Capital Cities of Africa Port Louis

The Central Market is the largest covered market in the city. It is the place to mingle with the locals. You can see plenty of spices, colorful displays of fruit and vegetables, and local culinary specialties. At the "food court" you can sample local snacks and dishes.

Take a walk along the Cauden Waterfront. The main thoroughfare is decorated with colorful umbrellas and referred to as the Umbrella Alley.

You'll find that Cauden is the oldest shopping center on the island and will remind you of a small village with a seaside promenade, shops, and restaurants.

The Caudan Arts Centre hosts plays, concerts, dance performances, and other local and international events.

Shop for souvenirs at the Crafts Market where you'll find handicrafts, the artwork of local artist, clothing, and many other things.

At the Blue Penny Museum you can find out about the colonial history of Mauritius.

Place d’Armes on the Cauden Waterfront connects the port to the Government House at the top of the street and is lined with several rows of century-old palm trees, forming the historic center of Port Louis.

Several statues of famous figures who contributed to the country’s development stand here. Prominently, there’s a statue of Mahé de Labourdonnais, the founder of the first French colony in Mauritius.

Among the other statues at Place d’Armes, you can also see:

Queen Victoria, former queen of the United Kingdom, which Mauritius was once a part of.

Sir John Pope Hennessy, a former British Governor of the colony.

The Jardin de la Compagnie is a small public garden with impressive centuries-old giant banyan trees, There are several statues to the men who contributed to building Port Louis. It is a great place to relax, take a stroll, and sit on a bench and enjoy nature.

China Town is \impressive with a collection of street art that decorates many walls, its quaint little shops, and its Asian restaurants.

The Citadel is also known as Fort Adelaide. It is an old fortress that was built in the 19th century by the British. It sits atop a hill overlooking Port Louis and from the top you can get awesome views of the city, the harbor, and the mountains.

There are over 70 urban artworks scattered here and there.They are mainly located in China Town, but you can also find them around Le Caudan, Bourbon Street, and Edith Cavell Street.

The Port Louis Theater is now closed and undergoing renovations but can be seen behind the Government House. It was built in 1820 and is among the oldest theaters in the Indian Ocean.

You can take a hike to the summit of Signal Mountain for fantastic views especially at sunset.

Aapravasi Ghat is a UNESCO World Heritage museum dedicated to the history of indentured laborers who came to Mauritius after the abolition of slavery.

The Natural History Museum is housed in a beautiful colonial house built in 1842. It is the oldest museum in the country. It has a collection of insects, shells, fish, reptiles, and other endemic species of Mauritius.

But the star attraction that draws most visitors is the authentic dodo skeleton on display. The skeleton was found in 1900 (over 200 years after the species’ extinction), it’s one of the only complete dodo skeletons in existence today.

Saint Louis Cathedral (picturd on top) is one of the country’s most significant Catholic churches. It dates back to the mid-18th century and was rebuilt several times over the centuries due to damage caused by cyclones. Viewed from above the cathedral is cross shaped. Inside you can admire several stained glass windows, an imposing altar, statues, and paintings.

The Hindu Madurai Mariamen Temple is quite colorful with its structure made of sculptures and statues of deities.

The Chinese Tien Tan Pagoda is located at the foot of the Signal Mountain.

The beautiful Jummah Mosque is the second oldest mosque in Mauritius and also one of the largest in the country. It was built in 1853, it’s located at the entrance of ChinaTown