Let us walk around to feel better this colonial town
Portuguese colonization in the 17th century, Ziguinchor is the sleepy and sprawling capital of Casamance. Located on the south bank of the Casamance river, it is a slow-paced town, caught between two cultures, Guinea Bissau to the south and Gmbie to the north.
The suburbs are villages surrounded by forests and sacred groves. Colonial architecture is felt everywhere, especially in the city center, which is the business district.
Moored fishing boats line the shore.
The hub of activity is on the water. While one end is dotted with hotel facades and private jetties, the other is an industrial hub of docks and warehouses. Connecting the eastern edge of Casamance to the Atlantic, the river remains a major artery for inhabitants and goods, such as timber, rice, peanuts or mangoes.
Back on earth, the lazy streets of Ziguinchor make for the perfect walk. Here, visitors can browse the wares at the craft market before having a drink facing the shore.
We will walk in the palm-fringed alleys around the governor's mansion, followed by a walking tour of the large craft market of St Maure des Fosées
As the southernmost region of Senegal, Casamance is a tropical paradise of waterways, fishing villages, palm groves and river towns geographically and culturally remote from other parts of the country.
Separated from northern Senegal by The Gambia, Casamance is unlike any other part of the country. Straddling the banks of the Casamance River, the region sits in the subtropics with increased rainfall that borders the landscape in lush meadows and dense forests. The streams, known as bolongs, are home to distinct flora and fauna. Pristine palm-fringed beaches line the Atlantic coast.
The way of life in Casamance is synonymous with the Diola people, this majority ethnic group of the locality, its language, its traditions and its animist beliefs. Even the architecture of the villages is different and authentic. The South is known for its impluvium-style huts, whose rounded funnel-shaped roofs collect water from seasonal rains.
