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Photo: Livinba, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The oldest part of Accra. You may want to find a friendly local guide so you don't miss the hidden alleys, old stone houses, and fantastic cliff-top harbour vistas. Jamestown is similar in many ways to Zanzibar's Stone Town, though it has not yet been restored and is not typically highlighted on tourist itineraries – it remains an active fishing centre. The only real sights are the lighthouse (closed for repairs as of 2024), a prison building housed inside an old colonial fort, and the old Customs House. From the lighthouse there is a road which takes you to the otherwise hidden delight: one of the largest working fishing harbours in Ghana. Go early in the morning and see dozens of small boats bring in the day's catch. Sadly, the Chinese, who constructed a massive and modern facility on the harbour in 2025, is pushing the fisherman and the ladies who grill the fish are being pushed into an ever-smaller area around the bay.
Located directly east of the Korle Lagoon, Jamestown and Usshertown are the oldest districts of Accra, Ghana and emerged as communities around the 17th century British James Fort and Dutch Ussher Fort on the Gulf of Guinea coast. These districts were developed at the end of the 19th century, and following the rapid growth of the city during the 20th century, they became areas of a dense mixture of commercial and residential use.
The National Museum offers visitors a look at Ghanaian history and culture from prehistory to the present. Cultural exhibits include clothing, thrones, carvings, pottery, and a variety of archaeological finds, all accompanied by concise and informative descriptions. There are also exhibits on traditional metalworking and cultural rites of passage. The focus on history is lesser, but the second floor includes displays of historical Ghanaian currencies, postage stamps, and football uniforms. A guided tour, which differs from the text in a few places, is available on request, but be sure to tip your guide at the end.
The park was created to honour Kwame Nkrumah, who led Ghana to its independence from Great Britain and became the nation's first president. Voted as Africa's "Man of the Millennium", he is a highly important figure of the 20th century. In the park you can see a monument dedicated to him, as well as his mausoleum, where he is buried.
Black Star Square
Also known as Black Star Square for the large black star located atop Independence Arch. The square celebrates Ghanaian independence from the British in 1957 and features an eternal flame first lit by Nkrumah in 1961.
W.E.B. DuBois was an American civil rights activist and author who moved to Ghana near the end of his life, feeling his efforts to create equality were all in vain and that America would never accept black people. DuBois' home has been turned into a museum and library. The museum is quite small, but there are informative guided tours available on request. The centre also houses his grave and several memorials.
This is the workshop of Seth Kane Kwei, who invented the famous design coffins in the 1950s, which are carved into shapes that represent something important and relevant to the deceased person, such as a fish or aeroplanes. You will likely meet Eric Adjetey Anang, grandson of Kane Kwei, who has owned it since 2005, and hear stories about these fantastic coffins. They are used for funerals in the region and are part of many public or private collections of contemporary art around the world.
The presidential palace. Might be worth taking a look at, just know there is lots of security around.