Stand at the corner of the old fort in Bissau Velho and you can see two centuries at once: crumbling Portuguese colonial arcades, a harbour where pelicans drift past fishing boats, and painted pink flowers on a prison wall. The city is low-lying, warm and unhurried, spread along the Geba River estuary where ocean-going vessels still come and go.
Bissau suits travellers who are curious rather than comfort-driven, who are happy to walk slowly, ask questions and let a morning unfold without a fixed schedule. The centre is compact enough to cover on foot, and the strongest sights sit close together.
This guide covers the specific places worth your time in the city, followed by a one-day plan and answers to the questions visitors ask most.
Top things to do in Bissau
1. São José de Amura fort (Fortaleza de São José da Amura)
This old Portuguese fort holds the mausoleum of Amílcar Cabral and the tombs of other revolutionaries, and inside you can also see Cabral's car. It is the single most historically weighted stop in the city.
Getting in can be difficult. It is possible if you make friends with the soldiers or obtain permission, so allow time and approach it with patience rather than as a quick photo stop.
2. Porto Pidjiguiti
Walk out onto the little port, talk to the fishermen, watch the pelicans and look back at the city from a distance. The port was the site of the Pidjiguiti massacre on 3 August 1959, when police shot 50 striking dockworkers — an event that became the beginning of active resistance against Portuguese colonial power.
A monument shaped as a gigantic black fist commemorates the massacre. Combine the walk with the waterfront end of Bissau Velho, which sits close to the harbour.
3. Presidential Palace (Palácio Presidencial)
The palace was bombed out during the civil war and reconstructed in 2013 with Chinese money; it serves again as the president's seat. Nearby is the Independence Monument, which commemorates Guinea-Bissau's unilateral independence from Portugal on 24 September 1973.
Pair the two in a single stop, since they sit close to each other.
4. Bissau Velho
This is the old Portuguese colonial centre, where some pharmacies and businesses still operate out of the colonial-era buildings. There is not much life there nowadays, but it remains a nice place to walk around.
Do not miss the prison with pink flowers painted on its front, at the corner of the fort, close to the harbour.
5. Mercado de Bandim
Bissau's main market, and the place to see the city's everyday commerce at full volume. Go in the morning when the market is at its busiest.
You can combine it with the tennis club at the Bandim Harbour, which is close to Estadio 24 de Setembro.
6. National Ethnographic Museum (Museu Etnográfico Nacional)
On the university campus, opposite "Lenox de Bairro", the museum holds a small collection of Bissau-Guinean wooden masks and statues, baskets and cloths. The staff are very helpful and good at explaining the purpose of the different items and connecting them to traditional spiritual beliefs.
It is open mornings only, so plan it as a morning stop rather than an afternoon one.
7. French Cultural Center
The French Cultural Center at the Bayana roundabout often features concerts, movies, dance classes and French classes. Check what is on during your stay if you want an evening out.
It is the more inviting of the city's two cultural centres for an event.
8. Portuguese Cultural Center
The Portuguese Cultural Center, next to the Portuguese embassy and behind "Benfica", also hosts concerts, though in slightly less inviting surroundings. Worth knowing about if the French centre has nothing scheduled.
9. Estadio 24 de Setembro
You can exercise on the running lanes or in the gym here. It is a practical stop rather than a sight, useful if you want to keep up a routine while in the city.
It sits close to the Bandim Harbour tennis club, so the two can be paired.
10. Swimming at the hotel pools and Campo Sueco
You can swim at Ceiba Hotel, Hala Hotel, Azalai Dunia Hotel or Campo Sueco. Campo Sueco costs CFA 3000 and is somewhat more noisy and crowded, but has more African atmosphere.
Choose the hotels if you want quiet, Campo Sueco if you want company.
11. Tennis at the Bandim Harbour club or Campo Sueco
Play tennis in the tennis club at the Bandim Harbour, close to Estadio 24 de Setembro, or in Campo Sueco. A straightforward way to spend a cooler part of the day.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at the National Ethnographic Museum on the university campus, which is open mornings only, then head to Mercado de Bandim while the market is busy.
Afternoon: Walk Bissau Velho, looking out for the prison with pink flowers painted on its front at the corner of the fort near the harbour, then continue to Porto Pidjiguiti to watch the pelicans and see the city from a distance. If you can arrange access, visit São José de Amura fort and the mausoleum of Amílcar Cabral.
Evening: See the Presidential Palace and the nearby Independence Monument, then check whether the French Cultural Center at the Bayana roundabout has a concert or film on.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time of year to visit Bissau?
Almost no rain falls from November to May. During the remaining five months the city receives around 2,000 millimetres of rain, so the dry months are the easier ones for walking around.
Can I visit the São José de Amura fort?
It can be hard to get in, but it is possible if you make friends with the soldiers or get permission. Inside are the mausoleum of Amílcar Cabral, the tombs of other revolutionaries and Cabral's car.
Is the National Ethnographic Museum open all day?
No. It is open mornings only. It sits on the university campus, opposite "Lenox de Bairro".
Where can I swim in Bissau?
You can swim at Ceiba Hotel, Hala Hotel, Azalai Dunia Hotel or Campo Sueco. Campo Sueco costs CFA 3000 and is somewhat more noisy and crowded, but has more African atmosphere.
Work out which of these fit your days, check what is on at the cultural centres, and start planning your trip to Bissau.