St. Louis (Saint-Louis) - one of the most interesting cities on the continent, in combination the oldest city in the country and the first European settlement in West Africa .Founded in 1659, it was considered an important commercial center from the end of the 19th century, even having "lighted up" in the role of the capital (from 1872 to 1957) .In 2000, the historic center of St. Louis was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, and there is: for it there are a lot of old colonial mansions, the Governor's Palace with the Feidere Square, the Cathedral and the unique Muslim cemetery .The

How to get to Saint-Louis

Between Dakar and St. Louis, seven-way shuttle buses run at bargain prices (and this despite a considerable distance - 260 km, departure from the station Pompier). Travel time is about 5 hours, the fare is not more than 10 US dollars. Passengers are planted at the bus station 4, 5 km south of the city center. Get to the heart of Saint-Louis's life from there you can only for 1 US dollar.

Transport

It is possible to move around the city in a budget (by the center - no more than 1 dollar) or public transport, the fare on which is absolutely ridiculous - 100 West African francs. However, St. Louis is not so great that it can not be walked around.

To see more in the city and its surroundings, you can rent a bike or scooter. The rental office is at the corner of Rue Blanchot and Quai Roume on the island. Scooter will cost about $ 20 per day, great - from $ 10.

Beaches of Saint-Louis

20 km south of St. Louis, on the coast of the Lange de Berberi peninsula, you can spend a nice day on the beach. In addition, here is the eponymous National Park with graceful pink flamingos, sedate white pelicans and mysterious corormors.

Shopping and shopping

St. Louis offers excellent shopping, ranging from huge markets on the mainland, ending with a miniature fish market in Guet N'Dar. Small shops around the city sell almost everything a tourist might need during a walk: water, sweets, souvenirs.

In addition, in St. Louis, a lot of boutiques selling crafts made by local craftsmen - clothing, wood products, jewelry, postcards. Look at Chez Adja Sokho Creations, where a lot of such trinkets are sold; the store is on Rue Blanchot and Rue Blaise Diagne. Also worth a visit is Keur Fall on Quai Roume Street: the goods here come from 15 surrounding villages. Other pretty places are Galerie N'Dar, Cadeau and Souvenir Mama Africa on Rue Blaise Diagne.

Entertainment, excursions and attractions in Saint-Louis

The old town is comfortably located on the coast and islands connected by small bridges. One of them, the Faidherbe bridge, connects the ancient center of Saint-Louis to the mainland, and is considered a real work of art. Originally it was created to be installed on the Danube, and it's not clear how miraculously it appeared in Africa in 1897.

It is worth a stroll and to the fishing village of Guet N'Dar, which is located on the peninsula of Lange de Berberi, to observe the life and work of ordinary Senegalese fishermen.

Museums

There are a couple of museums in the city: "Aeropostal of Jean Mermoz" (l'Aéropostale Jean Mermoz), tel..: +221 33 961 24 55, open from Mon to Sat, admission ~ 5 dollars .It tells about the role of "air mail" in the colonial St. Louis, as well as the legendary pilot Jean Mermoza .And Institut Français (Institut Français), тел .: +221 33 938 26 26, working hours: Mon-Fri 8: 30-12: 30 and 15: 00-18: 00, Sat 8: 30-16: 00 .It's not exactly a museum - it's more like a meeting place and cultural life of citizens, you can sit in a cafe, look at a library or a concert, watch films and temporary exhibitions .Program for the next month you are looking for directly at the institute or at any nearby hotel .The

Events

Each year in May-June in St. Louis is the famous jazz festival, which lasts about a week. Here the most eminent musicians and singers from all over the world are flocking, and concerts and meetings with "stars" take place throughout the city. This festival is considered the largest in all Africa.