What it is
A coastal capital of about five million spread along the Gulf of Guinea. Jamestown is the old fishing quarter below a lighthouse. Osu is the restaurant and bar strip. Labadi is the main city beach. Makola is the central market.
Why go
Most trips begin and end here, and the city carries more than a transit stop's worth. The Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park holds the first president's tomb. The W.E.B. Du Bois Memorial Centre is the house where he lived and is buried. Independence Square and the Black Star Gate are a short walk apart. Beyond that, Accra has a working contemporary art and design scene and the best food in the country.
When to go
December is the peak and changes the city completely: more expensive, more crowded, more to do. January to March is dry and calmer. Jamestown is best walked early, and with a local guide arranged in advance rather than someone who approaches you at the gate.
Most people stay 3-4 nights.