The capital of Ghana, Accra is a pleasant city (pop. 1,100,000) on the southern coast. Start your sightseeing at the Perpetual Flame at the Cenotaph in Revolution Square then go on to the National Museum (one of the best collections in West Africa, allow at least two hours). Next to the museum is a good craft market which sells paintings, prints, and postcards. The city's main sites are the Makola Market (the central market), Liberation Square (memorial to three Ghanaians who were shot during colonial times,) the tropical gardens, the Art Centre (for shopping and cultural events,) the grave of Kwame Nkrumah (the first Ghanaian president) and that of W. E. B. Du Bois (the American-born civil rights leader who spent his last years in Accra).

Accra also has some beautiful beaches, some more touristy than others. Labadi and Kokrobite will ask for an entrance fee, and expect a busy crowd on Saturday and especially Sunday. You'll probably be entertained and deal with a lot of peddlers selling all sorts of things. If you like a more quiet beach, you should check out CoCo beach (in Teshie), though it's very rocky and not so good for swimming. Also Misty beach(in between Teshie and Tema.)is another quiet beach situated on the mouth of the river. The trip there will take a little longer but it's really worth it. For the best beaches you really need to head outside of Accra.

The most touristy area of Accra is Osu. It's located quite close to the Art Centre and Liberation Square. The main street (Cantoments Road) and those around the area have plenty of good hotels and restaurants of all kinds, even fast food like burgers pizza, Chinese and Indian food, ice cream and, for those who like Ghanaian food better, a big (and really clean) chopbar nearby.