Holiday in Monrovia

About Monrovia

Monrovia is the capital of Liberia — the oldest independent state in Africa, founded in 1847 by freed American slaves. The city, named after US President James Monroe, still bears traces of this unique history: the architecture of the old town with its weathered wooden houses in the American Southern style, the English language, and the American-Liberian culture make Monrovia a place that fundamentally differs from any other African capital. The city of 1.5 million extends over a peninsula between the Mesurado River and the Atlantic Ocean. Providence Island, where the first settlers landed in 1822, is the symbolic founding site of the nation. The National Museum preserves the history of the returnees and the indigenous peoples of Liberia. Monrovia's beaches are spectacular and largely empty: Robertsport, 2 hours to the north, is one of the best surf spots in West Africa, and the beaches of Thinkers Village and Kendeja on the outskirts offer golden sand and Atlantic waves without a single tourist. Liberia has overcome two devastating civil wars (1989-2003) and the Ebola crisis (2014), and Monrovia reflects both: the ruins of the Ducor Palace Hotel — once the most luxurious hotel in West Africa — stand as a symbol of decay, while new restaurants, bars, and a growing startup scene mark a new beginning.