Bissau Velho
The old harbor district from the Portuguese colonial era. Its peeling colorful arcades, iron balconies and colonial houses are half ruin, half lived-in, making it Bissau's most atmospheric neighborhood.
Bissau Velho is where the Portuguese set up a trading post in the 17th century. It lies at the mouth of the Geba River, stretching from Amura Fort to Pidjiguiti Wharf. The streets preserve colonial buildings from the 19th and early 20th centuries: arcaded shopfronts, two-story houses with wrought-iron balconies, and the old customs house. Most are in need of repair, with peeling plaster and trees growing out of rooftops, which gives the district a ruined charm. In recent years a few buildings have been restored, and new cafés and galleries have opened. You can walk the area together with the fort, the wharf monument and the cathedral. Allow about 2 hours. Ask permission before photographing government or military facilities, and avoid walking alone in the old town at night.
Opening hours
All day (visit during daytime)
Nearby sights
- Bissau Cathedral
- Fortaleza de São José da Amura
- Pidjiguiti Memorial
- Praça dos Heróis Nacionais
- Bandim Market
- National Ethnographic Museum
- Quinhamel
- Bolama