Lomé is a bustling city full of things to do for family. I had driven through the city decades ago as a teen. This year, I finally got to travel there and explore the city with my husband and my 5 years old. And let me tell you, there was a lot to see!
Have a Delicious Meal on the Beach in Lomé
Lomé is located on the beach. Driving in the city, you can enjoy long stretches of beach, with restaurants and bars all along the way.
You will have plenty of choices. You can find something for all budgets and all tastes.
We didn’t go far from our hotel and just crossed the street since we stayed in a hotel across the beach. We enjoyed some delicious mérou, carp, and some spicy grilled chicken. The sides were fried yams, called kolikos here, some attiéké (made in Togo), and fries. You can also have fried plantains, rice, and akoumé (a type of corn flour dough).
The portions were huge, definitely bigger than what we’re used to in Abidjan!
My daughter enjoyed playing in the sand and checking out the swing set. Some beachfront places also offer playgrounds, swimming, or beach volleyball.
Insider tip: On weekend nights, especially Sunday, the restaurants and bars are bustling and crowded. It’s party time! If you want to have a good time, you’re in luck. But if you have young kids, the scene may not be ideal.
Visiting Assigamé, Lomé Grand Marché
Lomé Grand Marché, located close to the beach, is a feast for the eyes. It’s built around the Sacre Coeur Cathedrale, offering a beautiful contrast between the majestic building and the vibrant market around it.
From the nana-benz lines of cars parked in front of the market to sellers carrying their stores on their heads and modeling the clothes they’re selling, everything will captivate your eyes.
The market has everything, from fresh produce to all sorts of fabrics and crafts, very often for a cheaper price than you would find in Abidjan. There are also clothes, jewelry, shoes, and toys.
You can spend the day there, just browsing and people-watching. You would probably need more than a day if you want to explore the whole market. The place is huge!
If not careful, you can easily spend all your vacation money. There are so many things to see and buy! Speaking of money, keep yours close and safe, as there are pickpockets in the market. Although, as an Ivorian, Assigamé seemed to be a little bit safer than the Adjamé market in Abidjan.
Insider tip: Visiting the Lomé Grand Marché is an activity that may be more appropriate for older kids. Younger kids may still enjoy it but will most likely get tired soon, with the place being so big.
Make sure to dress in comfortable clothes and shoes if you’re planning to spend hours there especially if you’re going with your kids. There are plenty of snacks and street foods available to buy in the market. But if you don’t want to stop every five minutes, prepare some snacks and drinks ahead to have on the go.
Visit le Palais de Lomé
For a quieter afternoon, hop in a taxi and head to the historic Palais de Lomé. Make sure you know the exact address of the Palais (close to the former Presidency, at the intersection of the Boulevard du 13 Janvier and Boulevard de la Republique) or have a GPS with you. Otherwise, most taxis will try to send you to the Palais des Congres, since, surprisingly, not a lot of locals know about this historic Place.
This can be explained by the fact that, although the Palais de Lome is facing the beach, its entrance is tucked in the small street, close to the former Presidency.
The Palais de Lomé is a former colonial governor’s residence. It was used by German, English, and French governors before becoming a government property. The building was abandoned in 1991 after civil unrest in the country. It’s been restored in 2017 and has since been opened to the public.
During your guided visit, you can enjoy the gorgeous architecture, the beautiful ocean view, as well as the different art exhibitions throughout the Palais. When we went most exhibitions were by Togolese artists.
I wished we had spent more time there. I’ll definitely go back!
You can visit it on Saturdays. It’s also open during the week, but you’ll have to call beforehand to ensure that someone will be there. The phone number on their website actually works and they are very responsive.
Check out le Musée National
The Musée National is another quiet little spot where you can spend easily a couple of hours. It is located next to the Palais des Congres. The space is small but full of history and fascinating artifacts. The Museum is divided into two spaces: the first floor is reserved for ethnographic objects and the basement focuses more on the history of Togo.
The entrance costs between 500 and 1000 FCFA for kids and 1000 or more for adults — the fee changes depending on whether you’re Togolese or not.
For that fee, you will get a guided tour, which is amazing.
You will be able to admire traditional blacksmith equipment, weapons, outfits, and many more artifacts. You will also be able to play a cool musical instrument.
Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and made the visit even more entertaining, answering all our questions and bringing the exhibition to life.
One little fact I’ve learned, Togo was one of the later countries to end slavery. The Museum has one of the rare actual photographs of enslaved people. It was very emotional and sobering to see it.
Check out some local brands
Lomé has a lot of cool designers and interesting shops to check out besides the Grand Marché. One of these shops, the Korner shop is owned by the Togolese designers Valérie Kossiwa and her husband Fulber Kodogoli.
The store is located in the Kodjoviakpé neighborhood. It’s the ideal spot to get an original gift or souvenir made in Togo.
The mission of the store is to promote Togolese and African craftmanship. There, you will find beautiful jewelry, including unique earrings made of plexiglas and pagne. You can buy original house objects, such as serving trays or bathroom robes. I personally fell in love with the coffee cups with African fabric-inspired design and the funky plexiglass coasters.
If you are more interested in clothes. The shop also has beautiful dresses, funky boxers, and gorgeous handbags in leather or African fabric (pagne).
Everyone can find something for their taste.
They even have souvenirs for little people, such as dolls and art supplies.
The store is divided into two spaces, On one side, you have the creations of Valerie Kossiwa and on the other side, you have the creations of Fulbert Kodogoli, beautifully crafted pieces of wood furniture and mesmerizing paintings (pieces of art).
I wish I could have bought half of the store (but your girl has to stick to her budget!). Everything was beautiful and unique.
Where to stay in Lomé?
As the capital city of Togo, Lomé has a plethora of hotel options, for all budgets.
For a good cost-benefit balance, the Hotel Ahoefa King Salomon Garden is a good option for a family with young kids. Their mini-suites offer you lots of space for a reasonable price. We got ours at the discounted price of 75,000 FCFA/ night (keep in mind that cost may vary depending on the season).
The hotel staff offered to bring an extra cot/ mattress into the room to accommodate our child. But the bed ended up being big enough for the 3 of us.
There is a pool and a restaurant on site. The team was very helpful, professional, and warm. The hotel was not far from the beach. And they were able to accommodate us at the last minute without a reservation in advance. They had breakfast available for a small additional fee, but the options were limited in terms of choices.
We also stayed at the Onomo Hotel, which was closer to the beach but busier. To stay there, make sure to make a reservation before (don’t do like us!). The advantage of the Onomo was the food option. They had a pretty good buffet for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, most days of the week.
The Onomo also had a pool, but I didn’t really enjoy it because the pool was 1.5 meters deep which was fine for me, but too deep for my daughter.
Insider tip: I would say that between both hotels, the hotel Ahouefa seemed a little more kid-friendly. The Onomo catered more to a business crowd.
Other things to do in Lomé
The Musée d’Art d’Afrique (formerly Musee International du Golf de Guine): A small private museum close to the Lome beach that has a collection of 1600 pieces of statues, sculptures, pottery, and art.
The Marché des fetiches: A small market selling traditional objects of witchcraft. For 3000 FCFA per person, you can get a guided tour. Personally, I found it a bit overpriced and we skipped it entirely.
Check out Ghana: Fun fact, Lomé is located at the border of Ghana! The border is literally in the city. So if you want to check out Ghana while in Lome, just hop in a cab or a Zemidjan and go (obviously you may need a visa and all that, but you know what I mean)!
