Experience the best of Kumasi

Kumasi lies in the forested hills of southern Ghana and was founded in the late 17th century as the capital of the Asante kingdom. The Asantehene, the Asante king, still holds court there, and the Manhyia Palace Museum, in the former royal residence, tells the story of the kingdom with photographs and regalia. The Golden Stool, the sacred symbol of Asante unity, is kept away from public view.

Kejetia Market, one of the largest open-air markets in West Africa, sells fabrics, spices, pots and live chickens in a dense maze of stalls. The Centre for National Culture has craft workshops, and a fort holds the military museum. Kente cloth is woven at Bonwire and adinkra cloth is stamped at Ntonso, small towns to the north-east, and Lake Bosumtwi, a crater lake sacred to the Asante, lies to the south-east.

Fufu, pounded cassava and plantain served in light soup or groundnut soup, is the great Asante dish, with spicy fried plantain on the side and palm wine at festivals. The Akwasidae festival returns every six weeks, when the king appears in state. The Harmattan, a dry wind from the Sahara, blows from December to February, and the rains come between April and October.