Maputo, Mozambique

EXPLORE STUNNING COASTAL SCENERY AND A VIBRANT, COSMOPOLITAN CITY CENTER

A medley of African and Mediterranean influence is abundant on cruises to Mozambique’s bustling capital and center of commerce. Settled by the Portuguese in the 1700s, centuries of travel and trade from Africa, Asia, and Europe created Maputo’s vibrant, diverse cultural scene.

Easily explored by foot, Maputo’s Old Town stretches northeast from the port. From here, the city’s most prominent street, Avenida Julius Nyerere, parallels the coastline and passes the sprawling Presidential Palace and the stunning Hotel Polana. Peruse local boutiques and vendors for bright African waxprint and woven fabrics, Batik cloth, wood carvings, or any type of cashew imaginable (they're Mozambique’s second biggest export).

While Old Town has many sidewalk cafes (where fish and shellfish dominate the menus), at Maputo’s bustling Fish Market (northeast along Avenida Julius Nyerere), select something fresh and have it grilled on-site at one of several attached restaurants.

Five centuries of Portuguese influence have left well-preserved architecture to explore, and the city’s former colonial administrative buildings give the most in-depth experience. Must-see monuments include City Hall, Maputo Railway Station, Independence Square, the Tunduru Gardens, and the Fort of Maputo, built in 1867, which still holds remnants of Portugal’s conquests and military equipment.