and wealthiest nations in Africa is Nigeria. If you had a possibility to visit Lagos, the most beautiful city in Nigeria at least once, you might confuse it with some of the biggest and modern cities of the world such as Madrid, Rio De Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Paris, and even Tokyo.
Given the fact that Nigeria is an international oil supplier and Africa’s biggest producer of oil, the Nigerian economy is one of Africa’s largest economies. For the past decade Lagos, one of the biggest cities, has undergone some admirable developments. While the Internet is flooded with pictures of starving children and deteriorated African villages, another side of the continent’s face is much appealing. Many cities in Africa are able to destroy such a negative impression including Lagos, the most beautiful city in West Africa.
It is known that Africa is the 2d largest continent in the world by territory as well as by population which makes about 15 percent of the world’s population. With the population of about 190 mln people, Nigeria is the most populated country in Africa. In turn, Lagos is a commercial, political, cultural nerve centre of Nigeria and one of the fastest growing cities in Africa.
With a population of around 20 million people, Lagos is undoubtedly one of the most developed and suitable for living cities in Africa. Currently, Lagos is enjoying an increasing a burst of tourism. Below are some photos of the most desired places of destination that prove Lagos is the most beautiful city in Nigeria and West Africa.
Located on the cost of the Atlantic Ocean, Lagos boasts a few amazing beaches that offer the city a picturesque view. With many exotic places, Lagos stands as one of the most visited and beautiful cities in West Africa. From the fantastic tourist sites, beautiful beach resorts and landscapes, fun and vibrant nightlife, Lagos has proven to be not only beautiful but also very suitable for tourists and permanent residents.
What are the features of this rich and largely populated African city that make it so beautiful? Lagos is a mixture of old-fashioned and top-notch areas, slums as well as infrastructurally developed areas with good roads, modern architectural designs, well-planned buildings, and stunning attractions. When you arrive at this city, you will be amazed at the great shopping, entertainment and leisure facilities, friendliness and hospitality. Elegant buildings and monuments decorate the city located on quite a small territory comparing to other Nigerian cities.
The city of possibilities
While Lagos is not the capital city of Nigeria, it is the main economic center of the country. It has the strong presence of influential organizations, educational institutions, and top-notch companies. Lagos is a place of living for people from different cultures and ethnic groups. It is a very comfortable and interesting place to live with friendly locals called ‘Lagosians’. As the most industrialized city in Nigeria, Lagos is infamous for being the most exclusive city in the country to live in.
Lagos is also popular for good job opportunities. It is a world-class destination that can offer everything to everybody. It’s one of the best entertainment cities that is known for its unique experiences and matchless vibes. Nigeria’s most wonderful beaches, skyscrapers, amazing parks, are located exactly in Lagos. Let’s take a closer look at the most beautiful attractions of Lagos city.
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If we are going to start with the most important attraction in Lagos, we need to start with the beaches as one of the top destinations in Lagos. This is where most tourists come replenishing the budget of the country. As mentioned above, Lagos is located on the Atlantic coast, so it is surrounded by water bodies.
One can find a lot of scenic sandy beaches perfectly suitable for picnics and recreation. Those who could answer what is the most beautiful city in West Africa are tourists as they can compare. Many visitors from other cities and from abroad spend a lot of time in Lagos during their vacation which proves that Lagos is worth to spend time and money on it. Lagosians also go to beaches whenever they want, mostly on the weekends. It is very easy to make local friends, mainly because most of them they speak English well as this is official and most commonly spoken language of Nigeria.
When visiting Lagos, make you visit the two most popular beaches: Tarkwa Bay beach and Elegushi Beach.
The Tarkwa Bay beach is a secured beach located on an island near the Lagos Harbor. The beach is usually not too overcrowded as it is only accessible by water which makes it more difficult to access. The Tarkwa Bay beach is hugely popular among swimmers and water-sports enthusiasts for high waves. Unlike most noisy beaches, Tarkwa Bay beach is protected from the bustle and hustle of the city and its vibrant nightlife. Nevertheless, the Tarkwa Bay beach is densely populated on weekends, public holidays and during the festivals.
Another popular tourist destination in Lagos is Elegushi beach which is a private beach located at off Lekki-Epe Expressway, Ikate, Lagos. Its owned is the Elegushi Royal family led by Alayeluwa Saheed Ademola Elegushi. This is the second most famous beach in Lagos. It gathers crowds mostly for parties and picnics where people have a great time during the dry season.
Interesting attractions
Besides the beautiful sandy beaches, Lagos has many attractions that attract the attention of the tourist. Among the most interesting attractions, one might distinguish the Freedom Park, Badagry, Terra Kulture and many more. Those living in Lagos do not spend much time on tours to these attractions though tourists find them really amazing.
The Freedom Park is an arts centre and leisure park area located in the middle of downtown Lagos in the former colonial prison. This is a calm place located right in the centre of busy Lagos city. It was built in 2010 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Nigeria independence. The Freedom Park is not big, it includes little monuments that showcase the history of the broad streets prisons as well as fountains, ponds, art installations, and pools. This is a nice spot to enjoy a late afternoon in Lagos.
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Badagry is another place in Lagos that is located just after the city adding a touch of beauty to it. This is a coastal town that has a long stretch of beach less crowded than the other beaches. If you are looking for some quiet and peaceful place to take a good rest form bustling city life, you should visit Badagry for sure.
You will probably be amazed at the food and cuisine in Badagry. It is rich in seafood because the natives are mostly fishermen. Also, Badagry is a historic place as it tells the history of the slave trade. The thing is that Badagry was an exit port for slaves sold from Africa to America. The museum located here is dedicated to slave trade displays stories of moving slaves, relics like slave chains and other items. Other historic spots in Badagry include the slave port, the point of no return, and the first well in Nigeria. It is a nice attraction to visit both to fill your leisure time and get familiar with the history of Nigeria.
The cultural life in Lagos is represented by Terra Kulture, a widely known art house located on Victoria Island area of Lagos City. It is also known as TK being a home to contemporary art. It houses over one thousand collections of contemporary art paintings and other pieces by Nigerian artists. The art house includes an art gallery, craft shop, library, language school, theatre, and restaurant.
Terra Kulture is also a private educational and recreational centre. It hosts numerous reading events featuring such famous writers as Chimamanda Adichie, Sefi Atta, and Wole Soyinka. TK’s library is stocked with the latest published books, contemporary journals, and magazines. It also offers wireless internet and top-notch computers for the library’s members. Terra Kulture art house is definitely one of the most exciting places for Nigerian and foreign lovers of art and those who want to learn about Nigerian culture and languages.
The entertainment capital of Africa
Whenever you visit Lagos, you will never get bored. This is the center of entertainment in Nigeria and Africa. Tourists are entertained by famous Nigerian musicians, stand-up comedians, and other artists. Many talented people come here to build their career, so if becoming a star is your dream, you need to go to Lagos.
Those who like to party can take part in Lagos parties called ‘Owambe’. They are large gatherings of friends and families wearing colorful and trendy clothing. At the Owambe parties, assorted kinds of foods usually are served. Lagos weekend parties are one of the most popular in the world. They are all about dancing, drinking, eating and celebrating with friends and family. This might be a reason why “Lagosians” call themselves happy people, they are never depressed.
Lagos is also famous for its interesting nightlife. Many local bars throw the grooving parties every single night. If partying is not your cup of tea, you can just drain down a glass of wine in one of the numerous cozy cafes. There is something for everyone in Lagos.
One more exciting thing that draws the attention of tourists is daily Lagos scenes. The days of street comedies have not passed, at least in Lagos. This is a city of street performances that you can never find in any other Nigerian city. The theater is woven into everyday life. Even drivers stuck in the traffic jams, street vendors, bus conductors shout the names of the most famous actors participating in spectacular street dance performances. These interesting attractions make Lagos a fantastic place to visit.
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Delicious streets foods and other goods
While to rent the house in Lagos is very expensive, the prices on food are low. Agricultural products are brought here from different villages of Nigeria as well as imported. Given the fact that Lagos is a coastal city, food price is lower before it is raised to sell the products to various destinations. As the supply is higher than demand, food is low-priced.
Lagos street foods are popular for its distinctive flavour that cannot be confused with any other city. The most delicious is barbecue meat, known as Suya which can be found everywhere in the city. Another tasty food is the famous ‘Agege’ Bread that can be easily found in the street market in the city. Lagosians say that Agege bread for breakfast tastes much better than any burger. Some other popular street foods are Akara, Boli, Puff Puff, Abacha, Agbo Jedi, and other.
Lagos is called the city that never sleeps. Those who live in Lagos know that it is easy to buy any domestic product from the street shop at any time of the day, even early in the morning or late at night. Many small kiosks sell a variety of household items in every place. Medicine is easily accessible from the stores even by midnight.
Easy access to any country around the world
Being a center of international and domestic economy, Lagos is one of the top global centres in Africa. The city is attractive to investors and businessmen from all countries of the world. Despite the fact that the capital of Nigeria is Abuja, many high net worth individuals and decision makers live exactly in Lagos. Also, plenty of multinational companies have the branch offices in Lagos.
If you are living in this city, you can consider yourself a global citizen. If you need to cross the border, you can go from Lagos through the Benin Republic to other West African countries like Togo, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia and other by road. Also, Lagos has an international airport and two seaports, so everyone can easily book flights, travel by water to any city in the world, and get there within the shortest possible time.
Conclusion
Lagos is a beautiful city which was the capital city of Nigeria until 1991 and remains a place of great importance. It features modern architecture, interesting attractions being a home to the Nigeria entertainment industry.
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Source: Legit.ng
