Bolama
The former capital of Portuguese Guinea, where wide streets lined with colonial palaces and an old hospital are being reclaimed by tropical vegetation.
Bolama served as the capital of Portuguese Guinea from 1879 to 1941. After the capital moved to Bissau, it gradually declined and left behind large neoclassical buildings, including the governor’s palace, the city hall, a hospital, and harbor structures. Most are now in ruins, interwoven with mango and kapok trees to create a distinctive landscape. The memorial to the Italian aviator Francesco de Pinedo, who made a flight here, also stands in town. The town has a small population and a slow pace of life. You can stay in a simple guesthouse or cycle to the island’s beaches. From Bissau, ferries or speedboats take about 1 to 3 hours, with irregular schedules, and there are also routes that transfer at Bubaque.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Pidjiguiti Memorial
- Bissau Velho
- Fortaleza de São José da Amura
- Bissau Cathedral
- Bandim Market
- Praça dos Heróis Nacionais
- National Ethnographic Museum
- Bubaque